Google has released Nano Banana 2.1, a new model for image generation and editing that replaces Nano Banana 2, which launched in February 2026. According to The Decoder, Google says the new version improves on previous models "across the board."
The headline shift is the engine underneath: Nano Banana 2.1 runs on Gemini 3.6 Flash, Google's fast tier, rather than the newer Pro model used by Nano Banana Pro. In practice, that means most people get a quality upgrade and a much lower bill for the same job.
Nano Banana 2.1 specs and capabilities
Google is pitching Nano Banana 2.1 as the efficient counterpart to Nano Banana Pro. The company highlights improvements in visual quality, text rendering, character consistency across conversation turns, wide panoramas and infographics, according to The Decoder.
It can take up to 14 reference images at once while keeping up to four characters and ten objects consistent, and it connects to Google Search. Users also get minimal, medium and high thinking levels, which affect the final image quality.
On speed, the model runs at Flash tier. It supports 1K, 2K and 4K resolutions and is already rolling out across Google's products, including the Gemini app, AI Mode in Google Search, Google AI Studio, Flow by Google, Stitch by Google, Google Ads and the Gemini Enterprise Platform.
Nano Banana 2.1 pricing: roughly 50% cheaper
The price cut is the most concrete part of the launch. According to The Decoder, a 1K image now costs 3.36 cents, down from 6.70 cents under Nano Banana 2, while a 4K image drops from 15.10 cents to 7.56 cents.
For comparison, Nano Banana Pro costs considerably more, at 13.40 cents for a 1K image. That makes 2.1 roughly a quarter of the price of Pro at the same resolution.
