2026 Review

Google Flow

Google Labs' free AI studio — Nano Banana images and Veo video — successor to ImageFX and Whisk.

Video ImagesFreemiumPopular82% positive

Facts checked Aug 10, 2026

About Google Flow

Google Flow is Google Labs' AI creative studio, formed in February 2026 when Google merged ImageFX, Whisk, and the original Flow into one workspace. Nano Banana Pro handles image generation and precision editing, Whisk-style remixing blends subject, scene, and style references, and Veo 3.1 animates keyframes into video with audio. The free tier includes 50 daily credits with access to the core models; paid Google AI plans raise limits, from Plus at $4.99/month through Pro at $19.99/month to Ultra tiers at $99.99–199.99/month with 4K upscaling.

At a glance

Founded: 1998
Headquarters: Mountain View, US
Platforms: Web

Main competitors

ChatGPT Images Midjourney Freepik

Best for

Free image generationPhoto editingReference-based remixingShort AI video

Pros

Genuinely free: 50 daily credits and frontier models with just a Google account
Nano Banana's targeted, realistic editing is among the best available anywhere
Image-to-video pipeline in one workspace — no exporting between tools
Cheapest paid upgrade in the category at $4.99/month

Cons

Labs churn is real — Google merged three tools into Flow and shut ImageFX down in April 2026
Credits are shared across image and video, and video burns them fast
No API from Flow itself — developers must use the separate Gemini API

Our verdict

Best for: Anyone who wants frontier image generation and editing for free, inside Google's ecosystem.

Skip if: You need a stable long-term tool or an API — Google's Labs products get renamed, merged, and retired often.

Our review

Google Flow is the strongest free offer in image AI, full stop. Fifty daily credits buy access to Nano Banana Pro — whose targeted editing (change the sign, keep the street) embarrassed rivals when it landed — plus Whisk-style remixing from reference images and a straight pipeline into Veo 3.1 video. Competitors either meter free use in single digits per day (ChatGPT) or have no free tier at all (Midjourney), and the $4.99 entry paid plan undercuts everything in this category.

The catch is that Flow is a Google Labs product, with everything that implies. It exists because Google merged ImageFX, Whisk, and the original Flow in February 2026 — and anyone who had ImageFX bookmarked watched their tool 404 that April. There's no API, credits drain quickly once video is involved, and the credits-and-tiers scheme is confusingly split across Google AI plans that keep shifting.

Verdict: the obvious first stop for anyone who wants frontier image generation and editing without paying, and a legitimate daily driver for casual creators. Professionals should treat it as a superb free tool that could be renamed out from under them, and keep a paid alternative warm.

What reviewers elsewhere say

82% positive — Creators praise Nano Banana's editing quality and the free tier; frustration centers on the ImageFX shutdown, project migration, and how fast video eats credits.

Sentiment estimated from reviews on Reddit, Product Hunt, as of Aug 2026. Third-party scores are point-in-time snapshots. We don't host user reviews.

Key features

Nano Banana Pro image generation and editing (successor to ImageFX)
Whisk-style remixing — blend subject, scene, and style reference images
Veo 3.1 video generation with native audio from keyframes
Gemini-powered prompt expansion and scene building
50 free daily credits covering the core models
1080p upscaling on paid plans, 4K on Ultra

How to use Google Flow

Sign in at labs.google/flow with a Google account — the free tier needs no card.
Prompt Nano Banana Pro for images, or upload subject, scene, and style references to remix.
Edit results with targeted prompts — Nano Banana changes only what you mention.
Animate finished keyframes into video with Veo 3.1 when you need motion.
Upgrade to a Google AI plan if 50 daily credits run short.

Pricing

Free$0

50 daily credits; access to Gemini, Nano Banana Pro, and Veo 3.1.

Google AI Plus$4.99/mo

Adds monthly credits and 1080p upscaling.

Google AI Pro$19.99/mo

1,000 monthly credits, credit top-ups, and other Google AI benefits.

Google AI Ultra$99.99–199.99/mo

10,000–25,000 monthly credits and 4K upscaling.

Pricing verified August 2026 · prices as listed by the vendor; check the official site for current offers.

Try Google Flow

Frequently asked questions

What is Google Flow?

Google Flow is Google Labs' AI creative studio for generating and editing images (Nano Banana Pro) and video (Veo 3.1). It was formed in February 2026 by merging three earlier Labs tools: ImageFX, Whisk, and the original Flow.

Is Google Flow free?

Yes — a Google account gets you 50 daily credits with access to the core models. Paid Google AI plans add credits and upscaling, from Plus at $4.99/month up to Ultra tiers at $99.99–199.99/month.

What happened to ImageFX and Whisk?

Google merged both into Flow on February 25, 2026, with a migration window for existing projects, and shut ImageFX down permanently on April 30, 2026. Nano Banana Pro is the successor to ImageFX's image generation.

Does Google Flow have an API?

No. Flow itself is a consumer studio only; developers who want the same model families (Imagen/Nano Banana, Veo) programmatically use the separate Gemini API.

Google Flow vs Gemini image generation — what's the difference?

Gemini can generate images in chat, but Flow is the dedicated studio: reference-based remixing, precise editing, aspect and upscale controls, and a pipeline from stills into Veo video.