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Side-by-side comparison · Image, Logo & Design

Nano Banana vs ChatGPT Images vs Canva

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Best overall

Nano Banana

4.6

From $19.99/mo

ChatGPT Images

4.2

Free to start

Canva

4.5

From $144/yr for one person

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Nano Banana

4.6
Best overall

Pick it if: Marketers, store owners and creators who need realistic images and edits that stay true to the original person or product.

ChatGPT Images

4.2

Pick it if: Anyone who already uses ChatGPT and wants quick, accurate images without learning another tool.

Canva

4.5

Pick it if: Anyone who needs good-looking marketing material regularly and doesn't have a designer on call.

Overview

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
In one lineGoogle's image model. Describe an edit and it keeps faces and products looking the same.Make and edit images inside ChatGPT by describing what you want, words included.Make social posts, decks and flyers from templates, with AI that writes and edits for you.
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumFreemium
Starting price$19.99/moFree$144/yr for one person
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code Yes No Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Overall rating4.6Winner4.24.5
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
4.5
5.0
5.0
FeaturesHow much it can do, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.5
4.0
4.5
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
5.0
4.5
4.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
4.5
4.0
4.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.5
3.5
4.5

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes Yes
Desktop app No Yes Yes
Browser extension No Yes No
API access Yes Yes Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace No Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes Yes Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted No No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes Yes
Understands images Yes Yes Yes
Makes images Yes Yes Yes
Makes video No Yes Yes
Writes code No Yes No
Runs agents or automations No Yes No
Learns your brand or style No Yes Yes
Works in many languages Yes Yes Yes
Capabilities score9/ 1716/ 1713/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Plans

Free (Gemini app and AI Studio)

Free

Trying it and occasional images.

Free

Free

A few images a day.

Free

Free

Occasional posts and trying it out.

Google AI ProOur pick

$19.99/mo

Marketers and creators making images every week.

Go

See website

Light users who hit the free limits.

ProOur pick

$144/yr for one person

Anyone making marketing material every week.

Google AI Ultra

From $99.99/mo

Heavy daily image and video makers.

PlusOur pick

See website

Most marketers and business owners.

Business

$250/yr per person

Teams who need shared brands and approvals.

Gemini API

From $0.034 per image

Developers and automated workflows.

Pro

See website

Heavy daily users.

Enterprise

Custom

Large organisations with security requirements.

Business

See website

Teams who need shared workspaces and admin.

Which plan to pickStart free in the Gemini app to see if it suits your work. If you make images most weeks, Google AI Pro is the one to buy because it unlocks Nano Banana Pro and comes with Gemini, video credits and storage. Developers should use Nano Banana 2 on the API and save Pro for hero images.Free is enough to find out if the quality suits you. Plus is the one to buy if you make images most days, because the limits stop getting in the way and you get the whole assistant too. Pro is only for people living in ChatGPT all day.Use Free until you find yourself fighting it, usually over the brand kit or background removal. Pro pays for itself the first time you skip a stock photo subscription. Business only makes sense once two or more people are working in the same brand.

Key features

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Standout features
  • Edit by describing
  • Consistent characters
  • Blend reference images
  • Sharp text and 4K
  • Grounded in Google Search
  • Gemini API
  • Edit by conversation
  • Accurate text
  • Reference images
  • Thinking mode
  • Lives inside ChatGPT
  • API as gpt-image-2
  • Templates for everything
  • Brand Kit
  • Canva AI
  • Magic Resize
  • Docs, sheets and video
  • Claude connection

Pros and cons

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Pros
  • The best at editing a photo while keeping the person or product identical
  • Free to try in the Gemini app
  • Pro renders accurate text and up to 4K
  • Cheap, fast API with a half-price batch mode
  • Built into Canva, Photoshop and Higgsfield as well as Google's apps
  • No learning curve: describe it, then describe the fix
  • Reliable text and faithful use of your logo and product photos
  • Included in every ChatGPT plan, including Free
  • Handles many languages well
  • Thinking mode makes complex layouts and infographics workable
  • Nobody needs training to use it
  • The free plan is big enough to run a small business on
  • Brand Kit and Magic Resize save hours every week
  • Covers decks, documents and simple video as well as graphics
  • Works with Claude, so designs can start from a chat
Cons
  • Less artistic flair than Midjourney
  • Free images carry a visible watermark, and every image has an invisible SynthID mark
  • Model names and plan limits change often
  • Safety filters can block harmless requests involving people
  • Slower than dedicated generators
  • Free plan limits run out quickly on a busy day
  • Less distinctive artistic style than Midjourney
  • Limited fine control over composition compared with a design tool
  • No vector output
  • Template designs can look generic unless you customise them
  • Fine control over type and layout is limited next to Figma or Adobe
  • Built-in image generation is a step behind the dedicated generators
  • AI features burn through credits faster than you expect on Free

Who each one is for

AttributeNano BananaChatGPT ImagesCanva
Best for
  • Editing photos by describing the change
  • Product shots and lifestyle scenes
  • Consistent characters across images
  • Posters and graphics with readable text
  • Mockups and signage with real text
  • Editing an image by describing changes
  • Social tiles and quick marketing visuals
  • Multilingual text in images
  • Social media posts and stories
  • Quick decks and one-pagers
  • Resizing one design for every channel
  • Simple logos and brand kits
You'll find it used by
  • Marketers
  • Ecommerce store owners
  • Content creators
  • Designers
  • Developers
  • Small business owners
  • Marketers
  • Product teams
  • Anyone on ChatGPT
  • Small business owners
  • Marketers
  • Social media managers
  • Teachers
  • Agencies

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability. The "Visit" buttons may use affiliate links, which never affect a score.

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