Ant Group vs 
StepFun
Verdict
- StepFun's flagship leads: Step 3.5 Flash at 55.0 vs Ling 3.0 Flash at 54.0.
- StepFun has the better model in 4 of 4 price bands.
- Ant Group's fastest ranked model (Ling 3.0 Flash, 285 tok/s) beats StepFun's (Step 3.5 Flash, 216 tok/s).
- Ant Group ships more often: one model every 82 days against every 406.
Best model per price band
Each provider’s highest-index model below the price ceiling. Purple marks the winner of the band.
| Price band | Ant Group | StepFun |
|---|---|---|
| Under $0.50/M | Ling 3.0 Flash 54.0$0.115/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M |
| Under $2/M | Ling 3.0 Flash 54.0$0.115/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M |
| Under $10/M | Ling 3.0 Flash 54.0$0.115/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M |
| Any price | Ling 3.0 Flash 54.0$0.115/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M |
Line-up
| Metric | Ant Group | StepFun |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship index | 54.0 | 55.0 |
| Ranked models | 4 | 4 |
| Open-weights models | 3 | 3 |
| Cheapest ranked, $/M | $0.115 | $0.150 |
| Fastest ranked, tok/s | 285 | 216 |
| Release cadence, days | 82 | 406 |
| Last release | 6 Aug 2026 | 29 May 2026 |
| Next expected | 24 Sept 2026 – 28 Nov 2026 | 27 Jan 2027 – 18 Dec 2027 |