Nano Banana API: what 2.1 costs and how to call it
By GetStepSnap · Checked against Google's and fal.ai's pages, October 7 and 8, 2026
There are two ways to call Nano Banana 2.1 from code: Google's own Gemini API, or an API provider such as fal.ai. Both charge for each image and need an account with payment set up and an API key. If you just want the pictures, you don't need either.
The model ID
In the Gemini API, Nano Banana 2.1 is gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Google lists the rest of the family next to it: Nano Banana 2 is gemini-3.1-flash-image, 2 Lite is gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image and Pro is gemini-3-pro-image. Google recommends 2.1 for new projects (Gemini API image generation docs).
What an image costs through an API
- Google, Standard tier: $0.0336 at 1K, $0.0504 at 2K, $0.113 at 4K for the image itself. Your prompt, photos and the model's thinking are billed on top.
- Google, Batch tier: half that, for jobs that can wait.
- fal.ai: billed per token; a short 1K request came to about $0.04 in our own tests.
- No free tier for 2.1 on Google's price page.
Every option side by side, with what we actually paid: what one Nano Banana 2.1 image really costs.
A working request
This is the request our own test scripts send to fal.ai for a picture from text. For an edit, add your image links as image_urls and call the /edit endpoint. fal answers with a status address to check until the image is ready.
curl -X POST https://queue.fal.run/google/nano-banana-2.1 \
-H "Authorization: Key $FAL_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"prompt": "A watercolor of a small red barn on green hills", "resolution": "1K", "aspect_ratio": "16:9", "num_images": 1}'For Google's own API, follow the Gemini API image generation docs; they show the request format for each language.
No code: use it in the browser
On GetStepSnap's Nano Banana 2.1 tool you type a sentence or upload a photo, with no API key and nothing to set up. Your first 1K image is free; after that an image takes 1 credit at 1K or 2K and 3 credits at 4K, and 100 credits cost $9.90 (plus local tax where it applies). That's more per image than the raw API, and in exchange there's no code.
Questions
Is there a Nano Banana 2.1 API?
Yes. Google offers it in the Gemini API under the model ID gemini-nano-banana-2.1, and API providers such as fal.ai resell it. Both need an account with payment set up, an API key and some code.
How much does the Nano Banana API cost per image?
On Google's Standard tier the image itself is $0.0336 at 1K, $0.0504 at 2K and $0.113 at 4K, plus a fraction of a cent for the prompt and thinking; the Batch tier is half price. On fal.ai a short 1K request comes to about $0.04 (prices checked October 7, 2026).
Is the Nano Banana API free?
Not for 2.1: Google's price page lists no free tier for it. On GetStepSnap your first 1K image is free when you sign in with Google, with no API key.
Is there a Nano Banana Pro API?
Yes, as gemini-3-pro-image in the Gemini API ($0.134 per 1K or 2K image, $0.24 at 4K on the Standard tier) and on fal.ai at a flat $0.15 per image, $0.30 at 4K.
Can I use Nano Banana without code?
Yes. On GetStepSnap you type a sentence or upload a photo in the browser. An image takes 1 credit at 1K or 2K, and 100 credits cost $9.90 (plus local tax where it applies), with no subscription.