Nano Banana 2 costs 11 credits an image and sits in an awkward useful spot: nearly twice Seedream 5 at 6, about half Nano Banana Pro at 21. The question worth answering is when the middle is the right place to be, and the answer is narrower than the price suggests.
TL;DR
- 11 credits an image, about $0.11
- The family: Nano Banana Classic 6, Nano Banana 2 at 11, Nano Banana Pro 21
- Reasonable with short text, which is the main reason to pick it over Seedream 5
- Not dependable with longer text. That is what Pro at 21 is for
- For exploration, use Imagen 4 Fast at 4 or Seedream 5 at 6. Eleven credits is not an exploration price
Where it sits
Canon 8frame prices, a credit is $0.01 at pack rate:
| Model | Credits | Text reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Imagen 4 Fast | 4 | Decorative only |
| Seedream 4 | 5 | Decorative only |
| FLUX.2 [pro] | 5 | Short words sometimes |
| Nano Banana Classic | 6 | Decorative only |
| Seedream 5 | 6 | Short words sometimes |
| Seedream 5 Pro | 7 | Better, not dependable |
| Imagen 4 | 8 | Short words sometimes |
| Nano Banana 2 | 11 | Reasonable on short text |
| Imagen 4 Ultra | 12 | Not a type model |
| Nano Banana Pro | 21 | The reliable option |
Reliability labels are our own working assessment from production use rather than a benchmark. The ordering has been stable; test your own strings.
The case for the middle
Short text that has to be roughly right. One or two words on a card, a number, a short label. Nano Banana 2 lands these more often than Seedream 5 and costs half what Pro does.
When Pro is overkill for the job. A social card with a two-word headline does not need the 21-credit tier if 11 gets it right most of the time and you are generating three anyway.
The family look. If a set of images should match and the rest came from Nano Banana, staying in the family keeps them consistent.
The case against
Exploration is the wrong job for it. Twenty attempts at 11 credits is 220. The same twenty on Imagen 4 Fast is 80, and on Seedream 5 is 120. Explore cheap, then move up for the one that ships.
Longer text still fails. A sentence will not survive intact. If the text matters, the honest choice is Pro at 21 or, better, the plate-plus-type route below.
The route that beats all of this
For anything where the words must be exactly right:
- Generate the plate with no text. Describe the scene and say explicitly to leave the type area visually quiet. Seedream 5 at 6 credits.
- Set the type in your editor. Real font, real kerning, exact words, editable later.
Six credits instead of 11 or 21, exact brand typography rather than an approximation, and a file you can change when the copy changes. For anything with a price, a URL, a legal line or a product name, this is the only defensible route.
When integration genuinely requires generation: text reflected in a surface, wrapped around a curve, lit by the scene. That is what Nano Banana Pro at 21 is for, and you should read the result back from the image rather than trusting the prompt, because generated type fails in ways your brain autocorrects when you already know what it should say.
How to use it
- Open a canvas, add an image node, pick Nano Banana 2.
- Set the aspect ratio for the destination, not the preview.
- Keep the text to one or two words and name it in quotes.
- Generate three and pick the one that is spelled correctly.
- Upscale once at the end: Clarity at 13 credits, or Topaz Image Upscale at 11 per 24-megapixel block for print.
Three attempts plus an upscale is 46 credits, about $0.46.
FAQ
How much does Nano Banana 2 cost? 11 credits an image.
Is it good with text? Reasonable on one or two words. Not dependable on longer strings; use Pro at 21 or set type in your editor.
Should I explore on it? No. Imagen 4 Fast at 4 or Seedream 5 at 6 for volume, then move up.
What is the cheapest reliable route to correct text? Generate a clean plate at 6 credits and set the type yourself.
Explore cheap, generate the plate, set the type yourself. The 8frame canvas is free and unlimited, and generation is paid from $19/month.