Astria vs Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill
Medicraft's Nano Banana Generative Fill for Photoshop is the listing many retouchers meet first when they search for a nano banana generative fill plugin. Medicraft sends a selection to Google's Gemini image models on a Google API key you create, fund and monitor yourself.
The short answer: Astria is the overall winner for a Photoshop professional who wants current image models inside a live document. It offers six hosted models against one model line, a pay-as-you-go balance for people who will not open a Google Cloud billing account, and bring-your-own-key for those who will. Choose Medicraft only if you are on Photoshop 2023 or 2024, already run Google billing, and only ever want Gemini.
How we evaluated
Five criteria: model roster and how fast new models arrive; output fidelity (returned resolution, Smart Object or flattened pixels, mask handling); editing workflow inside the document; billing flexibility and bring-your-own-key support; and maintenance and longevity. We also asked what happens after the hero image, because the forty SKUs behind it must be produced somewhere. Sources were the aescripts and Adobe Exchange listings, Medicraft's readme, Google's Gemini API pricing page, and Astria's landing page and live catalogue, all read on 13 September 2026. No Medicraft licence was purchased or run.
Quick verdict: Astria vs Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill
| Decision factor | Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill | Astria | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Models in the panel today | Nano Banana 1, 2, 2 Lite and Pro; Gemini only | GPT Image 2 (mask-aware, 1K–4K), Nano Banana 2, Nano Banana Pro, Seedream 5 Pro, Seedream 5, Flux 2 Pro | Astria |
| New-model lead time | One plugin release per model: Nano Banana 2 on 27 Feb 2026, 2 Lite on 2 Jul 2026; a non-Google model needs new code | Model list served by the Astria platform; new models appear the day they launch, no plugin update | Astria |
| Returned resolution and layer type | Up to 4K on Nano Banana 2 (auto, 1K, 2K or 4K); new layer or written into the original; layer type not publicly verified | Smart Object holding the full returned resolution, up to 4K by model; re-transform and mask without resampling | Astria |
| Selection-to-layer workflow | Select, prompt, generate to a new layer or in place; edge-feather helper; prompt library; Actions on Photoshop 25+ | Marquee, lasso, brush or colour range; prompt; generate. Mask-aware models read the selection; model chosen per task; new layer | Astria for mask-aware models and per-task choice |
| Reference-driven edits | References from the active layer or disk; the vendor warns that too many or large references can time out or crash Photoshop | Reference images dropped into the panel act as visual instructions, with the model chosen per task from one dropdown | Astria |
| Billing paths | Your own Gemini key only, billed by Google; the vendor says the free tier covers Nano Banana 1 only, a model Google shuts down on 2 Oct 2026 | Astria key for every model, pay-as-you-go; or a Google AI Studio key for Gemini, billed by Google; switch in the panel | Astria |
| Commercial model | One-time plugin licence plus a Google key funded on Google's terms; see the vendor listing and Google pricing | One-time plugin licence plus hosted pay-as-you-go, or a Google key for Gemini; see Astria pricing | Astria for one hosted balance and no Google billing setup |
| Production beyond the document | None described in its public material; the plugin ends at the layer | The same key and balance drive Astria workspaces, templates and the API | Astria |
| Maintenance and longevity | Independent developer; released Sep 2025, v2.3.0 Jul 2026; ticket-portal support; the readme says retry on Google errors | Company and support desk, dated changelog, 16,000 sales (first-party), seven production reels; retries handled by the platform | Astria |
| Best fit | A Photoshop 2023 or 2024 user with Google billing who wants occasional Gemini-only fills at Google's list price | A retoucher, photographer or ecommerce studio on Photoshop 2025+ wanting GPT Image 2, Gemini, Seedream and Flux in one panel with one balance, plus a route to the catalogue | Astria |
| Overall | A focused, inexpensive Gemini-only panel | The broader, hosted and maintained choice for professional retouching | Astria |
Reviewed 13 September 2026. Medicraft's returned resolution and layer type are reported from its public material; no side-by-side output test was run.
Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill: a Gemini-only panel on your own Google key
Medicraft sells the plugin on aescripts and Adobe Exchange as a single-user licence, with a floating server licence and a trial on aescripts. The Exchange package is a compact UXP plugin, published 19 September 2025 and at version 2.3.0 since July 2026.
The pitch is generation without a separate hosted balance. In practice you create a Gemini API key in Google AI Studio, paste it in, and Google bills you under its current API terms. The listing notes that an "exceeded quota" error can mean billing is not configured. Check Google's pricing page for current availability and terms.
The model list is the Gemini image line and nothing else: Nano Banana 1, Nano Banana 2 (added 27 February 2026, with Search grounding and a thinking-level control), Nano Banana Pro, and Nano Banana 2 Lite (added 2 July 2026). Nano Banana 2 has a resolution override of auto, meaning match the selection, or 1K, 2K and 4K.
Inside the document, Medicraft has built useful things: references from the active layer or a file, output as a new layer or into the original, an edge-feather helper, an editable prompt library with history, and Actions recording on Photoshop 25 and later. The version floor is low: Adobe Exchange lists Photoshop 22.2 or higher and the aescripts description says 24.2 (2023) and above. Support runs through a ticket portal, and the readme's advice for "Internal API Error" is to click Generate again.
The Astria Nano Banana plugin for Photoshop: six hosted models, two billing paths
The Astria plugin is a CCX/UXP panel for Photoshop 2025 (version 26 and later) on macOS and Windows. Select with the marquee, lasso, brush or colour range; type a short prompt, dropping reference images into the panel if the edit should follow a look; generate. Mask-aware models read the selection directly, and the result lands as a new layer.
Six hosted models sit in one dropdown: GPT Image 2 from OpenAI with mask-aware editing at 1K, 2K or 4K; Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1); Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro); Seedream 5 Pro; Seedream 5; and Flux 2 Pro. Flux Kontext was retired in favour of these. Because the model list is served by the Astria platform, a model added to Astria appears in the panel the day it launches, with no plugin update. The platform already carries GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst and Flare and Muse Image, listed on the site banner on 13 September 2026.
Each generation is placed as a Smart Object holding the model's full returned resolution. A 4K result placed into a small selection still carries the 4K pixels, so it can be re-transformed, masked and re-edited later without resampling.
Billing has two paths in one panel. An Astria key authenticates every hosted model with pay-as-you-go top-ups; Astria abstracts the Google, OpenAI, fal and ByteDance APIs so quota, authentication and retries stay invisible. Or paste a Google AI Studio key and run Nano Banana calls on your own Google account. Keys switch inside the panel. Current terms are on the Astria pricing page; the workflow is in the Nano Banana Photoshop guide.
Public proof, and where it comes from
Medicraft's evidence is its two listings and a version history from 28 September 2025 to 2.3.0 on 2 July 2026. Adobe Exchange reviews are mixed; the critical ones cluster around key and quota errors rather than image quality, which matches the vendor's own notes about connecting a payment method. In our September 2026 search checks the aescripts page sat at the top of results for the plugin query.
Astria's evidence is first-party: the landing page reports 16,000 sales and 187 ratings, and shows seven production reels covering fashion edits with references, bridal retouching, sketch and CAD to photo, product design, real estate, hair and clothing swaps, and packaging. Both vendors' numbers are adoption signals, not quality benchmarks.
One campaign hero, then forty SKUs: the same job in both plugins
A footwear brand sends a retoucher one campaign hero. The shoes need swapping for the new colourway from a product reference, the background needs extending for a 4:5 crop, and a phone in the model's hand has to go. Then the brand mentions forty more SKUs.
Running it in Medicraft
Setup first: a Google AI Studio key and a payment method connected to Google, because Nano Banana 2 and Pro are paid-tier models. Then select the feet, add the colourway reference from its layer, prompt the swap, and generate to a new layer with Nano Banana Pro. Feather the edge with the helper. Enlarge the canvas, select the empty band, and generate with Nano Banana 2 at 4K. Select the phone, prompt its removal, and write the result in place. On an "Internal API Error", the readme says to click Generate again.
That is a workable hero. For the forty SKUs the plugin offers only repetition: an Action can replay a fixed prompt on Photoshop 25 and later, but each file still needs its own selection and generation on your Google account.
Running it in the Astria plugin
Select the feet, drop the colourway reference into the panel, pick Nano Banana Pro for identity consistency, and generate. For a surgical replacement inside a brushed selection, switch to GPT Image 2, which reads the mask directly. The result arrives as a Smart Object at full returned resolution, so the shoe can be re-transformed later without resampling. For the 4:5 extension, send the empty band to Seedream 5, which handles long structural prompts, or to Nano Banana 2 at 4K. For the phone, GPT Image 2 reads the brushed selection directly. Every call runs on one Astria balance, or on your Google key for the Gemini steps.
For the forty SKUs, the same key and balance drive Astria workspaces and templates, where the approved colourway, crop and background become a reusable setup. Photoshop for the hero and the fix, Astria workspaces for the other forty.
The differences that matter most
Model roster — winner: Astria
Medicraft covers the Gemini image line completely and stops there. GPT Image 2 is the model for replacing a brushed selection cleanly, Seedream 5 handles long, structured prompts, and Flux 2 Pro is a different look again. None exists in Medicraft's panel.
New-model lead time — winner: Astria
Medicraft's changelog shows its cadence: Nano Banana 2 on 27 February 2026, Nano Banana 2 Lite on 2 July 2026, each a plugin release you download. The Astria panel reads its roster from the platform, so a new model is a server-side addition, not a plugin update.
Billing path and the Google setup step — winner: Astria
This is where Medicraft's design choice bites. Before your first Nano Banana 2 or Pro generation you need a Google AI Studio key, a payment method connected to Google, and a billing relationship you monitor yourself. The vendor's listing documents the "exceeded quota" error that greets users who skip that step. Google's pricing page, updated 11 September 2026, shows no free tier for any image model and marks the original Nano Banana as deprecated with shutdown on 2 October 2026, so the free path narrows further next month.
The Astria plugin offers the same Google-key route for Gemini models and adds a hosted path: one key, one balance topped up when needed, and quota, authentication and retries handled across every model. A BYOK-only design removes the hosted intermediary, which may suit a Gemini-only user who already runs Google billing. Compare the same representative workload on Google's pricing page and the Astria pricing page before deciding.
Returned resolution and layer type — winner: Astria
Medicraft's changelog shows care here: a resolution override for Nano Banana 2, gamma correction for 32-bit documents, and support for colour spaces such as ProPhoto RGB. It also notes that large images are compressed before upload. Its public material does not state the layer type of the result, so we report it as not publicly verified. The Astria plugin places each generation as a Smart Object holding the model's full returned resolution, which is what a retoucher needs when a 4K result must be repositioned or masked a week later.
In-document helpers and older Photoshop — winner: Medicraft
Credit where it is due, once. Medicraft's edge-feather helper, editable prompt library, in-place output option and Actions recording are real conveniences the Astria plugin does not advertise. Its Photoshop floor is also lower, at 22.2 on Exchange or 24.2 per aescripts, against Astria's Photoshop 2025 requirement. If you are pinned to Photoshop 2023 or 2024, Medicraft is the panel you can actually run.
Production beyond the document — winner: Astria
Medicraft's public material describes no web app, workspace or API. The Astria plugin is one surface of the Astria platform: the key that runs a generation in Photoshop also runs Astria workspaces, templates and the API, which matters the moment a job becomes a collection.
Maintenance and longevity — winner: Astria
Medicraft is an independent developer with a ticket portal. The Astria plugin has a company and support desk behind it, a dated changelog, first-party adoption claims, and a platform that absorbs upstream failures instead of asking the user to click Generate again. That is the safer bet against Google's next policy change.
Choose Medicraft if...
- You are on Photoshop 2023 or 2024 and cannot move to Photoshop 2025.
- You already run Google billing and want Google's list price with no intermediary.
- Gemini is the only model line you will ever send a selection to.
- You want an edge-feather helper, a prompt library and Actions recording in the panel.
Choose Astria if...
- You want GPT Image 2 with mask, Nano Banana, Seedream 5 and Flux 2 Pro in one dropdown, chosen per task.
- You would rather top up one balance than open and monitor Google billing, or you want both options.
- Results must arrive as Smart Objects at full returned resolution.
- You want new models on launch day, and a route from the hero image to the rest of the catalogue.
The bottom line
Medicraft's Nano Banana Generative Fill is a competent, inexpensive way to run Gemini image models on your own key inside older versions of Photoshop. Its limits are structural: one model line, one billing path, and a free tier that leans on a model Google retires in October.
The Astria Nano Banana plugin for Photoshop is our recommendation for a Photoshop professional on version 26 or later. Six hosted models, two billing paths, Smart Objects at full returned resolution, zero-day model arrivals and a production route behind the panel make it the more capable and durable choice.
What to test before choosing
Run Medicraft's free trial and the Astria plugin on the same PSD: one brushed selection, one reference-driven swap, one canvas extension. Record each result's returned pixel dimensions, whether it arrives as a Smart Object or flattened pixels, and the steps between selection and layer. Time the setup honestly, including Google billing for Medicraft. Then run the same swap with GPT Image 2 and Seedream 5 in the Astria panel, the comparison Medicraft cannot join. Finally, price ten realistic edits on each path from Google's and Astria's pricing pages rather than either vendor's headline.
If you are also weighing Photoshop's built-in models, read Astria vs Photoshop Generative Fill. If bring-your-own-key depth is the priority, Astria vs Creator MAX covers the feature-richest BYOK panel. The full shortlist is in best Nano Banana Photoshop plugins.
Frequently asked questions
Which nano banana generative fill plugin should a retoucher buy?
On Photoshop 2025 or later, the Astria Nano Banana plugin for Photoshop. Medicraft runs Gemini models on a Google key you fund yourself. Astria adds GPT Image 2, Seedream 5 and Flux 2 Pro, supports one Astria key or your Google key, and returns Smart Objects at full returned resolution.
Can I use my Gemini subscription with the Medicraft or Astria plugin?
No. Google only authorises external apps through API keys, so a consumer Gemini subscription cannot power any Photoshop plugin. Medicraft needs a Google AI Studio key backed by Google billing for anything beyond the original Nano Banana. Astria accepts the same Google key, or an Astria key that covers every model in the panel.
Does the Astria plugin support bring-your-own-key like Medicraft?
Yes. Paste a Google AI Studio key into the Astria panel and Nano Banana calls run on your own Google quota, billed by Google. Astria also offers a hosted pay-as-you-go path through one Astria key covering GPT Image 2, Seedream and Flux as well as Gemini, with quota, authentication and retries handled for you.
Which plugin works on older versions of Photoshop?
Medicraft. Adobe Exchange lists it for Photoshop 22.2 or higher and the aescripts description says 24.2 (2023) and above, with Actions recording from version 25. The Astria plugin's CCX build requires Photoshop 2025 (version 26 or later) on macOS or Windows.
Is Astria better than Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill?
For a retoucher, photographer or ecommerce studio on Photoshop 2025 or later, yes: six hosted models instead of one model line, a billing path with no Google Cloud billing account, Smart Objects at full returned resolution, zero-day model arrivals and a production route for the rest of the catalogue. Medicraft remains reasonable for a Gemini-only user on Photoshop 2023 or 2024 who already runs Google billing.
Sources and methodology
This article compares public product information reviewed on 13 September 2026. Medicraft sources: the aescripts product page for price, licence types, free trial, the Google trial-credit warning, the Photoshop 24.2 floor and the version history (read in a browser; automated fetches are refused); the Adobe Exchange listing for the Nano Banana Pro statement, Actions recording on Photoshop 25+, the Photoshop 22.2 compatibility line, package size and publication date; and the vendor's setup readme for key, billing and error-handling steps. The trial-credit warning is dated 26 March without a year; 2026 follows from the listing's timeline. Google facts come from the Gemini API pricing page, updated 11 September 2026. Astria sources: the plugin landing page for models, workflow, billing, changelog, requirements, refund policy and first-party traction; the pricing page; and the live platform catalogue on 13 September 2026.
No competitor product was purchased or run for this article; returned-resolution and layer-type behaviour of Medicraft Nano Banana Generative Fill is reported from its public material only. Sales and rating counts are first-party claims. Prices, model lists and Google's API policies change often; confirm both vendors' current pages before buying.