Model Comparison

Gemini 3 Pro Image vs Nano Banana Pro

Two paths to the same flagship model. Google's direct API versus FAL's wrapper—both access Gemini 3 Pro's capabilities. With the direct API costing about 12% less, this comparison examines whether the integration differences matter for your workflow.

Comparison6 min read

Background

Same Model, Different Doors

This comparison is unusual. Unlike most model matchups that pit fundamentally different architectures against each other, Gemini 3 Pro Image and Nano Banana Pro access the same underlying model—Google's flagship multimodal AI. The difference lies entirely in how you access it: directly through Google's API, or through FAL's wrapper service.

Gemini 3 Pro Image represents Google's most advanced image generation capability, built on their multimodal architecture that genuinely understands prompts at a semantic level. With an ELO rating of approximately 1235, it ranks among the very top of global preference testing. The model excels at interpreting abstract concepts, emotional nuances, and complex narrative relationships—capabilities that emerge from its language model foundation.

Nano Banana Pro provides access to this same Gemini 3 Pro model through FAL's infrastructure. The "Nano Banana" branding reflects FAL's naming convention rather than a different model. In practice, both endpoints deliver the same flagship quality—the same semantic understanding, the same photorealistic rendering, the same text accuracy.

So why compare them? The roughly 12% price difference and potential differences in availability, latency, and API behavior may matter for certain workflows. For most users, either option delivers Google's best—but the details of integration and pricing could influence your choice.

Note: Both models access the same Gemini 3 Pro foundation. Visual differences in generated images reflect the inherent randomness of generation rather than model capability differences. Choose based on pricing, API preferences, and workflow integration needs.

Side by Side

Visual Comparison

Compare outputs from both access methods using identical prompts. Since both use the same underlying model, differences reflect generation randomness rather than capability gaps.

Prompt	Gemini 3 Pro Image	Nano Banana Pro
Conceptual PortraitEnvironmental portrait of an elderly watchmaker in her workshop, decades of precision visible in her steady hands, magnifying loupe catching afternoon light, the quiet dignity of mastery	Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview Environmental portrait of an elderly watchmaker in her workshop, decades of precision visible in her steady hands, magnifying loupe catching afternoon light, the quiet dignity of mastery Open	Model: nano-banana-pro Environmental portrait of an elderly watchmaker in her workshop, decades of precision visible in her steady hands, magnifying loupe catching afternoon light, the quiet dignity of mastery Open
Abstract NarrativeThe weight of an unfinished symphony: a composer at a grand piano in an empty concert hall, sheet music scattered like fallen leaves, afternoon light through tall windows, creative struggle made visible	Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview The weight of an unfinished symphony: a composer at a grand piano in an empty concert hall, sheet music scattered like fallen leaves, afternoon light through tall windows, creative struggle made visible Open	Model: nano-banana-pro The weight of an unfinished symphony: a composer at a grand piano in an empty concert hall, sheet music scattered like fallen leaves, afternoon light through tall windows, creative struggle made visible Open
Architectural MoodAbandoned Art Deco cinema in golden hour light, ornate plasterwork casting long shadows, dust motes suspended in shafts of light through broken windows, faded glamour preserved in decay	Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview Abandoned Art Deco cinema in golden hour light, ornate plasterwork casting long shadows, dust motes suspended in shafts of light through broken windows, faded glamour preserved in decay Open	Model: nano-banana-pro Abandoned Art Deco cinema in golden hour light, ornate plasterwork casting long shadows, dust motes suspended in shafts of light through broken windows, faded glamour preserved in decay Open
Product PhotographyArtisan perfume bottle on black marble surface, amber liquid catching studio light, minimalist luxury aesthetic, the essence of craftsmanship in glass and gold	Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview Artisan perfume bottle on black marble surface, amber liquid catching studio light, minimalist luxury aesthetic, the essence of craftsmanship in glass and gold Open	Model: nano-banana-pro Artisan perfume bottle on black marble surface, amber liquid catching studio light, minimalist luxury aesthetic, the essence of craftsmanship in glass and gold Open
Natural WorldGreat horned owl perched on ancient oak branch at twilight, piercing amber eyes reflecting last light of day, forest depth fading into blue shadow, wildlife photography capturing stillness before the hunt	Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview Great horned owl perched on ancient oak branch at twilight, piercing amber eyes reflecting last light of day, forest depth fading into blue shadow, wildlife photography capturing stillness before the hunt Open	Model: nano-banana-pro Great horned owl perched on ancient oak branch at twilight, piercing amber eyes reflecting last light of day, forest depth fading into blue shadow, wildlife photography capturing stillness before the hunt Open

New to ImageGPT?

ImageGPT provides access to Gemini 3 Pro through both Google's direct API and FAL's wrapper. Our routing automatically handles provider selection—you get Google's flagship quality without managing multiple integrations.

Recommendations

When to Use Each Option

Since both access the same model, choose based on pricing and workflow considerations.

Gemini 3 Pro Image

•Cost optimization (12.5% savings at scale)
•Direct Google API integration preferred
•Projects requiring Google's service guarantees
•High-volume production where savings compound
•Workflows already using Google Cloud

Nano Banana Pro

•FAL ecosystem integration preferred
•Projects consolidating on FAL's platform
•Situations where FAL availability is higher
•Workflows already using other FAL models
•When unified billing through FAL simplifies accounting

Deep Dive

Semantic Understanding

Testing the deep conceptual interpretation that defines Gemini 3 Pro.

Gemini 3 Pro Image

"The moment before a difficult conversation: two siblings in ..."

Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview

The moment before a difficult conversation: two siblings in their childhood home, now strangers, the kitchen table between them holding decades of silence, afternoon light unchanged since they were children

Open

Nano Banana Pro

"The moment before a difficult conversation: two siblings in ..."

Model: nano-banana-pro

Open

This prompt requires genuine understanding of abstract emotional concepts—"decades of silence," "the moment before," relationships that have become "strangers." It's the kind of prompt where Gemini 3 Pro's language model foundation provides clear advantages over pure diffusion models.

Both access methods deliver this same capability because they access the same model. The semantic understanding, compositional choices, and emotional encoding come from Gemini 3 Pro's architecture—not from the API wrapper. Any differences in output reflect generation randomness, not provider differences.

Tip: When you need deep semantic understanding of abstract concepts, either access method delivers identical capability. Choose based on pricing and workflow rather than hoping for quality differences.

Deep Dive

Photorealistic Quality

Examining flagship photorealism through both access methods.

Gemini 3 Pro Image

"Portrait of a Michelin-starred chef in her restaurant kitche..."

Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview

Portrait of a Michelin-starred chef in her restaurant kitchen, the controlled intensity of service visible in her focus, gleaming copper pans reflecting warm light, the precision of haute cuisine embodied in her stance

Open

Nano Banana Pro

"Portrait of a Michelin-starred chef in her restaurant kitche..."

Model: nano-banana-pro

Open

Photorealistic portraits represent one of Gemini 3 Pro's strongest capabilities. The model produces natural skin textures, accurate lighting physics, and convincing environmental context. This quality level—ELO ~1235—places it among the very best available.

Both Gemini 3 Pro Image and Nano Banana Pro deliver this same photorealistic quality. The underlying model handles skin, hair, lighting, and materials identically regardless of which API you use to access it. The ~8 second generation time is also comparable across both providers.

Deep Dive

Text Rendering Capability

Testing accurate text in images—a Gemini 3 Pro strength.

Gemini 3 Pro Image

"Vintage neon sign reading 'HOTEL & BAR' in classic American ..."

Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview

Vintage neon sign reading 'HOTEL & BAR' in classic American roadside style, warm glow against twilight sky, the romance of mid-century travel captured in light and glass

Open

Nano Banana Pro

"Vintage neon sign reading 'HOTEL & BAR' in classic American ..."

Model: nano-banana-pro

Vintage neon sign reading 'HOTEL & BAR' in classic American roadside style, warm glow against twilight sky, the romance of mid-century travel captured in light and glass

Open

Text rendering accuracy is one of Gemini 3 Pro's notable strengths, rated 9/10 in our benchmarks. The model reliably produces legible, correctly spelled text in appropriate fonts and styles—a capability that many diffusion models struggle with.

This text accuracy comes from the model's language understanding foundation—it knows what words should look like because it genuinely understands language. Both access methods inherit this capability identically. For projects requiring text in images, either option delivers the same reliable results.

Note: Gemini 3 Pro's text rendering capability ranks among the best available, second only to specialized models like GPT Image 1.5 and Ideogram V3. Both access methods provide this same accuracy.

Deep Dive

Complex Scene Composition

Testing multi-element scenes that require thoughtful arrangement.

Gemini 3 Pro Image

"Traditional Japanese tea ceremony in progress: the host's pr..."

Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview

Traditional Japanese tea ceremony in progress: the host's practiced movements, steam rising from the chakin, guests observing in respectful silence, autumn garden visible through shoji screens, centuries of ritual distilled into each gesture

Open

Nano Banana Pro

"Traditional Japanese tea ceremony in progress: the host's pr..."

Model: nano-banana-pro

Open

Scenes with multiple interacting elements—people, objects, environments, cultural context—test a model's ability to compose coherent images where all parts work together. This requires understanding relationships, not just rendering individual elements.

Gemini 3 Pro excels at this compositional intelligence, making thoughtful choices about how elements relate spatially and narratively. The cultural understanding—tea ceremony protocol, Japanese architectural elements, seasonal context—comes through both access methods equally.

Deep Dive

Cost and Integration Analysis

When does the 12.5% price difference matter?

Gemini 3 Pro Image (~8s)

"Master sommelier examining wine color against candlelight, d..."

Model: gemini-3-pro-image-preview

Master sommelier examining wine color against candlelight, decades of expertise visible in focused assessment, cellar setting with aged bottles, the art of evaluation captured in a moment of concentration

Open

Nano Banana Pro (~8s, ~12% more)

"Master sommelier examining wine color against candlelight, d..."

Model: nano-banana-pro

Open

The roughly 12% premium for FAL's wrapper barely matters at low volumes. At scale, the math changes significantly—if you're generating thousands of images monthly, the direct Google API saves meaningfully on costs.

The decision depends on your context. If you're already standardized on FAL for other models, unified billing and consistent API format may justify the premium. If cost optimization matters or Google Cloud is your existing platform, the direct API makes more sense. Quality is identical either way.

Tip: For pure cost optimization, choose Gemini 3 Pro Image (direct). For FAL ecosystem integration, Nano Banana Pro's premium may be worthwhile. Quality is identical—this is purely a workflow and economics decision.

Specifications

Feature Comparison

Technical specifications for both access methods. Note that capabilities are identical—differences relate to pricing and provider.

Feature	Gemini 3 Pro Image	Nano Banana Pro
Provider	Google (Direct)	FAL (Wrapper)
Underlying model	Gemini 3 Pro	Gemini 3 Pro
Release	2025	2025
Architecture	Multimodal LLM	Multimodal LLM
Image quality	Excellent	Excellent
Text rendering	Strong	Strong
Photorealism	Excellent	Excellent
Generation speed	~8s	~8s
Relative cost	Lower	~12% more expensive
Pricing model	Flat rate	Flat rate
Image input support
Aspect ratio options	10 ratios	10 ratios
ELO rating	~1235	~1222

Try It Yourself

Test Both Options

Generate your own images and experience Gemini 3 Pro's capabilities. Both access methods deliver the same flagship quality—experiment with complex prompts to see the semantic understanding in action.

Prompt

Select By

Model

Aspect Ratio

Image URL

https://demo.imagegpt.host/image?prompt=A+master+glassblower+shaping+molten+glass+in+a+centuries-old+Venetian+workshop%2C+the+orange+glow+illuminating+skilled+hands%2C+traditional+tools+passed+down+through+generations%2C+the+art+of+transformation+captured+in+motion&model=gemini-3-pro

Frequently Asked Questions

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Gemini 3 Pro Image vs Nano Banana Pro

Same Model, Different Doors

Visual Comparison

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