Nano Banana 2.1: What's New, API Pricing, and How to Use It

Nano Banana 2.1 is available, and you can use it in Dream Pixel Forge. Google released the image generation and editing model on October 6, 2026, with the stable Gemini API ID gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Google describes improvements in visual quality, following instructions, character consistency, and text rendering. Its release notes also announce the older Nano Banana 2 endpoint's shutdown on October 29.

In Dream Pixel Forge, choose Nano Banana 2.1 for a new image or a source-image edit. It is a premium model for Pro and Studio plans, priced at 4 credits for 1K, 5 for 2K, and 8 for 4K. Below: what changed, the direct API prices, and three practical briefs for evaluating it on your own work.

What changed in Nano Banana 2.1?

Google's official launch gallery highlights better graphic design, subject consistency, mask-based editing, and more natural-looking imagery. The examples show poster layouts and a handbag carried between different scenes. They are useful demonstrations of the intended capabilities; they do not establish how reliably an arbitrary brief will succeed.

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The model supports 1K, 2K, and 4K generation. Google also documents new panoramic ratios, including 1:4 and 8:1. Those are model capabilities, not a promise that every app exposes the same controls. Dream Pixel Forge currently provides its existing aspect-ratio choices, reference images, and edits described in words. Its editor does not include a mask brush.

Is Nano Banana 2 available?

Yes. The new 2.1 release is generally available through the Gemini API. Google's model card also lists the Gemini app and Google AI Studio as distribution channels. Access and controls depend on the product you use.

For an existing integration, check the exact ID rather than just the display name. gemini-3.1-flash-image is the older Nano Banana 2 model, scheduled to shut down October 29, 2026. The replacement is gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Our Nano Banana API guide covers keys and integration options.

Nano Banana 2.1 pricing: Google API and Dream Pixel Forge

The following dollar amounts are Google's direct Gemini API image-output prices, checked against its pricing page on October 6. Input and text/thinking tokens are additional. A gateway or another app may charge differently.

Google lists no free API tier for this model. Dream Pixel Forge's Free and Starter plans do not unlock Nano Banana 2.1; Pro and Studio do. Buying credits alone does not change your plan's model access. Check plans and pricing before choosing it for a project.

Three briefs worth trying

These are suggested evaluation prompts, not examples we have independently benchmarked. Use a source image when the exact person or product matters, name what must survive the edit, and assess the saved result at its intended display size.

1. Move a product into a new scene

Use the uploaded bag as the product reference. Photograph it on a pale stone plinth in a bright studio, with a soft shadow falling to the right. Keep the bag's peach color, pebbled leather, strap attachments, hardware, and silhouette. Change only the setting and lighting. No additional text or props.

Start with one clean reference. Compare seams, closures, handle shape, and logos against the source before accepting the result. For a catalog image, an attractive scene is only useful if the product still matches what you sell.

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2. Make a poster with one clear hierarchy

Create a vertical poster for a fictional hiking weekend. Exact headline: "TAKE THE LONG WAY". Show a winding trail leading toward blue mountains. Cream paper texture, dark navy lettering, one orange accent. Put the headline in the top quarter and leave an uncluttered footer. No other text.

A short headline makes review straightforward. Check every letter, inspect contrast on a phone, and add dates or booking details in your design tool after approving the illustration. Our Nano Banana prompts guide has more ways to structure a brief.

3. Change one thing in an accepted image

Edit this source image. Replace the blue background with warm ivory. Preserve the subject's face, hairstyle, pose, clothing, camera framing, and lighting. Keep the same composition. Do not add objects or words.

In Library or Studio, start from the completed image and describe the change. Dream Pixel Forge saves the edit as a new generation with source lineage, so the original remains available. Compare the two images side by side; a subtle face or clothing change can matter more than the requested background change.

Open Studio to work with Nano Banana 2.1, or begin with the freeform image tool. Select the named model when evaluating this release so your comparison uses the model you intended.

Is Nano Banana 2 still the best?

There is no universal winner for every brief. Google's model card reports gains for 2.1 in its own evaluations, including editing and consistency. We have not independently benchmarked those gains against other models. Nano Banana Pro is a separate model, not another name for 2.1.

The model card still lists small-text problems, imperfect character consistency, occasional instruction failures, and spatial confusion. Build your comparison around the things that can ruin your deliverable: readable type, preserved product geometry, a recognizable face, or an edit that leaves the rest of the image alone. Choose the least expensive result that passes those checks.