Which image model costs less per image: GPT Image 2, Nano Banana 2, or Nano Banana Pro?

By Joe @ SimpleMetrics
Published 21 April, 2026
Updated 21 April, 2026
Which image model costs less per image: GPT Image 2, Nano Banana 2, or Nano Banana Pro?

Quick answer

  • GPT Image 2: $0.053 per image.
  • Nano Banana 2: $0.067 per image.
  • Nano Banana Pro: $0.134 per image in this comparison.
  • Bottom line: GPT Image 2 is 21% cheaper than Nano Banana 2, and Nano Banana Pro is 2x Nano Banana 2.

What is the official cost per image in this comparison?

Model Model ID Official cost per image
GPT Image 2 gpt-image-2 $0.053
Nano Banana 2 gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview $0.067
Nano Banana Pro gemini-3-pro-image-preview $0.134

Which one is cheapest?

In this simplified comparison, GPT Image 2 is the cheapest of the three.

  • GPT Image 2: $0.053
  • Nano Banana 2: $0.067
  • Nano Banana Pro: $0.134

That means GPT Image 2 is about 21% cheaper than Nano Banana 2 in this comparison. Nano Banana Pro is about 2x Nano Banana 2, and about 2.5x GPT Image 2.

How many images can you generate with $10 and $100?

Using the same simplified per-image prices and rounding down to whole images:

Model Approx. price per image Approx. images with $10 Approx. images with $100
GPT Image 2 $0.053 188 1,886
Nano Banana 2 $0.067 149 1,492
Nano Banana Pro $0.134 74 746

GPT Image 2 vs Nano Banana 2 vs Nano Banana Pro image examples

Below are side-by-side image examples generated from the same prompt on GPT Image 2, Nano Banana 2, and Nano Banana Pro.

Example 1: Product photo

Prompt: Create a studio-quality product photo of a premium sparkling water can called "AURORA" on a wet black stone surface with lemon slices and soft rim lighting. The can label should clearly read "AURORA", "Sparkling Water", and "Lemon". Photorealistic, commercial ad style, high detail.

GPT Image 2 output for the AURORA sparkling water can product photo prompt
GPT Image 2
Nano Banana 2 output for the AURORA sparkling water can product photo prompt
Nano Banana 2
Nano Banana Pro output for the AURORA sparkling water can product photo prompt
Nano Banana Pro

Verdict: GPT Image 2 produced the strongest commercial product shot here. Nano Banana 2 was close, while Nano Banana Pro looked stylish but simpler on label detail.

Example 2: Marketing creative

Prompt: Design a clean square travel ad for Kyoto in spring. Show cherry blossoms, a red temple gate, and two travelers walking through the scene. Add readable headline and subtext: "Kyoto in Bloom", "4 Days from $899", and "Book by April 30". Modern, premium, social-ad composition.

GPT Image 2 output for the Kyoto in Bloom travel ad prompt
GPT Image 2
Nano Banana 2 output for the Kyoto in Bloom travel ad prompt
Nano Banana 2
Nano Banana Pro output for the Kyoto in Bloom travel ad prompt
Nano Banana Pro

Verdict: GPT Image 2 handled the ad layout and promo text best. Both Nano Banana outputs matched the scene, but their typography and layout were less controlled.

Example 3: Infographic

Prompt: Create a flat-design infographic explaining the water cycle for students. Use four labeled steps with arrows and simple icons: "Evaporation", "Condensation", "Precipitation", and "Collection". Clear spacing, readable text, pastel color palette, white background.

GPT Image 2 output for the water cycle infographic prompt
GPT Image 2
Nano Banana 2 output for the water cycle infographic prompt
Nano Banana 2
Nano Banana Pro output for the water cycle infographic prompt
Nano Banana Pro

Verdict: GPT Image 2 gave the clearest classroom-ready infographic. Nano Banana 2 was usable but busier, and Nano Banana Pro was the simplest version with the least detail.

How long does each image take to generate?

These times are from this quick test only, so they can be faster or slower at other times.

Example GPT Image 2 Nano Banana 2 Nano Banana Pro
Product photo 44s 13s 19s
Marketing creative 55s 25s 15s
Infographic 52s 16s 20s

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GPT Image 2 cheaper than Nano Banana 2?

Yes. GPT Image 2 is $0.053 per image and Nano Banana 2 is $0.067, so GPT Image 2 is 21% cheaper.

Are these ChatGPT and Gemini app prices or API prices?

These are API list prices from the official OpenAI and Google developer pricing pages. Consumer app plans use separate subscription allowances and quotas.

Can the total bill still be higher than these per-image numbers?

Yes. Prompt tokens, edit inputs, grounding, and other request details can add cost. This article focuses on the published image output price or per-image equivalent.

Sources

Found this useful? Share it!

If this helped you, I'd appreciate you sharing it with colleagues.

Was this page helpful?

Your feedback helps improve this content.

Related Posts