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Nano Banana 2.1 vs 2: what's new, price and examples

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Try Nano Banana 2.1

Nano Banana 2.1 is Google's newest image model, and it's now on Popcraft: better images than Nano Banana 2 for up to 40% fewer credits.

This post covers what changed from Nano Banana 2, four side-by-side tests with the same prompts, the credit prices, and when Nano Banana 2 is still the better pick.

What is Nano Banana 2.1?

Nano Banana 2.1 (model ID gemini-nano-banana-2.1) is the latest model in Google's Nano Banana image family, released on 6 Oct 2026. It is the successor to Nano Banana 2 and sits alongside Nano Banana 2 Lite and Nano Banana Pro.

It does everything Nano Banana 2 does:

  • Text-to-image: describe a picture and generate it at 1K, 2K or 4K.

  • Image editing: add up to 14 reference images to restyle a photo, keep a character or product, or combine several pictures.

  • Video-to-image: add one reference video (a clip or a YouTube link) and it makes a still from it.

  • 14 aspect ratios, including the wide banner shapes 4:1, 1:4, 8:1 and 1:8.

What's new in Nano Banana 2.1

Google lists four improvements over Nano Banana 2:

  • Better image quality, with cleaner detail.

  • Closer prompt adherence: it follows what you ask for more closely.

  • Better text rendering, so words on signs, labels and posters come out right more often.

  • More consistent characters across edits: when you edit the same picture several times, people and products stay recognisable for longer.

It is also cheaper to run, so we've priced it lower than Nano Banana 2 on Popcraft (see Nano Banana 2.1 price below).

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2: side by side

We ran the same prompts through both models at 2K, with no retries and no editing. On simple prompts the two are close. The difference shows most when a prompt has several specific details, and when you keep editing the same picture.

Prompt adherence

The prompt asked for a close-up of an elderly fisherman, with water droplets in his beard and a chunky knit jumper. Nano Banana 2.1 kept to the close-up and shows finer skin and knit detail. Nano Banana 2 pulled back to a wider shot and added a pipe that wasn't asked for.

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 prompt adherence test: the same fisherman prompt, Nano Banana 2 on the left and Nano Banana 2.1 on the right. The 2.1 image is a tighter close-up with finer detail in the skin, beard and wool jumper.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 prompt adherence test: the same fisherman prompt, Nano Banana 2 on the left and Nano Banana 2.1 on the right. The 2.1 image is a tighter close-up with finer detail in the skin, beard and wool jumper.

Character consistency across edits

We made a portrait of a woman with a short copper bob, then asked each model to put the same woman in a snowy Tokyo street. Both kept her face, glasses and jacket. Nano Banana 2.1 also kept the short bob from the prompt in both pictures; Nano Banana 2 gave her longer, wavier hair from the start.

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 character consistency test: each model's studio portrait of a woman in a mustard corduroy jacket, then the same woman edited into a snowy Tokyo street at night. Nano Banana 2 on the left, Nano Banana 2.1 on the right.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 character consistency test: each model's studio portrait of a woman in a mustard corduroy jacket, then the same woman edited into a snowy Tokyo street at night. Nano Banana 2 on the left, Nano Banana 2.1 on the right.

Text rendering

Both models spelled every word and price correctly on this café chalkboard. Nano Banana 2.1 added coloured chalk and a small drawing of a cinnamon bun.

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 text rendering test: a café chalkboard reading THE CORNER CUP with three prices and opening hours, spelled correctly by both models. Nano Banana 2 on the left, Nano Banana 2.1 on the right.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 text rendering test: a café chalkboard reading THE CORNER CUP with three prices and opening hours, spelled correctly by both models. Nano Banana 2 on the left, Nano Banana 2.1 on the right.

On this perfume poster, both set the headline and the small print correctly. Nano Banana 2.1 picked up on the word "Midnight" and lit the scene darker.

Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 poster text test: a perfume advert headed MIDNIGHT ORCHARD with a frosted bottle and a pear on green marble. Nano Banana 2 on the left has a light background; Nano Banana 2.1 on the right has a dark, moody background.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 poster text test: a perfume advert headed MIDNIGHT ORCHARD with a frosted bottle and a pear on green marble. Nano Banana 2 on the left has a light background; Nano Banana 2.1 on the right has a dark, moody background.

Nano Banana 2.1 price

Credits per image on Popcraft, Nano Banana 2 then Nano Banana 2.1:

  • 1K: 10 credits, now 6 credits (40% fewer).

  • 2K (the default): 15 credits, now 9 credits (40% fewer).

  • 4K: 22 credits, now 17 credits (about 23% fewer).

  • 0.5K: 7 credits on Nano Banana 2; not available on 2.1.

Nano Banana 2.1 is unlimited on the Plus, Pro and Max plans, the same as Nano Banana 2. On other plans it uses the credits above. See every plan on the pricing page.

Should you switch from Nano Banana 2?

For most work, yes: you get an equal or better picture and pay fewer credits for it. Your prompts carry over, so you don't need to rewrite anything.

Stay on Nano Banana 2 when you need:

  • Small 512px (0.5K) drafts. Nano Banana 2.1 starts at 1K. For quick, cheap drafts you can also try Nano Banana 2 Lite.

  • An exact match with earlier work. If a project was made with Nano Banana 2, finishing it on the same model keeps the look consistent.

Nano Banana 2 isn't going away. Google has not announced an end date for it (see Google's Gemini API deprecations page), and it stays on Popcraft. Your existing images, boards and presets are not changed. You can read more about it on the Nano Banana 2 model page.

How to use Nano Banana 2.1 on Popcraft

  1. Open Image.

  2. Choose Nano Banana 2.1 in the model list.

  3. Pick a size (1K, 2K or 4K) and an aspect ratio.

  4. Add reference images, or switch to a video reference, if you want them.

  5. Press Generate.

It also works in Canvas, including the Skills presets such as the 360° panorama.

Try your favourite Nano Banana 2 prompt on Nano Banana 2.1 and share the side-by-side in the comments.

Try Nano Banana 2.1

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