Grok Imagine Image vs 
Nano Banana 2.1
Nano Banana 2.1 is the newer model, released after Grok Imagine Image.
Hyperrealistic Portrait
One prompt, one photorealistic portrait. Skin, eyes, light.
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Which answer wins?
Price and specs
| Spec | Grok Imagine Image | Nano Banana 2.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | — | $1.5/M tokens |
| Output price | — | $7.5/M tokens |
| Context window | — | 66K tokens |
| Weights | — | Closed |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | — | No |
| Released | Dec 2025 | Oct 2026 |
| At 10M a month | not listed | $15.00 |
Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.
Where to run it
Grok Imagine Image
No hosts listed on OpenRouter.
Nano Banana 2.11 host
Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 6 Oct 2026.
Common questions
What is the difference between Grok Imagine Image and Nano Banana 2.1?
Grok Imagine Image is developed by xAI while Nano Banana 2.1 is developed by Google AI. You can compare their actual outputs across 17 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.
Which is better, Grok Imagine Image or Nano Banana 2.1?
It depends on your use case. Grok Imagine Image and Nano Banana 2.1 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 17 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.
How can I compare Grok Imagine Image and Nano Banana 2.1 on Rival?
This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Grok Imagine Image and Nano Banana 2.1 across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.
More comparisons
Against the newest arrivals
- Grok Imagine Image vs Recraft V4.1 FlashLanded Sep 2026
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs GPT Image 2.5 SunburstLanded Sep 2026
- Grok Imagine Image vs GPT Image 2.5 FlareLanded Sep 2026
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2 LiteLanded Jun 2026
- Grok Imagine Image vs Riverflow V2.5 FastLanded Jun 2026
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Riverflow V2.5 ProLanded Jun 2026
- Grok Imagine Image vs Recraft V4.1Landed May 2026
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Recraft V4.1 ProLanded May 2026
Same lab, same size, long tail
- Grok Imagine Image vs GPT Image 2.5 SunburstSame size
- Grok Imagine Image vs Riverflow V2.5 ProSame size
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana 2Same lab
- Nano Banana 2.1 vs Imagen 4Same lab
- Grok Imagine Image vs Imagen 4Same size
- Grok Imagine Image vs Imagen 4 FastSame size
- Grok Imagine Image vs Imagen 4 UltraSame size
- Grok Imagine Image vs Leonardo Lucid OriginSame size