Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) vs Nemotron 3 Ultra
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) (2026) and Nemotron 3 Ultra (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and NVIDIA AI. Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) ships a 131k-token context window, while Nemotron 3 Ultra ships a 1m-token context window. On pricing, both list $0.50/1M input tokens on the cheapest tracked route. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
Nemotron 3 Ultra fits 8x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and multimodal apps | reasoning-heavy apps and long-context analysis |
| Decision fit | Long context and Vision | Long context |
| Context window | 131k | 1m |
| Cheapest output | $60/1M tokens | $2.20/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 1 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) for Long context and Vision.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.20/1M tokens.
- Local decision data tags Nemotron 3 Ultra for Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image)
$15,400
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
Nemotron 3 Ultra
$950
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $14,450. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) and Nemotron 3 Ultra; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Nemotron 3 Ultra is $57.80/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Nemotron 3 Ultra and Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image); plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) is $57.80/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-05-28 | 2026-06-04 |
| Context window | 131k | 1m |
| Parameters | — | 550B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | Proprietary | NVIDIA Open Model |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open weights |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: conditional | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.50/1M tokens | $0.50/1M tokens |
| Output price | $60/1M tokens | $2.20/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) | Nemotron 3 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | No | No |
| Tool use | No | No |
| Structured outputs | No | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) and multimodal input: Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image). Both models share reasoning mode, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) lists $0.50/1M input and $60/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Nemotron 3 Ultra lists $0.50/1M input and $2.20/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Nemotron 3 Ultra lower by about $17.34 per million blended tokens. Availability is 1 providers versus 1, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) when vision-heavy evaluation are central to the workload. Choose Nemotron 3 Ultra when long-context analysis and larger context windows are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) or Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Nemotron 3 Ultra supports 1m tokens, while Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) supports 131k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) or Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Nemotron 3 Ultra is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) costs $0.50/1M input and $60/1M output tokens. Nemotron 3 Ultra costs $0.50/1M input and $2.20/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) or Nemotron 3 Ultra open source?
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) is listed under Proprietary. Nemotron 3 Ultra is listed under NVIDIA Open Model. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for vision, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) or Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for multimodal input, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) or Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) and Nemotron 3 Ultra?
Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image) is available on Google AI Studio. Nemotron 3 Ultra is available on OpenRouter. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.