In five weeks, the AI image race got two serious updates. OpenAI shipped ChatGPT Images 2.5 on September 8, and Google followed on October 6 with Nano Banana 2.1, an update to its Gemini image model that also cut developer prices in half. Midjourney sits alongside both: V8.2 has been its default model since July 24, and it remains the reference point for stylised, art-directed work.
These three don't only differ in quality. They are sold in three different ways: bundled into a chatbot, billed per image through an API, or offered as a flat monthly subscription. That is why the pricing comparison below matters as much as the feature list.
How we compared: this guide draws on official documentation, launch-week coverage and published pricing as of October 8, 2026. Image models change quickly and rollouts are staged, so confirm current limits on each vendor's page before you commit to a plan.
The Short Answer
- Best for everyday use and a free start: ChatGPT Images 2.5, because it is included on every ChatGPT plan, free tier included.
- Best for developers and high volume: Nano Banana 2.1, with the lowest published API price per image of the two API options and built-in search grounding.
- Best for look and feel: Midjourney V8.2, if polished, art-directed results matter more than price or an API.
Meet the Three Models
ChatGPT Images 2.5 (OpenAI)
Released on September 8, 2026, it replaces Images 2.0 and is available on every ChatGPT plan, including the free tier, within usage limits. OpenAI says it cuts waiting time by up to 50%, keeps subjects from reference photos intact, and changes only the parts of an image you ask it to change. Inside ChatGPT you also get tools such as Sketch, templates, comments on images and prompt sharing. Developers get two API models: Flare for fast everyday generation and Sunburst for precise, high-control editing.
Nano Banana 2.1 (Google Gemini)
Released on October 6, 2026 and built on Gemini 3.6 Flash, it updates Nano Banana 2 and is rolling out across the Gemini app, AI Mode in Search, Google AI Studio, the Gemini API, Flow, Stitch and Google Ads. It generates at 1K, 2K and 4K, adds mask-based editing, tracks up to 14 reference images for character consistency, and can ground images in Google Search and Google Image Search so real-world details are checked before rendering. Developers can also adjust how much the model thinks before it draws. For builders, the headline is price: image output fell from $60 to $30 per million tokens.
Midjourney V8.2
The default model since July 24, 2026. The focus is aesthetics: fewer low-quality outliers and better Personalization, with native 2K HD output since V8.1. A dedicated Edit model followed in late August. It is also the only one of the three with no free tier and no official API: you use it through its web app or Discord on a paid plan.
Pricing Compared
| Model | Where you use it | Free option | Entry cost | API |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | Gemini app, AI Mode, AI Studio, Flow | Rolling out in Google products; limits vary | About $0.034 per 1K image (API) | Yes |
| ChatGPT Images 2.5 | ChatGPT, API | Yes, with daily limits | Included in ChatGPT plans; API from about $0.006 per low-quality image | Yes |
| Midjourney V8.2 | Web app, Discord | No free tier | $10/mo (Basic) | No official API |
Both API options bill by the token: $30 per million image output tokens each. Google's Nano Banana 2.1 works out to roughly $0.034 for a 1K image. OpenAI's cost per image depends heavily on the quality tier you pick, from about $0.006 at low quality to around $0.21 at the maximum setting for a 1024x1024 image, so the two are not strictly like-for-like.
What 100 Images Cost (1K, API)
| Option | Approx. cost for 100 images |
|---|---|
| Nano Banana 2.1 | About $3.40 |
| ChatGPT Images 2.5, medium quality | About $1.30 |
| ChatGPT Images 2.5, high quality | About $5.30 |
| Midjourney V8.2 | $10 flat (Basic covers roughly 200 Fast images) |
These are estimates from published token rates and third-party measurements; real costs shift with prompt length and reference images used in edits.
Midjourney Plans
- Basic, $10/mo: about 3.3 Fast GPU hours, no Relax mode.
- Standard, $30/mo: 15 Fast hours plus unlimited Relax images. For most working use, this is the real starting point.
- Pro, $60/mo: 30 Fast hours and Stealth mode for private work.
- Mega, $120/mo: 60 Fast hours.
Annual billing takes about 20% off, extra Fast time costs $4 per hour, and HD jobs use more GPU time than standard ones. Companies above a reported $1 million in annual revenue are required to be on Pro or higher, so check the current terms before subscribing for business use.
Editing and Consistency
| Nano Banana 2.1 | ChatGPT Images 2.5 | Midjourney V8.2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Released | Oct 6, 2026 | Sep 8, 2026 | Jul 24, 2026 (default) |
| Editing | Mask-based, multi-turn | Targeted edits; Sunburst model for precision | Dedicated Edit model |
| Consistency | Up to 14 reference images | Keeps reference-photo subjects intact | Personalization |
| Resolution | 1K, 2K, 4K | Up to 4K (reported) | Native 2K HD |
| Standout | Search grounding | Free access in ChatGPT | Visual polish |
The practical split is simple. If you edit the same image or character across many turns, the two newer models are built for that workflow. If you want the finished image to look striking from the first prompt, Midjourney's strength has always been the starting point rather than the revision loop.
Which One Should You Use?
- Just want good images without paying: start with ChatGPT Images 2.5.
- Building a product or generating at volume: Nano Banana 2.1 or GPT-Image-2.5 through the API; Midjourney has no official API.
- Need images that reflect real-world details: Nano Banana 2.1's search grounding is the unusual feature here.
- Brand exploration, moodboards, editorial illustration: Midjourney V8.2 on the Standard plan.
- Editing one character across many versions: test Nano Banana 2.1 and ChatGPT Images 2.5 side by side with your own reference images.
What to Watch Before You Commit
- The rollout is staged. Nano Banana 2.1 is generally available in the API, but Google's Gemini app help pages still referred to Nano Banana 2 shortly after launch, so you may not see 2.1 there yet.
- Google deprecated Nano Banana 2 in its API in favor of 2.1, so developers should plan to migrate.
- Early benchmark standings are preliminary. Leaderboard results for a model this new tend to move over its first weeks.
- Prices change. Re-check each vendor's pricing page before you subscribe or build on an API.
For more options, see our guide to the 7 best free AI image generators and our earlier Midjourney vs Flux vs Ideogram comparison. New image tools are added regularly to Vinggle's AI Image Tools directory, and if you're building one, submit it to Vinggle.