Illustration & Image Generation
ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) vs Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini)
Short answer: Both are image models built into a chat assistant, and both can create and edit images from plain-language requests. ChatGPT Images is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free, with a selection tool for editing part of an image and Images with thinking on Plus, Pro and Business. Nano Banana Pro is Google's top Gemini image model: in the Gemini app it needs a Google AI plan and runs as Redo with Pro on an image made with Nano Banana 2, while Google Flow's free tier includes limited access to it. Google says Nano Banana Pro has its highest world knowledge and text rendering, which suits infographics and images with text.
ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) and Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini) are both listed here under Illustration & Image Generation. ChatGPT Images (OpenAI): OpenAI's image generation and editing inside ChatGPT, built on the GPT Image models that replaced DALL·E. Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini): Google's Gemini 3 Pro Image model for making and editing images with readable text, in the Gemini app, Flow and the API.
This page puts the two listings side by side using the details on each tool's page: plans, free-plan status, platforms, features, integrations and links to the official pages. Prices are as of Oct 2026, so verify them on the vendor's site before you buy.
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Side by side
| Detail | ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) | Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini) |
|---|---|---|
| Plans and pricing | ChatGPT Images is available on every ChatGPT plan, including Free; Plus, Pro and Business add Images with thinking. API usage is billed per use. | Gemini app: Nano Banana 2 is free and Nano Banana Pro needs a Google AI plan (Plus $4.99, Pro $19.99, Ultra from $99.99 a month). API: about $0.134 per 1K/2K image, $0.24 per 4K. |
| Free plan | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Plan details |
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| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Key features |
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| Integrations | ChatGPT on web, iOS and Android; the OpenAI API; Codex. | Gemini app, Google Flow, Google AI Studio, the Gemini API and Google Cloud's agent platform. Palmier Pro and ComfyUI's Partner Nodes also list it. |
| Agent-ready (MCP / API) | Partly. Image generation and editing are available in the OpenAI API and in Codex, so apps and agents can call them. | Partly. Callable through the Gemini API and Google Cloud, so agents and apps can use it. It is an image model, not an MCP editor. |
| Who it's for | Beginners and Pro users
| Beginners and Pro users
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| Official pages | ||
| Last verified | Oct 15, 2026 Pricing checked Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 29, 2026 Pricing checked Oct 15, 2026 |
Everything above comes from each tool's listing and its cited official pages. "Not listed" means the listing has no information for that row.
Which one fits
Drawn only from the facts in the two listings. This is not a ranking.
Choose ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) if…
- Anyone who already uses ChatGPT and wants to generate or edit images in the same chat
- Developers who want OpenAI's current image models through the API
Choose Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini) if…
- Marketers and designers who want infographics, posters or product mockups with readable text
- Developers who want an image generation and editing API with per-image pricing
The ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) listing says another tool may suit you better if you are:
- People looking for DALL·E itself, which OpenAI has retired
- People who need a layer-based design editor
The Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini) listing says another tool may suit you better if you are:
- Anyone who needs free, unlimited use of the Pro model (the Gemini API lists no free tier for it)
- People who want a layer-based editor, since it works through prompts
Key difference
- Free plan: the ChatGPT Images (OpenAI) listing shows a free plan; the Nano Banana Pro (Google Gemini) listing does not confirm a free plan.
Read the full listings
FAQ
Can I use them for free?
ChatGPT Images is available on all ChatGPT plans, including Free. In the Gemini app, free users get Nano Banana 2, and Nano Banana Pro needs a Google AI plan; Google's plans page says the free tier of Google Flow includes limited access to Nano Banana Pro.
How much do the paid plans cost?
Google AI plans include Plus, Pro and Ultra; Ultra is $99.99 or $199.99 a month on Google's plans page. Through the Gemini API, Nano Banana Pro is about $0.134 per 1K or 2K image and $0.24 per 4K image. ChatGPT paid plans add Images with thinking, and OpenAI bills API image models per use.
How do they edit an existing image?
In ChatGPT you select part of an image with the selection tool and describe the change, or describe it in the chat; you can also change the aspect ratio. In the Gemini app you upload or pick an image and describe the edit, combine several images, or redo an image with Nano Banana Pro for more detail.
Can apps and agents call them?
Yes. Nano Banana Pro is available through the Gemini API and Google Cloud. ChatGPT Images models are in the OpenAI API, and images can also be made and edited in Codex.
Other tools to look at
- Midjourney: Image and short-video generator sold as monthly subscriptions with GPU time.
- Adobe Firefly: Adobe's generative AI for images, video and audio, built into Photoshop and Express, with plans based on generative credits.
- Ideogram: Image generator focused on text inside images, with subscription plans, pay-as-you-go credits and an API.
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