Name: Nano Banana 2.1 API: Google AI Image Generation and Editing
Brand: magicapi
SKU: api-magicapi-fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1
Availability: InStock
Author: API Market

Shashank Agarwal

# 🍌 Image Generation and Editing API (Google Nano Banana 2.1)

## Overview
Nano Banana 2.1 is an image generation model from Google. Its developer describes it as its latest fast image generation model, with sharp text rendering, conversational editing, multi-image fusion and up to 4K output.

Send a text `prompt` to generate an image. Add up to 14 images in `image_input` to edit them or use them as references. Choose the `resolution` (1K, 2K or 4K), the `aspect_ratio` and the `output_format`. You can also ground the image in Google Web Search or Google Image Search results. Each request returns the URL of one image.

## Features
- **Text rendering**: the developer describes the model's text rendering as sharp, which suits signs, labels and posters.
- **Reference images**: up to 14 images in `image_input` to transform or use as references.
- **Resolution**: `1K` (default), `2K` or `4K`. Higher resolutions take longer and cost more.
- **Aspect ratios**: `match_input_image` (default), `1:1`, `1:4`, `1:8`, `2:3`, `3:2`, `3:4`, `4:1`, `4:3`, `4:5`, `5:4`, `8:1`, `9:16`, `16:9`, `21:9`.
- **Search grounding**: `google_search` uses Google Web Search for real-time information (weather, sports scores, recent events); `image_search` uses Google Image Search to find web images as visual context, and turns on web search too.
- **Output format**: `jpg` (default) or `png`.

## Use Cases
1. **Images with readable text**: posters, signs, packaging and social graphics with the words you specify.
2. **Image editing**: send a photo in `image_input` and describe the change in `prompt`.
3. **Combining images**: merge several reference images (products, people, backgrounds) into one scene.
4. **Current-events visuals**: turn on `google_search` for images based on up-to-date information.
5. **Banners and wide formats**: ratios from `1:8` to `8:1` and `21:9` for headers and strips.

## Visual Examples
### Example Input
Prompt: "A photo of a monstera leaf against a simple backdrop, cleverly and organically appearing within the natural gaps of the leaf are the words Nano Banana"

Settings: `resolution` `2K`, `aspect_ratio` `16:9`, `output_format` `jpg`, no reference images, `google_search` and `image_search` off.

### Example Output
![Nano Banana 2.1 output: a monstera leaf whose natural gaps form the words Nano Banana](https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/nano-banana-2-1-output-jvzz7gfn-api-market.jpeg)

## Input Parameters
| Field | Type | Required | Default | Allowed values | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `prompt` | string | Yes | none |  | A text description of the image you want to generate |
| `image_input` | array of strings (URLs) | No | `[]` |  | Input image URLs to transform or use as reference (up to 14 images) |
| `aspect_ratio` | string | No | `match_input_image` | `match_input_image`, `1:1`, `1:4`, `1:8`, `2:3`, `3:2`, `3:4`, `4:1`, `4:3`, `4:5`, `5:4`, `8:1`, `9:16`, `16:9`, `21:9` | Aspect ratio of the generated image |
| `resolution` | string | No | `1K` | `1K`, `2K`, `4K` | Resolution of the generated image. Higher resolutions take longer to generate. |
| `google_search` | boolean | No | `false` |  | Use Google Web Search grounding to generate images based on real-time information (for example weather, sports scores, recent events) |
| `image_search` | boolean | No | `false` |  | Use Google Image Search grounding to find web images as visual context for generation. When enabled, web search is also used automatically. |
| `output_format` | string | No | `jpg` | `jpg`, `png` | Format of the output image |

## Pricing
- **Pay As You Go (PAYG) pricing**: you only pay for what you use.
- **Price**: $0.042 per API unit.
- **1 API unit = 1 output image at 1K.** Each request returns one image. The price depends on `resolution`:

| `resolution` | Price per image |
| --- | --- |
| `1K` (default, also used when `resolution` is omitted) | $0.042 |
| `2K` | $0.063 |
| `4K` | $0.14175 |

- Aspect ratio, output format, reference images and search grounding do not change the price.
- **Example cost**: the request above used `resolution` `2K` and returned one image = **$0.063**.
- **Failed or cancelled predictions are not billed.**
- **GET requests to check prediction status** are free and don't count toward API unit usage.
- **No monthly subscription fee.**

## API Documentation

### Base URL
All API requests go to: `https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1`

### Authentication
Send your api.market API key in the `x-api-market-key` header:
```
x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY
```

### Asynchronous Processing
**IMPORTANT**: This API is asynchronous. The flow is:
1. Send a POST request to `/predictions`. A successful request returns **201 Created** with a prediction `id` and a `status` of `starting` or `processing`.
2. Poll GET `/predictions/{id}` with that ID.
3. Keep polling while `status` is `starting` or `processing`.
4. Stop when `status` is `succeeded` (read `output`), `failed` or `canceled` (read `error`).

A polling interval of 1 second and an overall timeout of 600 seconds (10 minutes) work well.

### Endpoints

#### Create a Prediction
```bash
curl -X POST "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1/predictions" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY" \
  -d '{
    "version": "google/nano-banana-2.1",
    "input": {
      "prompt": "A photo of a monstera leaf against a simple backdrop, cleverly and organically appearing within the natural gaps of the leaf are the words Nano Banana",
      "resolution": "2K",
      "image_input": [],
      "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
      "image_search": false,
      "google_search": false,
      "output_format": "jpg"
    }
  }'
```

Response (201 Created):
```json
{
  "id": "jvzz7gfnghrmw0d1c6sbj37pdr",
  "version": "google/nano-banana-2.1",
  "status": "starting",
  "created_at": "2026-10-22T03:41:20.814Z"
}
```

#### Check Prediction Status
```bash
curl -X GET "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1/predictions/{id}" \
  -H "x-api-market-key: YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
```

Response when the prediction has finished (200 OK):
```json
{
  "id": "jvzz7gfnghrmw0d1c6sbj37pdr",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "output": "https://blog.api.market/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/nano-banana-2-1-output-jvzz7gfn-api-market.jpeg",
  "error": null,
  "created_at": "2026-10-22T03:41:20.814Z",
  "started_at": "2026-10-22T03:41:20.826Z",
  "completed_at": "2026-10-22T03:41:56.006Z"
}
```

`output` is a single URL string pointing to the generated image.

### Status Codes
- **201 Created**: prediction created (POST `/predictions`). This is the normal success response.
- **200 OK**: prediction details returned (GET `/predictions/{id}`).
- **400 Bad Request**: invalid input, for example a missing `prompt` or a `resolution` that is not `1K`, `2K` or `4K`.
- **401 Unauthorized**: missing or invalid API key.
- **404 Not Found**: no prediction with that ID.
- **429 Too Many Requests**: rate limit exceeded.
- **500 Internal Server Error** or **503 Service Unavailable**: temporary server problem; retry later.

## Rate Limits
All plans allow 10 requests per second. Requests above that return `429 Too Many Requests`; back off before retrying and honour any `Retry-After` header. Polling a prediction with GET is free but still counts toward the per-second limit, so poll every 1 to 5 seconds rather than in a tight loop.
## Error Handling
- Check the HTTP status code of every request and read the response body for the error message.
- A prediction can also end with `status` set to `failed`; the `error` field then explains why. Failed predictions are not billed.
- Retry 429, 500 and 503 responses with exponential backoff. Fix the input before retrying a 400.

## Implementation Guide
### Example Code

#### JavaScript
```javascript
const apiKey = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY";
const baseUrl = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1";

async function createAndWaitForPrediction(input) {
  const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions`, {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "x-api-market-key": apiKey
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ version: "google/nano-banana-2.1", input })
  });

  if (response.status !== 201) {
    throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
  }

  const prediction = await response.json();
  return pollForResults(prediction.id);
}

const delay = (ms) => new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms));

async function pollForResults(predictionId) {
  const maxTimeout = 600000;
  const pollInterval = 1000;
  const startTime = Date.now();

  while (Date.now() - startTime < maxTimeout) {
    const response = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/predictions/${predictionId}`, {
      headers: { "x-api-market-key": apiKey }
    });

    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${await response.text()}`);
    }

    const prediction = await response.json();

    if (prediction.status === "succeeded") {
      return prediction.output;
    }

    if (prediction.status === "failed" || prediction.status === "canceled") {
      throw new Error(`Prediction ${prediction.status}: ${prediction.error || "Unknown error"}`);
    }

    await delay(pollInterval);
  }

  throw new Error("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes");
}

createAndWaitForPrediction({
    "prompt": "A photo of a monstera leaf against a simple backdrop, cleverly and organically appearing within the natural gaps of the leaf are the words Nano Banana",
    "resolution": "2K",
    "image_input": [],
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "image_search": false,
    "google_search": false,
    "output_format": "jpg"
  }).then((output) => console.log(output));
```

#### Python
```python
import time
import requests

API_KEY = "YOUR_API_MARKET_KEY"
BASE_URL = "https://prod.api.market/api/v1/magicapi/fast-image-generation-google-nano-banana-2-1"

def create_and_wait_for_prediction(input_data):
    headers = {"Content-Type": "application/json", "x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    response = requests.post(
        f"{BASE_URL}/predictions",
        headers=headers,
        json={"version": "google/nano-banana-2.1", "input": input_data},
    )

    if response.status_code != 201:
        raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

    return poll_for_results(response.json()["id"])

def poll_for_results(prediction_id):
    max_timeout = 600
    poll_interval = 1
    headers = {"x-api-market-key": API_KEY}
    start_time = time.time()

    while time.time() - start_time < max_timeout:
        response = requests.get(f"{BASE_URL}/predictions/{prediction_id}", headers=headers)

        if response.status_code != 200:
            raise Exception(f"API error: {response.status_code} {response.text}")

        prediction = response.json()

        if prediction["status"] == "succeeded":
            return prediction["output"]

        if prediction["status"] in ("failed", "canceled"):
            raise Exception(f"Prediction {prediction['status']}: {prediction.get('error') or 'Unknown error'}")

        time.sleep(poll_interval)

    raise Exception("Prediction timed out after 10 minutes")

print(create_and_wait_for_prediction({
    "prompt": "A photo of a monstera leaf against a simple backdrop, cleverly and organically appearing within the natural gaps of the leaf are the words Nano Banana",
    "resolution": "2K",
    "image_input": [],
    "aspect_ratio": "16:9",
    "image_search": False,
    "google_search": False,
    "output_format": "jpg"
}))
```

## FAQ
- **How much does each resolution cost?**
  - $0.042 per image at `1K` (the default), $0.063 at `2K` and $0.14175 at `4K`.
- **How many reference images can I send?**
  - Up to 14, as URLs in `image_input`.
- **What does `match_input_image` do?**
  - It is the default `aspect_ratio` and uses the aspect ratio of the input image. When you send no image, set `aspect_ratio` to one of the fixed ratios.
- **What do the search options do?**
  - `google_search` grounds the image in Google Web Search results, for prompts about current information. `image_search` finds web images through Google Image Search as visual context, and turns on web search as well.
- **How many images does one request return?**
  - One.
- **Is the 201 response from POST an error?**
  - No. 201 Created means the prediction was accepted. Use the returned `id` to poll GET `/predictions/{id}` until `status` is `succeeded`, `failed` or `canceled`.
- **What if my prediction fails?**
  - Failed predictions are not billed. Read the `error` field, adjust the input and try again.

## Contact Us
If you have any questions or need assistance, you can reach out to us through the embedded chat on the bottom right corner of the page or send an email to hello@magicapi.com.


Nano Banana 2.1 API: generate and edit images with Google's model, with sharp text rendering, up to 14 reference images and 1K to 4K output.