StepFun vs 
Upstage
Verdict
- Upstage's flagship leads: Solar Pro 4 at 56.2 vs Step 3.5 Flash at 55.0.
- Upstage has the better model in 3 of 4 price bands.
- StepFun's fastest ranked model (Step 3.5 Flash, 216 tok/s) beats Upstage's (Solar Pro 3, 149 tok/s).
- StepFun publishes more open-weights models (3 vs 2).
- Upstage ships more often: one model every 191 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 | StepFun | Upstage |
|---|---|---|
| Under $0.50/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M | Solar Pro 3 44.7$0.262/M |
| Under $2/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M | Solar Pro 4 56.2$0.525/M |
| Under $10/M | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M | Solar Pro 4 56.2$0.525/M |
| Any price | Step 3.5 Flash 55.0$0.150/M | Solar Pro 4 56.2$0.525/M |
Line-up
| Metric | StepFun | Upstage |
|---|---|---|
| Flagship index | 55.0 | 56.2 |
| Ranked models | 4 | 3 |
| Open-weights models | 3 | 2 |
| Cheapest ranked, $/M | $0.150 | $0.262 |
| Fastest ranked, tok/s | 216 | 149 |
| Release cadence, days | 406 | 191 |
| Last release | 29 May 2026 | 6 Aug 2026 |
| Next expected | 27 Jan 2027 – 18 Dec 2027 | 28 Nov 2026 – 30 Apr 2027 |