Nano Banana 2.1 API: Kie AI's image-generation model, one key away
Nano Banana 2.1 via the ApexApi gateway
Google's upgraded mainstream image model, with better prompt adherence and multi-reference consistency than Nano Banana 2 at a lower price per image. Generates 1K, 2K and 4K images, and accepts up to 10 reference images. A good default when you want Nano Banana quality without paying for Pro. Call it through ApexApi's unified, OpenAI-compatible API with one `ak-` key, alongside every other model in the catalog. Pricing is $0.024–$0.054/image per image, billed pay-per-use from your credit balance with no subscription.
Nano Banana 2.1 is served through ApexApi's unified, OpenAI-compatible API. One key, one format, with smart routing and automatic failover. Provider: Kie AI.
Why Nano Banana 2.1
Text-to-image generation
High-quality image generation (and image-to-image where supported) through one API.
Transparent pricing ($0.024–$0.054/image)
Pay per image from your credit balance. Failed generations aren't billed.
OpenAI-compatible
Drop-in with any OpenAI SDK. Change the base URL and key, keep your code.
Specifications
- Modality
- image
- Context window
- —
- Max output
- —
- Streaming
- —
- Tool / function calling
- —
- Vision input
- —
Nano Banana 2.1 pricing
- That makes it the 9th cheapest of the 31 image models we serve, ranked on output price.
- It runs 7.5× cheaper than Gemini 3 Pro Image Preview, the pricier option from the same maker.
Getting started with Nano Banana 2.1
OpenAI-compatible. Point your client at ApexApi, swap your key, and call it. No new SDK to learn.
import requests
resp = requests.post(
"https://api.apexapi.dev/v1/images/generations",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_APEXAPI_KEY>"},
json={"model": "google/nano-banana-2.1", "prompt": "A serene mountain lake at golden hour"},
)
print(resp.json())Nano Banana 2.1 use cases
What teams build with Nano Banana 2.1 on ApexApi.
Marketing & creative
On-brand visuals, ad creative, and product imagery at scale.
In-product generation
Generate images inside your app from user prompts.
Prototyping
Rapid concept art and design exploration.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs other models
How it compares, and on ApexApi you can switch between any of them with a single string change, same key, same endpoint.
Nano Banana 2.1 vs Nano Banana Pro
Compare Nano Banana 2.1 against this model on price, capabilities, and latency. A/B them with a single key on ApexApi.
Learn more about Nano Banana Pro API →Nano Banana 2.1 vs FLUX.2 Pro
Compare Nano Banana 2.1 against this model on price, capabilities, and latency. A/B them with a single key on ApexApi.
Learn more about FLUX.2 Pro API →Nano Banana 2.1 API: FAQ
How do I call Nano Banana 2.1 through ApexApi?
Create an ApexApi key, point your client at https://api.apexapi.dev/v1, and POST to /v1/images/generations with the model set to `google/nano-banana-2.1`. The API is OpenAI-compatible, so an existing OpenAI SDK works once you change the base URL and key.
How much does Nano Banana 2.1 cost on ApexApi?
$0.024–$0.054/image, billed per image with no subscription or minimum. The exact figure is shown before you generate, so nothing is charged against a price you have not seen.
What should I use instead of Nano Banana 2.1?
From the same maker, Gemini 2.5 Flash Image is the step up when this one falls short. Switching is one string: it runs on the same endpoint and the same key, so there is nothing to re-integrate.
Ready to build with Nano Banana 2.1?
One API key. Every major AI model. Pay only for what you use.
Try Nano Banana 2.1, pay as you go from $5