Nano Banana 2: specs, access and what it's best at
Updated July 22, 2026
Google's fast, free default — the best all-round image model for everyday work.
At a glance
| Nano Banana 2 | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Google DeepMind |
| Released | Feb 26, 2026 |
| Model ID | gemini-3.1-flash-image |
| Max resolution | Up to 4K |
| Speed | ~4–6s (Pro-level output) |
| Access | Gemini app, AI Studio, Vertex AI, fal, kie |
| Pricing | ~Half the API price of Nano Banana Pro |
What it is
Built on Gemini 3, Nano Banana 2 applies reasoning to a prompt before generating, and grounds facts with real-time web search. It handles native editing — add, remove or restyle elements — at up to 4K, and is free to the public as the Gemini app default.
A faster, cheaper Lite variant (Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image) followed on June 30, 2026 and sits in the arena top five.
What it's best at
Speed and balance. It gives Pro-level results in roughly 4–6 seconds, which makes it the pick for social media, e-commerce and high-volume automated pipelines. Rather than winning one narrow category, it's the most complete everyday toolkit — hence the 'best overall' slot in our rankings.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nano Banana 2 free?
- Yes — it's the default image model across the Gemini app's free and paid plans, and also powers Search AI Mode, Lens and Flow. API usage via the Gemini API / Vertex AI is paid, at roughly half the price of Nano Banana Pro.
- Nano Banana 2 vs Nano Banana Pro — what's the difference?
- Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) is the fast, cheap default. Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image) is the studio-grade tier with a 'thinking' mode for complex 4K compositions. For most everyday work, 2 is the better value.
- How do I access it via API?
- Through the Gemini API and Vertex AI, and via aggregators like fal.ai and kie.ai. The model name is gemini-3.1-flash-image.