Google and OpenAI reduce free limits on Nano Banana Pro and Sora – here’s why
Google and OpenAI have tightened free usage limits on Nano Banana Pro, Gemini 3 Pro, and Sora as holiday demand strains GPU capacity. Free users now face reduced image and prompt allowances, while paid tiers retain priority access and more consistent generation limits.
OpenAI and Google have introduced fresh restrictions on their free AI-generation tools, citing unprecedented demand over the holiday weekend. The move affects users of OpenAI’s video model Sora as well as Google’s new Nano Banana Pro image system and the wider Gemini 3 Pro suite.
OpenAI pulls back on Sora generation volumes
OpenAI’s head of Sora, Bill Peebles, confirmed the new limits in a post on X on Friday, saying: “We’re setting usage limits for free users to 6 gens/day. ChatGPT Plus and pro users have unchanged limits, and everybody can purchase additional Gens as needed. Our GPUs are melting, and we want to let as many people access Sora as possible!”
The cap means anyone hoping to experiment with AI-video this weekend will have to use their daily allowance carefully. Paid subscribers remain unaffected, while those who need more can buy extra generations.
Google introduces stricter Nano Banana Pro limits
Google has made similar changes. Nano Banana Pro, the company’s next-generation image model, launched earlier this month, now restricts free users to two images per day, down from three. The shift was first spotted by 9to5Google, with Google warning that limits may fluctuate “without notice” depending on server load and overall usage.
The company appears to be tightening access to Gemini 3 Pro as well. When the model was introduced, free users received up to five prompts per day and up to three image generations via Nano Banana Pro (Gemini 3 Pro Image). Those allowances mirrored the limits on Gemini 2.5 Pro before the upgrade.
Gemini 3 Pro access becomes ‘basic.’
Over the past several days, Google has revised the guidance again. Free users are now offered only “Basic access,” where “daily limits may change frequently” when using Thinking with 3 Pro. While the language is ambiguous, the broader trend across the industry points toward reduced access as demand surges.
Reinforcing that interpretation, Google has implemented a firm cap of “2 images/day” on Nano Banana Pro. The company notes that “Image generation & editing is in high demand. Limits may change frequently and will reset daily.”
A broader pattern of holiday-week pressure
The simultaneous tightening by both OpenAI and Google reflects the immense strain placed on GPU resources as users flock to newly released generative models. While paying subscribers continue to receive priority access, casual users may find themselves limited until demand stabilises.