Nano Banana is a generative AI tool from Google's Gemini that lets users create image-based prompts. This means that anyone can upload a selfie to Nano Banana, write something like "Create my professional headshot", and generate an AI headshot in seconds.
If you're a Gemini subscriber, you're probably closing this page right now… But wait, not so fast! Using mainstream AI tools to generate AI headshots on a budget may sound like a great idea, but do you really want to bet your professional reputation on that?
Your professional headshot is more than a profile picture. It's the way you present yourself to employers and co-workers, and it plays an increasingly important role as remote work becomes the new norm. Headshots convey psychological cues that can make you look more or less attractive to recruiters, and they're pivotal for online job applications.
So, the big question is: Are Nano Banana headshots good enough for professional use? Or are proper AI headshot generators still the only zero-hassle alternative in the market?
The Nano Banana Method: How It Works
On Gemini's Nano Banana, you can use uploaded images in prompts.
For the lack of a better name, the "Nano Banana method" involves using Gemini's Nano Banana (or another AI image generator that supports image-based prompts) to generate a personalized headshot. Here's how it works:
- Open Nano Banana;
- Upload a selfie (these selfie tips can help);
- Enter the prompt ("Create my professional headshot");
- Wait a few minutes for your Nano Banana headshot.
If you're looking for something specific, like a doctor's headshot, just add more details to the prompt.
Nano Banana: Free AI Headshots… or Snakeoil?
If the Nano Banana method sounds too good to be true, that's because it kind of is… We have decided to test it ourselves, using the best of the 13 selfies we uploaded to HeadshotKiwi.
As expected, the process was quick and painless. In less than five minutes, Nano Banana generated this AI headshot:
AI headshot generated by Gemini's Nano Banana.
The result is not so bad. After all, Gemini is one of the best AI bundles available today, image generation included. However, it's a mainstream, general-use tool: the model was trained to do everything, not just AI headshots. This shows in small but important elements, such as:
- The expression: Yes, the person in the Nano Banana headshot looks just like me, but not like my most trustworthy version. Proper AI headshot generators are trained to generate facial expressions recruiters can trust; Nano Banana's headshot makes me look like I just played a prank on someone…
- The neutral background: As AI headshots become more popular, using non-neutral backgrounds reinforces realism. The best pro-level generators (including HeadshotKiwi) excel at simulating natural lighting, making headshots more attractive.
Now, compare the Nano Banana image with one of my HeadshotKiwi headshots:
AI headshot generated by HeadshotKiwi.
While both headshots look like images of real people, HeadshotKiwi's goes the extra mile. I don't know about you, but as a recruiter, I would choose the nice guy in headshot number two over the shady guy on headshot number one 99 out of 100 times.
Also, it's important to keep in mind that Nano Banana isn't free. If you don't have a Gemini subscription, you will still have to pay for your AI headshots (yes, even if you just want to make one). When we tried to download our Nano Banana headshot, the following pop-up appeared:
Pricing options for Gemini's Nano Banana.
The bottom line? The "free" Nano Banana method isn't free after all!
What If I Use a Free Alternative?
As mentioned, the Nano Banana method can be applied to any AI image generator that supports image-based prompts. The problem is that these tools are simply not good enough (not to mention potentially unsafe).
We did our best and tried a non-general generator: HeadshotMaster, a tool specifically built for headshots. We uploaded the maximum number of selfies allowed (four), and this is what we got:
AI headshot generated by a free AI headshot generator.
Considering that this headshot is supposed to represent me, the same person who appeared in the two previous examples, calling free AI headshot services disappointing feels like an understatement… Considering that the stranger in the image hardly looks like me, is this HeadshotMaster's way of saying "All bald men look the same"?
Why Proper AI Headshot Generators Are Still #1
HeadshotKiwi was created just for headshots; Nano Banana tools were not.
When it comes to our professional tools, we shouldn't settle for the easiest, cheapest, or most effortless option. Think about it: when you just cook small meals for yourself, you don't need a chef's knife. But if your job involves cooking, you most certainly do. Moreover, you wouldn't dare to take a "normal" knife to the restaurant…
In the example, Nano Banana headshots are the "normal" knife: they're good enough for domestic use, but they won't make it in a professional setting. Just like the "normal" knife, Nano Banana is a generic product.
Professional headshots by HeadshotKiwi and similar services are like the chef's knife: they deliver professional results because they're highly specialized in a particular task. "Normal" knives can cut everything - if you don't think too seriously about.
Chef's knives are made for super specific purposes (cutting fish, meat, etc.); that's why they're so efficient. The same applies to AI headshots: the best generic generators do not beat AI headshot services because they lack the required level of specialization.
Other Benefits of AI Headshot Generators vs. the Nano Banana Method:
- Headshot generators have subscription plans with up to 250 headshots. This way, companies and individuals can access a standardized collection of photos (great for branding, for example). Such is not possible on Nano Banana.
- Headshot generators support different styles and attire. With Nano Banana, boring one-color backgrounds are the norm.
- Headshot services sell plans for teams. When you buy a Nano Banana subscription, you're getting an AI image generator; when you subscribe to a tool like HeadshotKiwi, you're getting a tailored AI-headshot service, prepared to meet the specific needs of your company or team.
Additionally, AI headshot generators are really not that expensive! The HeadshotKiwi Start pack offers 40 professional headshots for under $30 - With just one payment, you can get as many headshots as you'll ever need!
