# Nano Banana Lite

Google's Nano Banana Lite: the fastest, cheapest image model, for 1K drafts.

Last updated: 2026-10-05

**Key facts**

- Nano Banana Lite is Google's fastest and cheapest Nano Banana image model (Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite Image), built for rough drafts and big batches.
- Nano Banana Lite makes 1K images only in Sloosh.
- Nano Banana Lite takes up to 14 reference images in Sloosh Studio and prompts up to 50,000 characters.
- Google's model card notes that small text is often blurry at 1K on Nano Banana Lite.

Web page: https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-lite

Nano Banana Lite is the fastest and cheapest Nano Banana. It makes 1K images only, which makes it right for rough drafts and big batches of ideas.

## When to use it

- Rough drafts and comparing many ideas cheaply.
- Simple scenes with little or no text. Google notes that small text is often blurry at 1K.
- Move to [Nano Banana 2](https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-2.md) or [Nano Banana Pro](https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-pro.md) for the final.

## How to prompt it

- Same style as the other Nano Bananas: a strong verb and a narrative description.
- Keep it to one clear subject and setting.
- Avoid small text and long paragraphs of copy.
- Keeping a character consistent from a reference is a known weak spot; use Nano Banana 2 for that.

[Prompting Nano Banana](https://sloosh.ai/docs/prompting-nano-banana.md) has the full guide.

## Example

Text only: one subject, no text on the image.

![A steaming bowl of ramen with egg, pork, spring onion and nori on a dark wooden table under a paper lantern](https://sloosh.ai/docs/m-nano-banana-lite.webp)

_1:1, 1K, Enhance off._

**Prompt**

```text
Create a cosy photo of a steaming bowl of ramen on a dark wooden table: a soft-boiled egg cut in half, slices of pork, spring onions and a sheet of nori. Warm light from a paper lantern above, steam rising, shot from slightly above.
```

## Settings in Sloosh

- Aspect ratio: Auto, 1:1, 2:3, 3:2, 16:9, 9:16, 4:3, 3:4, 21:9, 4:5 or 5:4.
- Resolution: 1K.
- References: up to 14 images.
- Prompt: up to 50,000 characters.

Open it in [Image](https://sloosh.ai/studio/image) and pick Nano Banana Lite in the model chip. The Generate button shows the cost first.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Nano Banana Lite best for?

Nano Banana Lite is best for rough drafts and comparing many ideas cheaply, with one clear subject and little or no text. It takes about 4 seconds per image. Once an idea works, rerun the same prompt on [Nano Banana 2](https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-2.md) or [Nano Banana Pro](https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-pro.md) for the final.

### Nano Banana Lite vs Nano Banana 2: which should I use?

Use Nano Banana Lite for the cheapest 1K drafts, and Nano Banana 2 when you need 512px tests, 2K or 4K output, or a character kept consistent from a reference. Both take the same prompts and up to 14 references in Sloosh, so you can move a prompt between them unchanged.

### Can Nano Banana Lite put text in an image?

Nano Banana Lite can, but small text is often blurry at its 1K size, and long paragraphs of copy are a known weak spot. Keep any words large and short, or make the image on [Nano Banana Pro](https://sloosh.ai/docs/nano-banana-pro.md), the strongest Nano Banana at type.

### Can Nano Banana Lite keep a character consistent from a reference?

Not reliably. Google's model card lists character consistency between input and output as a Nano Banana Lite weakness. For a person or product that must look the same across images, use Nano Banana 2 or Nano Banana Pro and name the character in every prompt.

## Sources

- [Google DeepMind: model card](https://deepmind.google/models/model-cards/gemini-3-1-flash-lite-image/)
- [Gemini API: image generation](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/image-generation)