# Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite)

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) is the speed tier of the Nano Banana family: 1K image generation and editing at the lowest latency and cost in Google's Gemini image lineup, with the prompt adherence, character consistency, and text rendering the family is known for.

- **Model ID:** `google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image`
- **Type:** chat
- **Providers:** google, vertex
- **Context window:** 65,536
- **Maximum output tokens:** 4,096
- **Pricing:** $0.25/1M input tokens, $1.50/1M output tokens
- **Canonical page:** https://vercel.com/ai-gateway/models/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image

## Supported parameters

Detailed capability metadata has not been reported for this model.

## Example

```ts
import { generateText } from 'ai'

const result = await generateText({
  model: 'google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image',
  prompt: 'Render a picture of a red balloon.',
});
```

## About

Google released Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) on June 30, 2026 as the fastest, most cost-efficient image model in the Nano Banana family. Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) is built for high-throughput pipelines where teams generate thousands of images and iterate quickly, keeping per-image cost low enough for near-real-time and high-volume workflows.

Despite the speed focus, Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) retains the traits the Nano Banana family is known for: reliable prompt adherence, strong character consistency, and legible in-image text rendering. Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) handles text-to-image generation, prompt-based editing, and multi-image composition through a single multimodal interface, so a generation pipeline and an editing pipeline can share one model.

The main tradeoff is resolution. Output is capped at 1K, while other models in the family generate at 2K and 4K. Google positions the lineup in three tiers: Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) for speed and scale, Gemini 3.1 Flash Image as the generalist, and Gemini 3 Pro Image for complex professional work. Google also recommends Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) as the upgrade path from the original Nano Banana, `google/gemini-2.5-flash-image`, citing better quality, faster generation, and lower cost.

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) accepts prompts within a context window of 65.5K tokens and returns text and images in the same response. Every generated image carries an invisible SynthID watermark for downstream identification of AI-generated content.

## What to consider

Output resolution is capped at 1K; other models in the family generate at 2K and 4K. This is a multimodal model: call Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) with `generateText` or `streamText` and set `responseModalities: ['TEXT', 'IMAGE']` in `providerOptions.google` to receive image output. Google notes that Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) can struggle with small faces, fine text detail, and complex masked edits, so route those jobs to a higher tier in the family.

## When to use

### Best For
- **High-Volume Image Pipelines:** Catalog imagery, thumbnails, and previews generated at scale where per-image cost dominates
- **Rapid Creative Iteration:** Fast generation loops that let users explore many variations before a final render
- **Interactive Product Features:** Low-latency image creation inside user-facing apps and tools
- **Cost-Sensitive Editing Workflows:** Prompt-based edits and multi-image composition at the lowest cost in the family
- **Readable In-Image Text:** Marketing cards, banners, and simple graphics that need legible rendered text

### Consider Alternatives When
- **Higher Resolution Required:** 2K and 4K output need `google/gemini-3.1-flash-image` or `google/gemini-3-pro-image`
- **Complex Professional Compositing:** Fine-detail work and heavy multi-image blending land better on `google/gemini-3-pro-image`
- **Video Input or Search Grounding:** `google/gemini-3.1-flash-image` adds video-to-image and Google Image Search grounding
- **Text-Only Workloads:** A text model like `google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite` avoids per-image billing entirely
- **Video Output Required:** Generated clips need the Veo model family rather than still images

## Best for

- **High-Volume Image Pipelines:** Catalog imagery, thumbnails, and previews generated at scale where per-image cost dominates
- **Rapid Creative Iteration:** Fast generation loops that let users explore many variations before a final render
- **Interactive Product Features:** Low-latency image creation inside user-facing apps and tools
- **Cost-Sensitive Editing Workflows:** Prompt-based edits and multi-image composition at the lowest cost in the family
- **Readable In-Image Text:** Marketing cards, banners, and simple graphics that need legible rendered text

## Consider alternatives

- **Higher Resolution Required:** 2K and 4K output need `google/gemini-3.1-flash-image` or `google/gemini-3-pro-image`
- **Complex Professional Compositing:** Fine-detail work and heavy multi-image blending land better on `google/gemini-3-pro-image`
- **Video Input or Search Grounding:** `google/gemini-3.1-flash-image` adds video-to-image and Google Image Search grounding
- **Text-Only Workloads:** A text model like `google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite` avoids per-image billing entirely
- **Video Output Required:** Generated clips need the Veo model family rather than still images

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I call Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) on AI Gateway?

Set the model to `google/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image` in the AI SDK, call `generateText` or `streamText`, and include `responseModalities: ['TEXT', 'IMAGE']` in `providerOptions.google`. AI Gateway handles provider routing, retries, and failover automatically.

### What resolution does Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) generate?

1K resolution. That cap is part of what keeps Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) fast and inexpensive. For 2K or 4K output, use `google/gemini-3.1-flash-image` or `google/gemini-3-pro-image`.

### How is Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) different from Gemini 3.1 Flash Image?

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) is the speed tier: lower latency and cost in exchange for the higher resolutions, video input, and search grounding of Gemini 3.1 Flash Image. Choose Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) for volume and iteration speed rather than maximum output fidelity.

### Should I migrate from Gemini 2.5 Flash Image?

Google recommends that `google/gemini-2.5-flash-image` users move to Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) for better quality, faster generation, and lower cost. The original Nano Banana is now the legacy model in the family.

### Does Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) support image editing?

Yes. Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) handles prompt-based edits and multi-image composition alongside text-to-image generation. Complex masked edits, major lighting changes, and heavy multi-image blending can produce artifacts, so route those jobs to a higher tier in the family.

### Are generated images watermarked?

Yes. Every image carries an invisible SynthID watermark that identifies the output as AI-generated.

### How fast is Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite)?

Google positions Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) as its fastest image generation model, built for rapid creation and iteration. See the live latency metrics on this page for current performance through AI Gateway.

### How does Zero Data Retention work with Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image (Nano Banana 2 Lite) through AI Gateway?

Yes, Zero Data Retention is available for this model. Zero Data Retention is offered on a per-provider basis. See https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway/capabilities/zdr for details.

## Links

- [Model page](https://vercel.com/ai-gateway/models/gemini-3.1-flash-lite-image)
- [AI Gateway documentation](https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway)
- [Provider model documentation](https://docs.cloud.google.com/gemini-enterprise-agent-platform/models/gemini/3-1-flash-lite-image)