NVIDIA vs 
StepFun
Verdict
- StepFun's flagship leads: Step 5 Preview at 60.5 vs Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B at 55.7.
- StepFun has the better model in 4 of 4 price bands.
- NVIDIA's fastest ranked model (Nemotron 3.5 Lightning, 288 tok/s) beats StepFun's (Step 5 Preview, 229 tok/s).
- NVIDIA publishes more open-weights models (20 vs 5).
- NVIDIA ships more often: one model every 36 days against every 59.
Best model per price band
Each provider’s highest-index model below the price ceiling. Purple marks the winner of the band.
| Price band | NVIDIA | StepFun |
|---|---|---|
| Under $0.50/M | Nemotron 3 Super 120B A12B thinking 50.6$0.450/M | Step 3.5 Flash 53.7$0.150/M |
| Under $2/M | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M | Step 5 Preview 60.5$1.43/M |
| Under $10/M | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M | Step 5 Preview 60.5$1.43/M |
| Any price | Nemotron 3 Ultra 550B A55B thinking 55.7$1.13/M | Step 5 Preview 60.5$1.43/M |
Line-up
| Metric | NVIDIA | StepFun |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship index | 55.7 | 60.5 |
| Ranked models | 16 | 7 |
| Open-weights models | 20 | 5 |
| Cheapest ranked, $/M | $0.070 | $0.150 |
| Fastest ranked, tok/s | 288 | 229 |
| Release cadence, days | 36 | 59 |
| Last release | 23 Oct 2026 | 18 Sept 2026 |
| Next expected | 13 Nov 2026 – 12 Dec 2026 | 23 Oct 2026 – 9 Dec 2026 |