MiniMax Image-01 vs 
Nano Banana
Nano Banana is the newer model, released after MiniMax Image-01.
Hyperrealistic Portrait
One prompt, one photorealistic portrait. Skin, eyes, light.
Loading the build
Loading the build
Which answer wins?
Price and specs
Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Nano Banana has the edge: newer, major provider backing.
| Spec | MiniMax Image-01 | Nano Banana |
|---|---|---|
| Weights | — | Closed |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | — | No |
| Released | Jun 2025 | Aug 2025 |
Where to run it
MiniMax Image-01
No hosts listed on OpenRouter.
Nano Banana1 host
Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.
Common questions
What is the difference between MiniMax Image-01 and Nano Banana?
MiniMax Image-01 is developed by MiniMax while Nano Banana 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, MiniMax Image-01 or Nano Banana?
It depends on your use case. MiniMax Image-01 and Nano Banana 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 MiniMax Image-01 and Nano Banana on Rival?
This page shows a side-by-side comparison of MiniMax Image-01 and Nano Banana 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
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Hy Image 3.5 PreviewLanded Oct 2026
- Nano Banana vs FLUX.3 ImageLanded Oct 2026
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Nano Banana 2.1Landed Oct 2026
- Nano Banana vs Recraft V4.1 FlashLanded Sep 2026
- MiniMax Image-01 vs GPT Image 2.5 SunburstLanded Sep 2026
- Nano Banana vs GPT Image 2.5 FlareLanded Sep 2026
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Nano Banana 2 LiteLanded Jun 2026
- Nano Banana vs Riverflow V2.5 FastLanded Jun 2026
Same lab, same size, long tail
- MiniMax Image-01 vs FLUX.3 ImageSame size
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Recraft V4.1 FlashSame size
- Nano Banana vs Nano Banana 2.1Same lab
- Nano Banana vs Nano Banana 2 LiteSame lab
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Ideogram v3 TurboSame size
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Bria Image 3.2Same size
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Imagen 3Same size
- MiniMax Image-01 vs Imagen 3 FastSame size
