Image model vs image model
FLUX.2 Dev Flash vs Gemini Nano Banana 2.1
People picked Gemini Nano Banana 2.1’s picture over FLUX.2 Dev Flash’s about 75% of the time in blind votes. FLUX.2 Dev Flash costs 6.7× less ($0.005 against $0.034 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.
At a glance
Longer bar means the bigger number. Elo bars start at 800.
Blind votes · how often people would pick each picture
FLUX.2 Dev Flash Gemini Nano Banana 2.1
Price per image · 1024×1024, lower is better
Text to image · arena Elo, higher is better
Editing · arena Elo, higher is better
Same prompt, both models
We give every image model the same fixed prompts. Here is what FLUX.2 Dev Flash and Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 made. Each made one picture per prompt; nothing was picked or retouched.
Hands and text
“A fruit seller at a Bangkok night market hands a mango to a smiling child. Above the stall a banner reads AUNTIE NOK'S FRUIT, and a hand-painted price board lists MANGO STICKY RICE 60, FRESH MANGO 40, COCONUT 30, OPEN TILL 2AM. String lights, steam from a noodle stall, 35mm photo”
FLUX.2 Dev Flash
Gemini Nano Banana 2.1
Where they sit among all 56 image models
Up and to the left is better pictures for less money. Hover or tap a dot for its numbers, then click it to compare that model with FLUX.2 Dev Flash. Models the arena hasn’t rated yet sit in the grey lane at the bottom.
Which one to pick
Pick FLUX.2 Dev Flash if
- price matters: 100 images cost $0.50, against $3.36 with Gemini Nano Banana 2.1
- you want open weights you can run yourself
Pick Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 if
- you want the better picture: in blind votes people chose its image over FLUX.2 Dev Flash’s about 75% of the time
- you mostly edit pictures: it scores higher in the editing arena (Elo 1151 against 1012)
The specs
| Spec | FLUX.2 Dev Flash | Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Price per image | $0.005 ($0.01 per edit) | $0.034 |
| 100 images | $0.50 | $3.36 |
| Text-to-image Elo | 988 ±12 (#55 in the arena) | 1176 ±12 (#4 in the arena) |
| Editing Elo | 1012 ±18 (#44 in the arena) | 1151 ±13 (#5 in the arena) |
| Arena votes | 5,344 | 6,210 |
| Edits uploaded pictures | Yes | Yes |
| Largest size | — | 4K |
| Open weights | Yes | No |
| Zero data retention | — | No |
| Lab | fal | |
| Official name | FLUX.2 [dev] Flash | Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 |
| Released | December 2025 | October 2026 |
Elo ± is the 95% margin. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai.
Questions
Which is better, FLUX.2 Dev Flash or Gemini Nano Banana 2.1?
People picked Gemini Nano Banana 2.1’s picture over FLUX.2 Dev Flash’s about 75% of the time in blind votes. FLUX.2 Dev Flash costs 6.7× less ($0.005 against $0.034 an image), so it wins when “good enough” will do.
Which is cheaper, FLUX.2 Dev Flash or Gemini Nano Banana 2.1?
FLUX.2 Dev Flash: $0.005 for a 1024×1024 image, against $0.034 for Gemini Nano Banana 2.1. 100 images cost $0.50 and $3.36.
Can FLUX.2 Dev Flash and Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 edit images?
Yes, both can change a picture you upload. In the Artificial Analysis editing arena FLUX.2 Dev Flash has an Elo of 1012 and Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 1151.
How can I compare FLUX.2 Dev Flash and Gemini Nano Banana 2.1 myself?
Open the comparison, type one prompt and both models draw it side by side, each with what it cost and how long it took. You sign up with Google before your first run, and new accounts start with free credit.
Related comparisons
Where the numbers come from
Quality scores are Elo ratings from the Artificial Analysis image arenas, where people vote between two pictures made from the same prompt without knowing which model made which. The vote split comes from the Elo gap. Prices are for one 1024×1024 image from the Vercel AI Gateway and fal.ai; models billed per token are estimated at the quality the arena scored. The sample pictures are our own runs. Updated October 25, 2026.