Command R (08-2024) vs Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview)
Command R (08-2024) costs 5.0x less per output token than Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) ($0.60 vs $3.00 per million). Updated October 21, 2026; no benchmark has tested both models yet.
- Coding
- No data
- Overall
- No data
- Output $/M
- $0.60
- Coding
- No data
- Overall
- No data
- Output $/M
- $3.00
Command R (08-2024) or Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview): which to pick
Neither model has a coding score yet, so the two cannot be ranked on coding.
Pick Command R (08-2024) for output tokens 5.0x cheaper ($0.60 vs $3.00 per million) and a larger context window (128K against 66K tokens).
No benchmark has tested both yet. Command R (08-2024) has results on LMArena Text: coding, LMArena Text: software and IT and LMArena Text: hard prompts; Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) on Design Arena: images, Design Arena: graphic design and Design Arena: logos. Compare them on price and context instead.
Which one for your work
Each card is decided by one number both models carry. Where only one has it, the card says so and makes no call.
Coding
Vibe Coding Index, six public coding benchmarks
No call
Neither has a coding score yet.
One side not measured
Image generation
Design Arena: images
No call
Only Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) has a Design Arena: images result, 1269.
Directional only
Long documents
Listed context window
Command R (08-2024)
Command R (08-2024) takes 128K tokens against 66K.
Listed by OpenRouter
Everyday cost
1K input + 500 output tokens
Command R (08-2024)
Command R (08-2024) $0.0004, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) $0.0020 per turn.
List prices
At a glance
- Coding index
- Command R (08-2024) not benchmarked, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) not benchmarked.
- Widest category
- None yet: no category has been tested on both models.
- Widest single gap
- None yet: no benchmark has tested both models.
- Output price
- Command R (08-2024) $0.60 against Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) $3.00 per million output tokens, 5.0x apart.
- Context window
- Command R (08-2024) takes 128K tokens, Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) 66K.
Benchmark by benchmark
Every board either model has a result on, a category to a fold; bars are each result on a 0 to 100 scale. Only one model is measured on each, so no row names a leader.
CodingDirectional onlySix of these boards feed the Vibe Coding Index2 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text: coding | 1187 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: software and IT | 1197 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 37 boards here | |||
ReasoningDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index3 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text: hard prompts | 1186 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: expert | 1173 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: hard prompts in English | 1194 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 19 boards here | |||
MathDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index2 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text: math | 1188 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: mathematical work | 1198 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 11 boards here | |||
KnowledgeDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index4 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text: science | 1252 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: medicine and healthcare | 1238 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: legal and government | 1268 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: business and finance | 1215 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 14 boards here | |||
GeneralDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index14 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| LMArena Text | 1229 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: instruction following | 1197 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: creative writing | 1234 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: English | 1238 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: non-English | 1216 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: Chinese | 1227 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: German | 1216 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: Japanese | 1166 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: Korean | 1162 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: Russian | 1227 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: multi-turn | 1213 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: longer queries | 1230 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: writing and language | 1241 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| LMArena Text: entertainment and media | 1223 | Not measured | Only Command R (08-2024) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 32 boards here | |||
Image generationDirectional onlyPublic boards, shown as published, kept out of the index3 boards measured
| Benchmark | Command R (08-2024) | Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Arena: images | Not measured | 1269 | Only Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) measured |
| Design Arena: graphic design | Not measured | 1249 | Only Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) measured |
| Design Arena: logos | Not measured | 1248 | Only Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) measured |
| Neither model has a result on the other 2 boards here | |||
What each workload costs
Three fixed token mixes at each model's listed price, so per-token rates become a bill.
Chat turn
1K input + 500 output tokens
Command R (08-2024) costs less
Repository review
50K input + 3K output tokens
Command R (08-2024) costs less
Agent loop
200K input + 10K output tokens
Command R (08-2024) costs less
Listed OpenRouter rates, without cache or batch discounts. A workload that does not fit a model's context window would need splitting.
Specification differences
The leading value in a row is marked; a row with a missing value names no leader. Our two rows are marked in red.
| Specification | Cohere Command R (08-2024) | Google Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) |
|---|---|---|
| Maker | Cohere | |
| Weights | No public weights listed | No public weights listed |
| Released | August 30, 2024 | February 26, 2026 |
| Context window | 128K | 66K |
| Input $/Mtok | $0.15 | $0.50 |
| Output $/Mtok | $0.60 | $3.00 |
| Coding index | Not benchmarked | Not benchmarked |
| Independent measurements behind it | 0 | 0 |
| Cost per solved task | Not computable | Not computable |
| Source | OpenRouter listing | OpenRouter listing |
Questions
Is Command R (08-2024) better than Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) for coding?
Neither model has a coding score yet, so the two cannot be ranked on coding. Pick Command R (08-2024) for output tokens 5.0x cheaper ($0.60 vs $3.00 per million) and a larger context window (128K against 66K tokens).
Which is cheaper, Command R (08-2024) or Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview)?
Command R (08-2024) costs $0.15 per million input tokens and $0.60 per million output tokens; Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) costs $0.50 and $3.00. Cost per solved task is known for neither of them.
Which has the bigger context window, Command R (08-2024) or Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview)?
Command R (08-2024), with 128K tokens against 66K.
Has any benchmark tested both Command R (08-2024) and Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview)?
No benchmark has tested both yet. Command R (08-2024) has results on LMArena Text: coding, LMArena Text: software and IT and LMArena Text: hard prompts; Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image Preview) on Design Arena: images, Design Arena: graphic design and Design Arena: logos. Compare them on price and context instead. Data as of October 21, 2026.