Imagen 4
Imagen 4 is a previous Google image-generation family with Standard, Fast, and Ultra variants. This page is a migration reference for people who still encounter its name in old tutorials or application settings. It should not be treated as a currently recommended free image generator.
Current options
Our Nano Banana listing explains the current Gemini image family and the paid API boundary for Nano Banana 2.1. It provides a current starting point for evaluation, not a drop-in Imagen 4 endpoint or evidence that a retired endpoint still works.
What it offers
The historical models generated images from text. Their model cards document selectable aspect ratios, safety settings, and image provenance features. They did not provide every editing feature associated with Google’s other image models. In particular, the Imagen 4 model card marks mask-based edits, outpainting, and subject customization as unsupported.
Access and cost
Google’s Gemini API deprecation table lists August 17, 2026 for imagen-4.0-generate-001, imagen-4.0-fast-generate-001, and imagen-4.0-ultra-generate-001. The separate Google Cloud model card gives June 30, 2026 as the discontinuation date. These schedules belong to different services. The current Gemini API table recommends gemini-nano-banana-2.1. Old Cloud migration text can name replacements that have since aged too, so use the current model catalog.
Practical limits
For a replacement, check the supported API method, request and response format, image dimensions, and billing before changing code. A Gemini image model is not a drop-in Imagen endpoint. Preserve original images and prompts, then compare representative outputs. A consumer subscription does not automatically cover every API endpoint. Check eligible Cloud credits, supported services, and API billing terms. No current Imagen 4 free allowance or working legacy endpoint was established by this review.