When it comes to AI image generators, Midjourney has long been the gold standard for creativity, realism and versatility. But Google’s new Nano Banana model is the fast-rising contender. Lightweight, lightning quick and already making waves with its ability to crank out viral, highly-shareable images, the Gemini app now has 23 Millon total users, marking the model's undeniable popularity.
To see how the two really stack up, I ran both through the same nine prompts designed to test their strengths across realism, style, humor, text rendering and storytelling. From photorealistic portraits to Spider-Man in Times Square, here’s where each tool shines and where they stumble.
1. Photorealism
Prompt: "A hyper-realistic portrait of an elderly woman with deep wrinkles, silver hair in a bun, wearing a red scarf, lit by soft golden sunset light, ultra-detailed skin texture."
Nano Banana generated one image that captured every element of the prompt including “lit by soft golden sunset light.” The photorealistic image is strikingly realistic.
Midjourney created more photos, yet all of them failed to get the sunset light request. Although all the images were realistic-looking, they weren’t as good as Nano Banana and did not fully nail the prompt.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for its one photorealistic image that better captured every element of the prompt.
2. Pop culture mashup
Prompt: "Spider-Man swinging through Times Square during a blizzard, with neon billboards showing anime characters, cinematic action shot."
Nano Banana delivered on every aspect of the prompt including the last request “cinematic action shot.” The image looks like a still from a Marvel movie and the billboards are clear and polished and easily distinguishable as Times Square.
Midjourney once again delivered four images; each one offering a different Spider-Man pose. Although the images captured the character in action, it was less cinematic and clear.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for a clear shot of Spider-Man and Times Square details that make the image look like it came straight from a movie.
3. Fantasy worldbuilding
Prompt: "A floating castle made of glass and crystal hovering above a waterfall, with dragons circling and villagers watching from below."
Nano Banana created a breathtaking fantasy scene, with a luminous castle and cascading waterfall that felt straight out of a storybook. But the overly perfect clouds and evenly spaced birds made the image feel a little too artificial, pulling away from the magic.
Midjourney delivered four stunning images that not only captured every element of the prompt but also layered in extra details that elevated the scene beyond expectations.
Winner: Midjourney wins for creating a truly fantastical scene with elements that exceeded expectations while still carefully following the prompt.
4. Everyday realism test
Prompt: "A bustling New York City coffee shop interior on a rainy day, reflections on the floor, people working on laptops, a barista steaming milk."
Nano Banana made the rainy day evident with multiple umbrellas hanging high, which is unrealistic (they are more often next to the door and lower). The coffee shop customers are not diverse and most of the customers look the same.
Midjourney considered the diversity of NYC by adding a variety of people in the coffee shop. The viewpoint is different from what I was expecting, but it works to capture the busy coffee shop. The rain outside is less visible but it’s evident the weather is inclement based on what customers are wearing.
Winner: Midjourney wins for a more realistic image of a coffee shop in NYC despite highlighting the rain less.
5. Humor & surrealism
Prompt: "A corgi dressed as a samurai riding a skateboard through a bamboo forest, painted in ukiyo-e woodblock print style."
Nano Banana generated an image that captured both the samurai corgi and the background to better showcase the print element of the prompt.
Midjourney delivered arguably cuter images of samurai corgis. But while the imagery is clear and the dogs are in a variety of poses, the writing is not legible, which ultimately lowers the quality of the image.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for more accurately capturing the ukiyo-e woodblock print style.
6. Text rendering challenge
Prompt: "A neon diner sign at night that reads ‘OPEN 24 HOURS’ with glowing reflections on wet pavement, retro 1950s diner in the background."
Nano Banana captured the exterior of a 1950’s style diner in a photorealistic way while also spelling the words on the sign correctly. However, the puddle reflection felt overly artificial, which broke some of the immersion.
Midjourney better captured the exterior of a 1950’s style diner while also considering the inside design. While one of the images spelled “hours” incorrectly, three of the images were still more realistic than the Nano Banana’s image.
Winner: MidJourney takes this round for delivering a fuller, more believable interpretation of the prompt.
7. Cinematic landscape
Prompt: "An epic wide-angle shot of Icelandic black sand beaches with massive crashing waves, stormy skies, and a single person in a red raincoat standing at the shore."
Nano Banana generated a breathtaking image that almost felt alive. The crashing waves, moody skies and sense of depth made it feel like you were standing right there on the shoreline. It was visually striking with a story you could step into.
Midjourney produced similarly dramatic images, but the waves were so massive they bordered on overwhelming, swallowing up the scene. With no land visible in the distance, the compositions felt more like a fantasy seascape than a realistic ocean view.
Winner: Nano Banana edges ahead here for creating a more balanced, believable image that captures the beauty of nature without losing realism.
8. Abstract / stylistic
Prompt: "A cubist painting of a jazz band playing in a smoky club, exaggerated shapes, bold colors, Picasso-inspired."
Nano Banana once again proves that it’s not about quantity, but quality. The image generated, compete with frame, showcases a Picasso-inspired piece as something you could imagine hanging in a gallery.
Midjourney captured the style reasonably well, but its four outputs lacked depth and variation. Each looked nearly identical, leaving none that stood out as memorable or unique.
Winner: Nano Banana wins for originality and delivering an image that feels like genuine art.
9. Cute & viral-friendly
Prompt: "A baby elephant in a kiddie pool full of rubber ducks, wearing oversized sunglasses, pastel cartoon style."
Nano Banana delivered exactly what the prompt called for, generating an image that looked straight out of a children’s storybook or coloring book. The playful lines and bright “cartoon style” captured the whimsical feel perfectly.
Midjourney took a different approach, leaning into more realistic imagery. While the results were undeniably cute (and I kind of want to hang this series of images in my kids’ bathroom), it ultimately missed the mark. The request was for a drawing, not a near-photorealistic render.
Winner: Nano Banana wins this round for staying true to the prompt and nailing the cartoon style.
Overall winner: Nano Banana
After nine rounds, one thing is clear: Nano Banana punches well above its weight. It excelled in photorealism, humor and stylistic prompts. Midjourney, meanwhile, proved its value in worldbuilding and everyday realism, consistently generating multiple variations that, even with flaws, often felt richer and more expansive.
Nano Banana won with this face off, making the quick, prompt-faithful images with surprising charm, as the best go-to for image generation. But if you want more images to choose from with layered detail, Midjourney still holds the edge.
This was a close race: less of a knockout than a split decision, and a reminder that AI art is evolving so quickly, today’s underdog can become tomorrow’s heavyweight. Something tells me I'll be doing this test again in the upcoming months.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
More from Tom's Guide
- Nano Banana just broke the internet with these viral trends — I tried these 5 prompts and I'm blown away
- I tested ChatGPT-5 vs Gemini Nano Banana with 9 AI image prompts — and there's a clear winner
- I found ChatGPT-5's biggest blind spot (Memory is broken) — my workaround is shockingly simple
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
