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Nano Banana Provs.Nano Banana 2.1

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Nano Banana 2.1 has no arena rating yet. Nano Banana 2.1 has no API price.

Same prompt, two images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

Nano Banana Pro: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run
Nano Banana Pro48 out of 100
Nano Banana 2.1: Infographic, first image from the fixed test run
Nano Banana 2.171 out of 100

Result for “Infographic”:Nano Banana 2.1 ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square German infographic titled SO FUNKTIONIERT PHOTOSYNTHESE. Show exactly four numbered steps in this order: 1 LICHT, 2 WASSER, 3 CO₂, 4 ZUCKER + SAUERSTOFF. Use a clean editorial science style with one plant cross-section, simple arrows, high contrast, legible labels, and no other text.

What the rating looks at: Numbers, labels, and visual organization.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Both models receive the same archived prompt in exactly one request, and the first result counts. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

Nano Banana Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:20 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036408, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:40 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

Nano Banana Pro image SHA 256: eed53dcc080d2710e6e890382f6273382a12e2c5b079b8813962bff0c92b5df7

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: f89e3f52678670058ce0e1e9b0b5b6ec084e25a212491b5025e76d7525fb8707

Infographic

Nano Banana Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:20 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036560, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:40 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

Nano Banana Pro image SHA 256: 4ff7d3965d18e197f00647c35d6aed5a86a376c92779ee9e748c598aebafa51d

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: ce5c4b7af2575ccf9964cfeea2e4f0bb75cdad21aea29c4201e693fa307e435b

Product photography

Nano Banana Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 12:19 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036546, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:39 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

Nano Banana Pro image SHA 256: d50770f426cac7920c9ffdaf210db2f11cdc51a8cf0b7ef52e6cd26850b1de70

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: 289b144f7d5348e9324d229e5508d5698c09035f2cbdea474845a84b852e859e

Typography and layout

Nano Banana Pro: together, 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, provider default steps, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:00 PM. Source

Nano Banana 2.1: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.036497, generated Nov 1, 2026, 9:39 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

Nano Banana Pro image SHA 256: fc173de00b0df04772321167cfeabb55418d3d016081e7ebfb589c69a629b712

Nano Banana 2.1 image SHA 256: d27b58baa4115177a46fae2d71e258c5f4de9243fc66df93983ef6127df2f320

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better
1,246

Nano Banana Pro

Rank 12 of 22

n/a

Nano Banana 2.1

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better
61

Nano Banana Pro

Rank 28 of 74

69

Nano Banana 2.1

Rank 11 of 74

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better
$0.13

Nano Banana Pro

expensive

n/a

Nano Banana 2.1

no API price

Ranks among the 22 image models with an arena rating and the 74 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

Nano Banana Pro

Subscription
At Google from €4.99 a month (Google AI Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from ≈ €6.39 a month (ElevenLabs Starter, with limited credits). 74 plans in Germany.
Via API
$0.13 per image, 100 images $13.40.

Nano Banana 2.1

Subscription
At Google from €4.99 a month (Google AI Plus, with limited credits). Through other providers from €6.83 a month (Poe Basic, with limited points). 42 plans in Germany.
Via API
No API price known. Access: API, Web app.
Weights
unknown.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

Arena rating (LMArena) from Oct 28, 2026 · GraduallyBench from Nov 1, 2026 · API prices from Oct 28, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (34 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

KennzahlNano Banana ProNano Banana 2.1
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better1,246n/a
Arena rankRank 12 of 22n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating188,288n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 1006169
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition7660
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details7280
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency4767
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization4871
API price
Per imagelower is better$0.13n/a
100 images$13.40n/a
Profile
ReleasedNovember 2025Oct 6, 2026
Weightsopen means: runs locallyproprietaryunknown
AccessAPI, Web appAPI, Web app
Parametersnot publishednot published
Largest output4Knot consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model7442

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: Nano Banana Pro model source (verified Aug 15, 2026) · Nano Banana 2.1 model source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for Nano Banana Pro and Nano Banana 2.1 from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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