# GPT Image vs Nano Banana: which AI image model is better? Same-prompt test

> GPT Image and Nano Banana are the image models from OpenAI and Google that top the Arena ranking: GPT Image 2.5 is 1st, Nano Banana 2 is 9th and Nano Banana Pro is 14th. In our test GPT Image was more precise on physics and layout, while Nano Banana is cheaper and gives lively photorealism. Nano Banana isn't inside ChatGPT, but both models run in AI2Face.

Published 2026-10-02 · Updated 2026-10-02
URL: https://ai2face.com/blog/nano-banana-vs-gpt-image

GPT Image from OpenAI and [Nano Banana](/models/nano-banana) from Google are two families sharing the top of the image-generation rankings. People often search for them together: “gpt nano banana”, “chatgpt nano banana”. The short answer: Nano Banana isn't inside ChatGPT, because they're models from different companies. We compared them on identical prompts, put specs, prices and blind-vote ranks side by side, and worked out which model to use for which job.

## GPT Image and Nano Banana: which versions exist

| | [GPT Image](/models/gpt-image) | [Nano Banana 2](/models/nano-banana-2) | [Nano Banana Pro](/models/nano-banana-pro) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | OpenAI | Google DeepMind | Google DeepMind |
| Current version | GPT Image 2.5 Flare and Sunburst (September 8, 2026) | Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (February 26, 2026) | Gemini 3 Pro Image (November 20, 2025) |
| Arena rank (Sept 24, 2026) | 1 of 80 (2.5 Sunburst) | 9 of 80 | 14 of 80 |
| Resolution | up to 3840 px per side | 0.5K–4K | 1K–4K |
| Features | transparent background, quality levels from low to max | 14 aspect ratios, image search | thinking mode, up to 5 people in references |
| Where it runs | ChatGPT, Codex, OpenAI API | Gemini, Gemini API | Gemini (with a subscription), Gemini API |

The Arena ranking is built on blind voting: users see two images from one prompt without knowing the models and pick the better one. There's also the lightweight [Nano Banana 2 Lite](/models/nano-banana-2-lite), Google's cheapest model, in 1K only.

## Text in Russian: both error-free

The first test was a chalkboard with an autumn menu: a heading, four items with prices in rubles and a line at the bottom.

![Two chalkboards titled “Осеннее меню” (Autumn menu) with four dishes and prices in rubles: on the left a board on an easel in a café, on the right a board filling the whole frame](https://ai2face.com/_astro/menu-text.26C00tg__ZlTuHu.jpg "One prompt: Nano Banana Pro on the left, GPT Image 2.5 Flare on the right. Both rendered all the Russian text without errors")

Both models wrote all five lines and the prices without a single error, which is still rare for Cyrillic. The differences lie elsewhere:

- **GPT Image 2.5** did exactly what was asked: the board filling the frame, tidy layout, leaves as decoration only.
- **Nano Banana Pro** put the board on an easel in a café interior and carried the quotation marks from the prompt into the heading. It's pretty, but it's extra for a layout.

If the image is a layout, a poster or a card where precise typesetting matters, GPT Image is more dependable. For more on text techniques, see the guide [GPT Image free](/blog/gpt-image-besplatno).

## Product photography: physics versus atmosphere

The second test was a ceramic coffee dripper on a walnut board, with water pouring from a kettle.

![Two product photos of a ceramic coffee dripper: on the left water pours into the dripper sitting on a saucer with no cup, on the right the dripper sits on a glass carafe with coffee in it](https://ai2face.com/_astro/product-photo.Bcn_slQ1_ZW2aO.jpg "One prompt: Nano Banana Pro on the left, GPT Image 2.5 Flare on the right")

Both pictures look like a catalog: window light, steam, beans. But in the Nano Banana Pro image the dripper sits on a saucer with no cup, so the coffee has nowhere to go, and an attentive buyer will notice. GPT Image added a glass carafe under the dripper on its own, and the scene became physically believable. For product cards, where the object has to work as it does in real life, we'd pick GPT Image. Nano Banana is stronger at editing finished photos and at portraits, covered in the article [Nano Banana 2 or Pro](/blog/nano-banana-2-vs-pro).

## Price: Google charges per image, OpenAI per token

| Model | How it's billed | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2 | per image | $0.067 for 1K, $0.151 for 4K |
| Nano Banana Pro | per image | $0.134 for 1K or 2K, $0.24 for 4K |
| Nano Banana 2 Lite | per image | $0.0336 for 1K |
| GPT Image 2.5 Flare | per token | $30 per million output tokens, $15 in batch mode |

At Google the price of an image is fixed and depends only on resolution. At OpenAI it depends on size, quality level and the number of input images, so it's harder to calculate in advance. For bulk generation, with hundreds of cards or variants, Nano Banana 2 or Lite is cheaper.

## Where GPT Image and Nano Banana are available

Both models are free from their developers, but with limits. Nano Banana 2 works in the Gemini app without a subscription and images download in 1K; Pro needs a Google AI plan. GPT Image 2.5 is available on every ChatGPT plan, including the free one, but with a “limited” number of images. Details are in the guides [Nano Banana free](/blog/nano-banana-besplatno) and [GPT Image free](/blog/gpt-image-besplatno).

Gemini and ChatGPT aren't available in every country. In AI2Face both families of models are in one generator: GPT Image 2.5, Nano Banana 2, Pro and Lite. You can run one prompt on two models and pick the better frame, as in this article. The cost of each generation is shown before you start, you can pay by card, crypto or another convenient method, and credits from packs don't expire.

## What to pick for the job

| Job | Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Posters, menus, infographics, interfaces | GPT Image | precise layout, nothing extra |
| Product cards with an object that has to “work” | GPT Image | believable physics |
| A logo or sticker on a transparent background | GPT Image | transparent background in PNG and WebP |
| A portrait that looks like a real photo | Nano Banana Pro | lively angle and expression |
| Editing your own photo: background, clothes, light | Nano Banana 2 or Pro | preserves the face and details carefully |
| 1:4 and 8:1 banners, stories | Nano Banana 2 | more aspect ratios |
| Hundreds of images, drafts | Nano Banana 2 or Lite | fixed low price |

## Bottom line

There's no clear winner, and that's good news: the models cover different jobs. GPT Image 2.5 holds first place on Arena and is the best choice for layout, text and objects that must look as they do in real life. Nano Banana offers lively photorealism, photo editing, unusual aspect ratios and a predictable price per image. Nano Banana isn't in ChatGPT, but in AI2Face both models are in one window: test your prompt on both at once with welcome credits and keep the better frame.

## FAQ

### Is Nano Banana available in ChatGPT?

No. Nano Banana models are made by Google and run in Gemini and the Gemini API. ChatGPT draws images with GPT Image from OpenAI. You can use both in one window in AI2Face.

### Which is better, GPT Image or Nano Banana?

It depends on the job. On Arena, GPT Image 2.5 is 1st and Nano Banana 2 is 9th. GPT Image is stronger at layout, text and object physics, while Nano Banana is stronger at lively photorealism, photo editing and price.

### Which model renders text better?

In our test both wrote a Russian-language menu without errors. GPT Image stayed closer to the prompt, while Nano Banana Pro put quotation marks in the heading and placed the board in a café interior.

### Which model is cheaper?

Nano Banana 2: in the Google API a 1K image costs $0.067. GPT Image is billed by tokens (Flare costs $30 per million output tokens), and the price of an image depends on its size and quality.

### Can I use GPT Image and Nano Banana for free?

With a limit: Nano Banana 2 in the Gemini app without a subscription, GPT Image 2.5 on the free ChatGPT plan. Neither service is available in every country. In AI2Face both models are available on welcome credits.

## Sources

- https://arena.ai/leaderboard/text-to-image
- https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/pricing
- https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-image-2.5-flare
- https://openai.com/index/introducing-chatgpt-images-2-5/
- https://support.google.com/gemini/answer/14286560