AI image models · compared
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana Pro
Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro are both AI image models that run on one varg API key. This page puts what the varg catalog states about each side by side: the price, how it is billed, what it takes and the typical time. It ranks neither on quality.
- Nano Banana 2.1
- From $0.05 per run from $0.05/image
- Nano Banana Pro
- From $0.14 per run from $0.134/image
Every model is billed at its provider's price with no markup, from one credit balance: 1 credit is $0.01.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana Pro: side by side
Every row is read from the varg catalog and each model's input schema. A "from" price is the cheapest request the catalog states for that model, at its own cheapest settings. For the exact price of a request, send its body to POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/estimate.
| Fact | Nano Banana 2.1 | Nano Banana Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | ||
| Takes and makes | Text to image, Image to image | Text to image, Image to image |
| Price | From $0.05 per run | From $0.14 per run |
| Rates on the cheapest route | Resolution 1K: $0.05/image; Resolution 2K: $0.07/image; Resolution 4K: $0.15/image; Other: $0.15/image; Minimum charge: $0.05 | Resolution 4K: $0.24/image; Other: $0.134/image; Minimum charge: $0.14 |
| Billed | per image | per image |
| Typical time | ~20 s | ~15 s |
| Routes | 2 on fal | 2 on fal and google |
| Model id | nano_banana_2_1 | nano_banana_pro |
Which to pick
Each line is a difference between two rows of the table. None of it says which model's output looks better: that depends on the prompt.
Pick Nano Banana 2.1 when
- you want the lower starting price: from $0.05 per run, against from $0.14 per run, each at the model's own cheapest settings.
- you want the lower starting rate: from $0.05/image, against from $0.134/image; the table gives each model's rate by setting.
- your request sets resolution 4K: its cheapest route charges $0.15/image there, against $0.24/image.
Pick Nano Banana Pro when
- you want the shorter typical wait: ~15 s, against ~20 s, by the catalog's estimates.
Call Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro
One endpoint and one API key for both: POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/tools/image/call with Authorization: Bearer $VARG_API_KEY. It answers 202 with a job right away; poll GET /v2/jobs/{id} until its status is completed.
Nano Banana 2.1
curl -X POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/tools/image/call \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $VARG_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "nano_banana_2_1",
"prompt": "An infographic poster explaining how a coffee bean becomes espresso, five labelled steps, clean flat illustration.",
"aspect_ratio": "3:4"
}'vargai call_tool --tool image '{"model":"nano_banana_2_1","prompt":"An infographic poster explaining how a coffee bean becomes espresso, five labelled steps, clean flat illustration.","aspect_ratio":"3:4"}'Nano Banana Pro
curl -X POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/tools/image/call \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $VARG_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "nano_banana_pro",
"prompt": "kawaii style fruit characters, pastel colors, cute expressions",
"aspect_ratio": "9:16"
}'vargai call_tool --tool image '{"model":"nano_banana_pro","prompt":"kawaii style fruit characters, pastel colors, cute expressions","aspect_ratio":"9:16"}'How billing works
Every model is billed at its provider's price with no markup, from one credit balance: 1 credit is $0.01. varg's fee is on the top-up, not on the run: 5.5% of the credits you buy ($0.80 at the least), or 8% for a team workspace. Pricing
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana Pro: questions
- Which is cheaper, Nano Banana 2.1 or Nano Banana Pro?
- Nano Banana 2.1 starts lower: from $0.05 per run, against from $0.14 per run for Nano Banana Pro. By starting rate, Nano Banana 2.1 is lower: Nano Banana 2.1 from $0.05/image, Nano Banana Pro from $0.134/image. Those are each model's cheapest settings, and the price of a request depends on what it asks for: the table lists each model's rates. With resolution 4K, Nano Banana 2.1 is lower: Nano Banana 2.1 $0.15/image, Nano Banana Pro $0.24/image, each on its cheapest route. For the exact price of a request before you run it, send the same body to POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/estimate.
- Can I use Nano Banana 2.1 and Nano Banana Pro with one API key?
- Yes. Both run on varg behind POST https://api.varg.ai/v2/tools/image/call with one API key and one credit balance: send "model": "nano_banana_2_1" or "model": "nano_banana_pro". Every model is billed at its provider's price with no markup, from one credit balance: 1 credit is $0.01.