Google has released Nano Banana 2.1, the latest version of its popular AI image generation and editing model. The update promises sharper visual design, more precise editing and better character consistency, while cutting developer costs roughly in half compared with Nano Banana 2. It is already rolling out across the Gemini app, Search and Google Ads. Here is what has changed.
A new Nano Banana
Google released Nano Banana 2.1 on October 6. It is built on Gemini 3.6 Flash and updates Nano Banana 2, which launched in February. Google describes it as a faster, more efficient counterpart to its higher-end Nano Banana Pro model, designed for everyday image creation and editing.
Half the price
Through Google’s Gemini API, a standard 1K image now costs about $0.0336, roughly half of Nano Banana 2’s $0.067. A 4K image costs about $0.0756. That means 1,000 standard images cost around $33.60, down from $67, a significant saving for businesses and app developers.
Better visual design
Google says the model renders text more clearly on posters and diagrams and produces more accurate infographics. In Google’s own testing, Nano Banana 2.1 scored 0.521 for infographic factuality, compared with 0.179 for the previous model. It also aims to create more natural-looking images overall.
Edit just one area
A new mask-based editing feature lets users change a specific part of an image without affecting the rest. Users can mark an area and describe the change in a text prompt or sketch it. Google says this suits tasks like product images and advertising revisions.
Consistent characters
Nano Banana 2.1 can combine up to 14 reference images in a single creation. It keeps up to four characters and 10 objects looking consistent across a scene. Characters also keep the same appearance through repeated edits, which is useful for storyboards, comics and brand content.
Higher resolution
The model creates images at 1K, 2K and 4K resolution and supports unusually wide and tall formats. Google says it fixes a tiling problem that Nano Banana 2 could show on very wide images at higher resolutions. A new medium thinking level is now the default setting.
Where to find it
Nano Banana 2.1 is live or rolling out in the Gemini app, AI Mode in Google Search, Google Ads, Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, Flow, Stitch and Gemini Enterprise. Google is retiring Nano Banana 2 from its developer API on October 29.
What to keep in mind
The performance figures come from Google’s own testing, and independent comparisons were not yet available at launch. Images include C2PA content credentials, which help identify them as AI-generated. The price cut applies to developers using the API, not to Gemini app subscription plans.
