Head-to-head comparison
Nano Banana 2.1vsFlux Pro 1.1
Nano Banana 2.1 and FLUX Pro are both image models aimed at people who need consistent, editable output rather than one-off art. Google's model leads on reference-image fusion (up to 14 images, four consistent characters) and ships inside Gemini, AI Studio, and Flow. FLUX Pro from Black Forest Labs is the hosted flagship of the FLUX family, known for prompt adherence and photorealism, with open-weight siblings for self-hosting.
At a glance
| Nano Banana 2.1 | Flux Pro 1.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Image | Image |
| Function | Image generation | Image gen |
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starting price | API per image-output token (reported about half of Nano Banana 2); included in Gemini app and AI Studio use | API ~$0.05/image, hosted from $10/mo |
| Editor rating | — | 4.6 / 5 |
| Released | October 2026 | August 2024 |
Nano Banana 2.1
Pros
- Reference-image fusion at this scale is rare
- Available immediately across Google surfaces
- Cheaper than its predecessor per Google-reported pricing
Cons
- Quality claims are Google's; no independent benchmarks at launch
- Sits beside, not above, Nano Banana Pro for top quality
- Google account and ecosystem required
Flux Pro 1.1
Pros
- Photorealism leader in 2026
- Renders text and hands correctly
- API-first — easy to integrate
Cons
- No first-party consumer UI
- Less artistic flair than Midjourney for non-photo work
Which one should you pick?
Pick Nano Banana 2.1 if
You need characters and products to stay consistent across many images, want search grounding, or already work in Google's tools.
See Nano Banana 2.1 details →Pick Flux Pro 1.1 if
You want the FLUX family's realism and adherence, need open-weight variants for self-hosting or fine-tuning, or prefer a provider-neutral API.
See Flux Pro 1.1 details →Bottom line
Nano Banana 2.1 for consistency and the Google ecosystem. FLUX Pro for realism and an open-weight path. Generate the same brief in both; the styles differ more than the specs suggest.