Updated October 10, 2026

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2: the same 35 photos, side by side

Quick answer

Nano Banana 2.1 (gemini-nano-banana-2.1) replaces Nano Banana 2 (gemini-3.1-flash-image), which Google has deprecated without announcing a shutdown date. A 1K or 2K image costs half as much on 2.1 and a 4K image about 25% less, but input and thinking tokens cost more. We ran the same 35 photos and prompts through both: most results are close, and 34 of 2.1's 35 edits were right on the first try.

Try Nano Banana 2.1Nano Banana 2.1 overview

Price: Nano Banana 2 vs 2.1

Gemini API standard tier. The batch tier costs half on both models.

Nano Banana 2Nano Banana 2.1Change
1K image$0.067$0.033650% less
2K image$0.101$0.050450% less
4K image$0.151$0.11325% less
512px image$0.045Not availableRemoved
Input, per 1M tokens$0.50$1.503× more
Text and thinking output, per 1M tokens$3.00$7.502.5× more

Image prices cover only the generated image. With the input photo and thinking added, our 2K test edits on 2.1 cost about $0.057 to $0.063 each, still well under Nano Banana 2's $0.101 list price for the image alone. See those tests.

What changed, and what didn't

Model ID
gemini-3.1-flash-image becomes gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Google recommends 2.1 for all new projects.
Thinking
Nano Banana 2 offered minimal or high, defaulting to minimal. 2.1 adds medium and makes it the default, so each request now carries a few hundred thinking tokens unless you turn it down: our 2K test requests used 363 to 744.
Resolutions
1K, 2K and 4K stay. The 512px size is gone on 2.1.
Quality, according to Google
Improved visual quality, text rendering, multi-turn consistency and Google Search grounding.
Unchanged
Gemini API token limits (131,072 in, 32,768 out), reference images (up to 14 in total, 10 objects and 4 characters kept consistent), and the feature list: image generation, thinking, Search grounding and Batch API on both, and no function calling, structured outputs, caching or Live API on either.

How we tested

We took the 35 prompts in YepShot's Explore library and ran each one on both models from the same source photo, with the prompt word for word and the same request settings: 1K output, aspect ratio auto. Nano Banana 2 ran on September 23, 2026 and Nano Banana 2.1 on October 10, 2026. For the 7 prompts that edit a brushed area, the mask was drawn automatically on each run, so it can differ slightly between the two. Each model ran once per prompt, apart from the retry noted below, so treat any single difference as an example rather than a benchmark.

The clearest differences

Most pairs are close. These four show the differences we could see without squinting.

Oak Table with Kitchen Props: original photo

Original

Oak Table with Kitchen Props: Nano Banana 2 result

Nano Banana 2

Oak Table with Kitchen Props: Nano Banana 2.1 result

Nano Banana 2.1

2.1 followed the prompt more literally

The prompt asks for the grinder with a ceramic cup and a linen napkin. Nano Banana 2 also carried the coffee bag over from the cluttered original. 2.1 left it out.

Prompt: Oak Table with Kitchen Props

ID Photo with White Background: original photo

Original

ID Photo with White Background: Nano Banana 2 result

Nano Banana 2

ID Photo with White Background: Nano Banana 2.1 result

Nano Banana 2.1

2.1 kept a detail 2.0 dropped

The thin necklace she wears in the café photo is still there in 2.1's ID photo. Nano Banana 2 removed it.

Prompt: ID Photo with White Background

Pure White Marketplace Packshot: original photo

Original

Pure White Marketplace Packshot: Nano Banana 2 result

Nano Banana 2

Pure White Marketplace Packshot: Nano Banana 2.1 result

Nano Banana 2.1

2.1 framed the product tighter

Same white-background prompt, but the bottle fills 77% of the frame height on 2.1 against 65% on Nano Banana 2, closer to the tight framing marketplace main images use.

Prompt: Pure White Marketplace Packshot

Recolor a Garment: original photo

Original

Recolor a Garment: Nano Banana 2 result

Nano Banana 2

Nano Banana 2.1 first run: hoodie recolored sage green with navy side panels left over

2.1, first run

Recolor a Garment: Nano Banana 2.1 result

2.1, second run

2.1's one miss: a masked recolor

The brushed area covered the whole hoodie, yet 2.1's first run left navy panels down both sides. A second run recolored all of it. Google's model card lists "partial instruction following" in masked edits as a known limitation of 2.1.

Prompt: Recolor a Garment

All 35 results

Original, Nano Banana 2 and Nano Banana 2.1 for every prompt. Click an image for the full 1K file, or a title for the prompt.

Frequently asked questions

When is Nano Banana 2 shutting down?

Google has not announced a date (checked October 10, 2026). It has marked gemini-3.1-flash-image as deprecated and recommends gemini-nano-banana-2.1 instead.

Is Nano Banana 2.1 a drop-in replacement for Nano Banana 2?

For image generation and editing, largely yes. YepShot switched by changing the model ID; the generateContent request and its image settings stayed the same, and Google lists the same token limits and features for both models. Check two things: the 512px size no longer exists, and thinking now defaults to medium.

Will my prompts produce the same images on 2.1?

No. In our 35 side-by-side tests the results were close but never identical. Re-check any prompt whose output you rely on, especially for brand assets.

Is Nano Banana 2.1 really half the price?

Per generated image at 1K and 2K, yes: $0.0336 vs $0.067 and $0.0504 vs $0.101. At 4K it is $0.113 vs $0.151, about 25% less. Input tokens cost three times as much and thinking tokens 2.5 times as much, so a full request costs more than the image price alone.

Should I wait for the shutdown date before switching?

No. Google already recommends 2.1 for new projects, and switching early lets you re-check your prompts on your own schedule rather than against a deadline.