Nano Banana 2.1 vs GPT Image 2.5, FLUX 3, Seedream and More
Same three prompts, seven popular image models, every image timed. Nano Banana 2.1 was the fastest on all three, at 11 to 12 seconds, with results that held up against Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image 2.5, FLUX 3 Image, Seedream 5.0 Pro and Ideogram 4.5.
TL;DR
We gave the same three prompts, a neon street scene, a labelled product shot and a close-up portrait, to seven popular image models on Flixly and timed each image. Nano Banana 2.1 was the fastest every time at 11 to 12 seconds, matched the best models on quality and text, and followed the prompts closely. Ideogram 4.5 was the next fastest, and the rest took two to seven times longer.
Nano Banana 2.1, Google's newest Gemini image model, is now on Flixly. To see how it compares, we gave the same three prompts to seven of the most popular image models on Flixly and timed every image. Nano Banana 2.1 was the fastest each time, at 11 to 12 seconds per image, and its results held up against the best of the rest. Try Nano Banana 2.1 in the Image Generator.
How we tested
- Models: Nano Banana 2.1, Nano Banana Pro and Nano Banana 2 from Google, GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst from OpenAI, FLUX 3 Image from Black Forest Labs, Seedream 5.0 Pro from ByteDance and Ideogram 4.5 from Ideogram.
- Prompts: three prompts that test different things: a night street scene with a neon sign, a product shot with a printed label, and a close-up portrait.
- Settings: a square image at each model's default size: 1K for most, 1024 × 1024 at medium quality for GPT Image 2.5, and Ideogram 4.5's standard output. No retries and no cherry-picking: each image is the first one the model returned.
- Time: measured on Flixly from the moment we pressed Generate until the image was ready, all on the same day. Times can vary with demand.
Prompt 1: a neon sign on a rainy night
A cozy Tokyo street-corner coffee shop at night in the rain, glowing neon sign that reads "FLIXLY CAFE", a barista in the window pouring latte art, warm light, reflections on wet pavement, a cyclist with a clear umbrella passing by, cinematic 35mm photo
Every model spelled "FLIXLY CAFE" correctly, so the differences are in the picture itself. Nano Banana 2.1 gave the most complete street corner: the café, the barista, the cyclist with the clear umbrella, and the rain-soaked reflections, in 12 seconds. GPT Image 2.5 and Nano Banana Pro produced moody, convincing scenes too, but took 50 to 87 seconds. Ideogram 4.5 was quick but placed the café small in a wide shot, so the barista is barely visible.
Prompt 2: a product shot with a label
A luxury perfume ad: a faceted glass perfume bottle on a pink marble pedestal, soft studio light, water droplets on the glass, the label printed in elegant gold serif text "NOIR No.7 - PARIS", a single white orchid beside it, magazine-quality product photography
All seven printed the label legibly. The differences are in how closely they followed the brief. Nano Banana 2.1, Nano Banana Pro and GPT Image 2.5 all delivered the pink marble, the droplets and the orchid in a clean, ad-ready layout. Seedream 5.0 Pro went for a brighter, airier take with a clear bottle. FLUX 3 Image made the perfume dark grey, which the prompt never asked for. Nano Banana 2.1 was ready in 11 seconds, less than half the time of the next-fastest Google model.
Prompt 3: a close-up portrait
Close-up portrait of an elderly fisherman with a weathered, deeply lined face and a knitted navy wool cap, golden hour light on a misty harbor behind him, visible skin texture and grey stubble, kind eyes, shot on 85mm, shallow depth of field, photorealistic
Portraits are where the top models are closest. Nano Banana 2.1, Nano Banana Pro, Nano Banana 2, GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream 5.0 Pro all produced believable skin, stubble and soft harbor light with a knitted wool cap. FLUX 3 Image and Ideogram 4.5 swapped the knitted cap for a flat cap, a small miss on the prompt.
Speed: seconds per image
| Model | Creator | Neon café | Perfume | Portrait |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | 12 s | 11 s | 12 s | |
| Nano Banana Pro | 50 s | 27 s | 26 s | |
| Nano Banana 2 | 76 s | 50 s | 46 s | |
| GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst | OpenAI | 87 s | 34 s | 37 s |
| FLUX 3 Image | Black Forest Labs | 35 s | 23 s | 44 s |
| Seedream 5.0 Pro | ByteDance | 51 s | 59 s | 42 s |
| Ideogram 4.5 | Ideogram | 20 s | 16 s | 16 s |
Nano Banana 2.1 was the fastest model on all three prompts. Ideogram 4.5 came closest; everything else took two to seven times longer.
Which model should you pick?
- Nano Banana 2.1 is the best all-rounder in this test: top-tier quality, accurate text, close prompt-following and by far the shortest wait. It also edits photos and combines up to 14 reference images. See what's new in Nano Banana 2.1.
- Nano Banana Pro is still a strong pick for polished, premium shots when speed matters less.
- GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst gives rich, detailed scenes and is worth the longer wait for intricate compositions.
- FLUX 3 Image is good at clean layouts and native 2K and 4K, but drifted from the prompt on colors and props here.
- Seedream 5.0 Pro made natural-looking portraits and soft, airy product shots.
- Ideogram 4.5 is quick and reliable with text, which suits posters and graphics.
The fastest way to decide is to run your own prompt. In the Image Generator you can switch models with one click and keep the same prompt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which AI image model is the fastest?▾
In our test Nano Banana 2.1 was the fastest of the seven models on every prompt, at 11 to 12 seconds per image. Ideogram 4.5 was next at 16 to 20 seconds; the others took 23 to 87 seconds.
Is Nano Banana 2.1 better than Nano Banana Pro?▾
In our three prompts the quality was close, and both followed the prompts well. Nano Banana 2.1 was two to four times faster, and it also edits photos with up to 14 reference images. Nano Banana Pro remains a strong choice for polished premium shots.
How does Nano Banana 2.1 compare with GPT Image 2.5?▾
Both produced detailed, accurate images with correct text. GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst took 34 to 87 seconds per image in our test, while Nano Banana 2.1 took 11 to 12 seconds.
Which models followed the prompts most closely?▾
The Google Nano Banana models and GPT Image 2.5 matched every detail we asked for. FLUX 3 Image made the perfume grey and, like Ideogram 4.5, swapped the knitted cap for a flat cap in the portrait.
Were the images cherry-picked?▾
No. Each image is the first result the model returned for that prompt, at its default square size, with no retries.
Can I run this comparison myself?▾
Yes. Open the Image Generator on Flixly, type a prompt and switch between models with the model picker. Your prompt stays in place, so it is easy to compare.
