AI Model Watch
Deprecations / Migrate

Migrate off Imagen 4

Deprecated

Imagen 4 is deprecated and shuts down on 17 Aug 2026. Google's official replacement is Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2). The cheapest comparable model we track is Grok Build 0.1 (xAI) at $1.25 per 1M tokens blended.

Last verified: 13 Aug 2026 · sourced from official provider documentation

StatusDeprecatedGoogle
Shutdown date17 Aug 2026plan ahead
Official replacementGemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2)$15.38 /M blendedCheapest alternativeGrok Build 0.1$1.25 /M blended
What changes

Imagen 4 → Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2)

SpecImagen 4Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2)
StatusDeprecatedGA
Blended price /1M—$15.38
Input / output /1M—$0.5 / $60
Context window——
Max output——
Modalitytext-in, image-outtext, image, image-out
Knowledge cutoff——

API string was imagen-4.0-generate-001 → switch to gemini-3.1-flash-image. See Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2)'s full spec sheet →

Cheapest alternatives

Budget-friendly replacements for Imagen 4

Generally-available models that match Imagen 4's capabilities, ranked by blended price. Every number is computed from official catalog prices.

ModelBlended /1MInput / outputContext
Grok Build 0.1
xAI
$1.25$1 / $2256K
Grok 4.3
xAI
$1.56$1.25 / $2.501M
Grok 4.20 (0309) Reasoning
xAI
$1.56$1.25 / $2.501M
FAQ

Migrating off Imagen 4

What replaces Imagen 4?

Google's recommended migration for Imagen 4 is Gemini 3.1 Flash Image (Nano Banana 2). The cheapest comparable model in our catalog is Grok Build 0.1 (xAI) at $1.25/1M blended.

When is Imagen 4 shut down?

Imagen 4 is deprecated and scheduled to shut down on 17 Aug 2026. Migrate before that date to avoid a 404.

What is the cheapest alternative to Imagen 4?

Grok Build 0.1 (xAI) is the cheapest generally-available alternative we track that matches Imagen 4's capabilities, at $1 per 1M input and $2 per 1M output tokens ($1.25/1M blended).

Browse the full deprecation watch → or see Imagen 4's full spec sheet →