Black Forest Labs' 12 billion parameter distilled image generation model optimized for speed, capable of generating high-quality images in just 4 inference steps
Settled by community votes across 13 shared challenges, with an AI judge weighing in on each.
FLUX.1 [schnell]
6.2
arena score
#48 of 48 in Text-to-Image
Skill signature
· Text-to-Image
Nano Banana 2 Lite
22.3
arena score
#27 of 48 in Text-to-Image
Vote tally
Where the votes landed
FLUX.1 [schnell]
0%
win rate
Ties
0%
Nano Banana 2 Lite
0%
win rate
Shared challenges
13
Challenge by challenge
The strongest take from each model on every shared challenge, with the AI judge's read.
Geometric Composition
Text-to-Image“A glass cube on a wooden table. Inside the cube is a small blue sphere. On top of the cube sits a red book. A green plant is behind the cube, partially visible through the glass. Soft window light from the left.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent artistic lighting and reflections
- + High resolution with vibrant colors
- + Captures the concept of transparency through the cube well
- − Included an extra blue sphere on top of the book
- − The sphere inside the cube is excessively large compared to the 'small' prompt requirement
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Exact adherence to the spatial requirements of the prompt
- + Impressive rendering of legible text on the book spine related to the prompt subject
- + Provides a very realistic, photographic aesthetic
- − The composition is a bit tighter and less balanced than Model A
- − Slightly less clarity in the glass reflections
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite is the winner as it perfectly adhered to the prompt without adding extra objects, unlike FLUX.1 [schnell] which added a second sphere on top of the book. Nano Banana 2 Lite also showed high intelligence by generating relevant text on the book's spine that matched the scene's content.
Candid Street Photography
Text-to-Image“A candid street photo of an elderly Japanese man repairing a red bicycle in light rain, reflections on wet pavement, shallow depth of field, 50mm lens, natural skin texture, imperfect framing, motion blur from passing cars, cinematic but realistic, no stylization.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent shallow depth of field and bokeh effects.
- + Great rendering of wet pavement reflections.
- + Accurate facial skin texture and realistic clothing.
- − The man is just holding the handlebars rather than actively 'repairing' it.
- − Missing the requested motion blur from passing cars.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Successfully captures the man in the act of repairing with tools.
- + Includes subtle motion blur on the car to the left.
- + The 'imperfect framing' feels more authentic to a candid street photo.
- − The bike anatomy is slightly warped, particularly the front wheel/frame area.
- − Some text on the signs in the background is a bit garbled.
- − The lighting is less cinematic than Model A.
Verdict: Model A (FLUX.1 [schnell]) produces a cleaner, more aesthetically pleasing cinematic image with superior textures, but it fails to show the man actually repairing the bike. Model B (Nano Banana 2 Lite) adheres better to the specific actions and technical requests like motion blur, even though the overall image quality is slightly less polished. Nano Banana 2 Lite is the winner for better prompt adherence regarding the activity and motion blur.
Fantasy Warrior
Text-to-Image“Close portrait of a battle-worn paladin in ornate engraved plate armor, hair braided with small beads, faint scars and dirt on the skin, warm torchlight reflecting off metal, shallow depth of field, bokeh sparks, lifelike eyes, highly detailed texture on leather straps and cloth underlayer.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Extremely high-resolution skin texture and iris detail
- + Excellent use of shallow depth of field for dramatic portraiture
- + Clear rendering of braids and hair beads as requested
- − The lighting on the skin looks slightly oversaturated/artificial
- − The armor is mostly obscured by the tight crop
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Superb adherence to all armor, leather, and fabric detail requests
- + Perfect mood with warm torchlight and bokeh sparks
- + Realistic depiction of scars and dirt on the character
- − Image has strange vertical white borders/letterboxing
- − The facial eyes are slightly less sharp compared to the armor detail
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite followed the prompt much more comprehensively, including the specific details of the engraved plate, leather straps, and cloth underlayers that FLUX.1 [schnell] mostly cropped out. While FLUX.1 [schnell] has more striking facial resolution, Nano Banana 2 Lite captures the 'battle-worn' aesthetic and the environment far more effectively, despite the odd framing artifacts.
Modern Clean Menu
Text-to-Image“Modern minimalist restaurant menu design, white background with colorful food photos in grid, sections for appetizers/pizza/mains, bold sans-serif fonts, vibrant accents, clean professional layout for casual dining.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Successfully includes the requested sections
- + Achieves a very high-end minimalist look
- + Clean white background
- − Text is mostly illegible nonsense filler
- − The food images are repetitive and lack variety
- − Misspells 'Mains' as 'Orfefus'
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Excellent layout with clear headers and vibrant teal accents
- + High-quality, distinct food photography in a consistent grid
- + Surprisingly legible and relevant text for dish names and descriptions
- − Background includes a wooden table and napkin which wasn't strictly requested
- − Some minor spelling errors in small body text
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite significantly outperforms FLUX.1 [schnell] by creating a functional, highly detailed, and readable menu that perfectly follows the grid layout request. While FLUX.1 [schnell] captures the minimalist aesthetic, its text is unusable and the food images across different categories look identical.
Magic Burger Explosion: Fiery Photorealism Challenge
Text-to-Image“Ad for 'Magic Burger'. Dynamic, exploded burger with all components (bun, patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, sauce) suspended in mid-air. Emphasize photorealistic detail and a sense of motion. Dark, fiery background with glowing embers. Integrate text: 'MAGIC BURGER' as a prominent title, 'LIMITED TIME ONLY' as a secondary message, and '€6.99' in a starburst, all rendered with a fiery, glowing effect.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + The lighting on the burger patty and cheese is appetizing and vibrant.
- + The overall image resolution is high and the colors are punchy.
- − Failed the main text prompt by spelling it 'AGIC BURGER' and cluttering the price.
- − Did not follow the 'exploded' instruction well, as most of the burger is still assembled.
- − Background elements like the floating bread cubes feel disconnected from the subject matter.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Perfect adherence to the 'exploded burger' prompt with all components clearly separated in mid-air.
- + Exceptional text rendering with the requested fiery, glowing effect on all elements.
- + High-quality photorealistic details on textures like the charred meat, fresh lettuce, and sesame seeds.
- − The starburst shape for the price is slightly irregular.
- − The amount of sauce splashes might be considered slightly messy by some viewers.
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite is the clear winner as it followed every instruction, including the complex text rendering and the 'exploded' layout. FLUX.1 [schnell] failed significantly on the text spelling ('AGIC BURGER') and did not actually explode the burger components as requested.
Chalkboard Menu
Text-to-Image“Handwritten-style chalkboard menu in a cozy café, all text rendered in the exact same realistic chalk handwriting style with natural variations in letter size, slight slant, and chalk texture — no printed or digital fonts anywhere on the board. Title at the top in elegant cursive chalk handwriting: ‘TODAY’S SPECIALS – APRIL 30, 2026’. Below it, three menu items also in the same handwritten chalk style: ‘Truffle Mushroom Risotto – $24’, ‘Grilled Octopus with Lemon & Herbs – $28’, ‘Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies – $9’. At the very bottom, smaller text in the identical handwritten chalk style (slightly smaller but still clearly legible with the same handwriting characteristics): ‘All items made fresh daily • Ask about our gluten-free options’. Warm ambient café lighting, visible chalk dust and smudges, realistic handwriting imperfections, no clean printed text anywhere.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Features a realistic wooden frame and depth
- + Handwriting has natural variation in size and spacing
- − Significant spelling errors throughout the menu
- − Missing 'APRIL' in the date (rendered as 'Pril')
- − Text looks more like a white marker than chalk texture
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Perfect text accuracy and spelling for all requested items
- + Excellent chalk texture and smudging on the board surface
- + Highly aesthetic café background with good composition
- − The 'cursive' request for the title is only partially met with decorative flourishes rather than full cursive script
- − The bottom line of text uses a very clean font that looks slightly digital compared to the main items
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite significantly outperforms FLUX.1 [schnell] by following the text instructions perfectly and maintaining high visual fidelity. While FLUX.1 [schnell] struggles with spelling and date formatting, Nano Banana 2 Lite successfully renders the complex menu items with a realistic chalk-on-blackboard aesthetic.
The Reversed Rodeo
Text-to-Image“Horse riding astronaut in space — horse on top, not vice versa. Surreal, highly detailed, cinematic.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Successfully follows the complex spatial instruction of placing the horse on top of the astronaut.
- + High cinematic quality with professional lighting and depth of field.
- + Clever interpretation of the astronaut acting as the 'steed' for the horse.
- − The horse has two heads/necks, which is a significant anatomical artifact.
- − The astronaut's posture is a bit chaotic and hard to parse visually.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Excellent cosmic background with vibrant colors and a clean galaxy spiral.
- + High level of detail on the space suit and horse's gear.
- − Fails the primary spatial prompt; the horse is behind/above the astronaut rather than 'riding' him.
- − The astronaut appears to be sitting on a separate celestial pedestal/stool rather than interacting with the horse.
Verdict: FLUX.1 [schnell] is the clear winner for its ability to follow the difficult 'horse on top' instruction, creating a surreal and humorous composition where the astronaut is being ridden. While FLUX.1 suffered from a multi-headed horse artifact, Nano Banana 2 Lite failed to interpret the core logic of the prompt, instead placing the horse in a standard background position.
The Capybara Taxi Driver
Text-to-Image“Photorealistic scene inside a yellow New York taxi at night. A capybara is driving, wearing a yellow taxi driver cap and a dark jacket. It has a calm, professional expression and both front paws on the steering wheel. In the back seat sits a human businesswoman in a coat, looking at her phone with a completely normal, bored expression (as if this is just another normal ride). Through the windows you can see the streets of Manhattan at night with blurred lights. Realistic taxi interior, photorealistic, detailed fur and fabric, 35mm lens, night lighting with reflections, shallow depth of field.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent fur texture rendering
- + Clearly legible 'TAXI' text on the hat
- + Accurately depicts the bored expression of the passenger
- − The capybara's anatomy is a bit strange, looking more like a bear face with capybara features
- − Fails to place both front paws on the steering wheel correctly
- − The perspective between the front and back seat feels slightly compressed
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Strong composition showing more of the realistic taxi dashboard and meter
- + Correctly places both paws on the steering wheel as requested
- + Very realistic Manhattan night background with wet road reflections
- − The hat is a police-style checkered cap rather than the requested yellow taxi driver cap
- − The interior of the car looks excessively dirty and worn out
- − The capybara's face is looking sideways rather than focusing on the road
Verdict: FLUX.1 [schnell] captures the specific colors and character expressions better, particularly the yellow hat and the bored businesswoman. However, Nano Banana 2 Lite provides a much more immersive and detailed taxi interior, following the physical 'paws on wheel' instruction accurately and offering a superior background. Nano Banana 2 Lite is the preferred choice for its realistic environment and better anatomical positioning, despite missing the specific color of the hat.
The Halloween Invitation
Text-to-Image“Vintage gothic Halloween party invitation. Dark parchment poster, spooky border with webs and thorns, central glowing jack-o-lantern, bats, twisted trees, moody night sky. Add elegant gothic title text saying "Halloween Party Invitation", a small scroll banner saying "You are invited to a night of frights", and event details at the bottom: Date: 30.10.2026 Time: 7pm Location: The Arches, NYC Spooky but polished, cinematic lighting, square format.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Successfully included all requested text elements.
- + Clean, modern graphic design style.
- − Several typos and repetitions in the text, such as 'firiichts' and double time entries.
- − Overall composition feels a bit empty with a flat dark background rather than moody parchment.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Excellent adherence to the 'vintage gothic parchment' aesthetic with a highly detailed border.
- + Text is rendered with near-perfect accuracy and elegant typography.
- + Superior atmospheric details including the haunted house, graveyard, and intricate thorns.
- − The 'You are invited...' banner is slightly small relative to the title text.
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite significantly outperformed FLUX.1 [schnell] by delivering a much more cohesive and atmospheric 'vintage gothic' design. While FLUX.1 [schnell] struggled with text repetitions and spelling, Nano Banana 2 Lite produced clear, accurate text integrated perfectly into a rich, cinematic illustration.
Isometric Miniature Diorama Scenes
Text-to-Image“Create a clear, 45° top-down isometric miniature 3D cartoon scene of Japan's signature dish: sushi, with soft refined textures, realistic PBR materials, gentle lighting, on a small raised diorama base with minimal garnish and plate. Solid light blue background. At top-center: 'JAPAN' in large bold text, 'SUSHI' below it, small flag icon. Perfectly centered, ultra-clean, high-clarity, square format.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Clean 3D render with high clarity
- + Follows the isometric miniature diorama style perfectly
- + Excellent PBR material rendering on the salmon and base
- − Missed the 'SUSHI' text requirement
- − The red marks on the fish look more like digital artifacts than food texture
- − Very minimal, perhaps too simple for the prompt's potential
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Successfully included all text elements: 'JAPAN' and 'SUSHI'
- + Variety of sushi types creates a more visually interesting scene
- + Excellent adherence to all prompt details including the flag and diorama base
- − The white text on the flag is redundant
- − The diorama base is slightly more rounded than a traditional isometric block
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite is the overall winner for following the complex prompt instructions more precisely, specifically including the secondary 'SUSHI' text that FLUX.1 [schnell] missed. While FLUX.1 [schnell] produced a cleaner, more sterile 3D render, Nano Banana 2 Lite provided a richer, more complete scene with better typography and composition.
Adorable Baby Animals in Sunny Meadow
Text-to-Image“Hyper-photorealistic scene of fluffy baby animals—a golden retriever puppy, tabby kitten, baby bunny, and red fox kit—with big expressive eyes and ultra-detailed soft fur, playfully chasing butterflies and tumbling together in a lush wildflower meadow, warm golden sunrise light with god rays and dew sparkles, joyful wholesome vibe, 8K masterpiece.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Excellent fur texture and lighting consistency
- + Clean and centered composition
- + Vibrant colors and pleasant bokeh effect
- − Missed the baby bunny requirement (it looks like a hybrid kitten-bunny)
- − Too many kittens instead of the requested variety
- − Static poses compared to the requested 'tumbling' action
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Successfully included all four distinct animal types from the prompt
- + Captures the 'tumbling' and 'chasing' action dynamic well
- + Beautiful implementation of god rays and dew sparkles in the grass
- − Slightly over-sharpened visual style
- − Anatomical issues with the cat's front leg/paw connectivity
Verdict: While FLUX.1 [schnell] has slightly more realistic fur rendering, it fails the prompt adherence test by omitting the bunny and including two kittens instead. Nano Banana 2 Lite successfully includes all requested animals and matches the energetic 'tumbling' vibe and lighting effects much more accurately.
Vintage Cafe Logo
Text-to-Image“Vintage minimalist restaurant logo for "Caffè Florian", retro cloche dome with steam and "Est. 1720" banner, classic typography, warm brown and cream tones, subtle texture on light background, vector emblem style.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Strong vector aesthetic with clean lines
- + Effective use of warm brown and cream tones
- − Major spelling errors in the brand name ('CAFEÉ FRAMILAN')
- − Incorrect date ('7720' instead of '1720')
- − Missing requested steam element
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Perfect text rendering of the name and date
- + Accurate representation of all prompt elements including the steam and banner
- + Elegant minimalist composition that balances the cloche and typography
- − The 'subtle texture' on the background is very faint
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite is the clear winner as it followed every instruction perfectly, including difficult text rendering and specific iconography like the steam. FLUX.1 [schnell] failed significantly on the text, hallucinations in the spelling, and the date, while also omitting the requested steam element.
Apollo 11: Journey to Tranquility
Text-to-Image“Create a clean, modern vector infographic poster about the Apollo 11 mission. NASA-inspired palette (navy, white, muted red, light gray). Flat-vector style, crisp lines, consistent iconography, subtle gradients only. Steps (stop at landing): 1. Launch (Saturn Vicon) 2. Earth Orbit (Earth + orbit ring icon) 3. Translunar (trajectory arc icon) 4. Lunar Orbit (Moon + orbit ring icon) 5. Descent (lunar module descending icon) 6. Landing (lunar module on the surface icon) Small supporting elements (minimal text): • Crew strip: three silhouette icons with only last names: Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins. • Landing site marker: Moon pin labeled "Tranquility" only. Layout constraints: generous margins, large readable labels, clean background with subtle stars. Vector-only, print-poster look, high resolution.”
FLUX.1 [schnell]
Nano Banana 2 Lite
AI Judge Analysis
FLUX.1 [schnell]
- + Features a clean, minimalist layout that feels modern.
- + Adheres well to the muted color palette requested.
- − Text is largely gibberish and unreadable.
- − Layout does not clearly follow the 6-step logical sequence requested.
- − Icons are abstract and do not match the specific prompts effectively.
Nano Banana 2 Lite
- + Excellent adherence to all 6 specific steps with matching iconography.
- + High-quality text rendering and clear, logical hierarchy.
- + Perfect execution of the NASA-inspired aesthetic and vector style.
- − The layout is a bit crowded with the extra 'Crew Strip' at the top.
- − Minor artifacting in the dotted background texture.
Verdict: Nano Banana 2 Lite significantly outperformed FLUX.1 [schnell] by following the complex structural requirements of the prompt. While FLUX.1 [schnell] produced an attractive layout, it failed to provide readable text or the requested 6-step sequence, whereas Nano Banana 2 Lite delivered a fully functional, professional-grade infographic with precise labels and iconography.
Next steps
Explore each model
The lightweight, low-cost variant of Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image). Ultra-low-latency image generation and editing at a fixed 1K resolution, designed for high-volume interactive use cases.