| Signal | Lyria 3 Clip Preview | Delta | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
|---|---|---|---|
Capabilities | 50 | -- | |
Pricing | 30 | -- | |
Context window size | 96 | +10 | |
Recency | 100 | -- | |
Output Capacity | 80 | -10 | |
| Overall Result | 1 wins | of 5 | 1 wins |
15
days higher
1
days
14
days higher
StepFun
| Metric | Lyria 3 Clip Preview | Step 3.5 Flash (free) | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 79 | 78 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Rank | #82 | #87 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Quality Rank | #82 | #87 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Adoption Rank | #82 | #87 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Parameters | -- | -- | -- |
| Context Window | 1049K | 256K | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Pricing | Free | Free | -- |
| Signal Scores | |||
| Capabilities | 50 | 50 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Pricing | 30 | 30 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Context window size | 96 | 86 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Recency | 100 | 100 | Lyria 3 Clip Preview |
| Output Capacity | 80 | 90 | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
Our composite score (0–100) combines six weighted signals: benchmark performance (25%), pricing efficiency (25%), context window size (15%), model recency (15%), output capacity (10%), and capability versatility (10%). Here's what the scores mean for these two models:
Scores 79/100 (rank #82), placing it in the top 72% of all 290 models tracked.
Scores 78/100 (rank #87), placing it in the top 70% of all 290 models tracked.
With only a 1-point gap, these models are in the same performance tier. The practical difference in output quality is minimal - your choice should depend on pricing, latency requirements, and specific feature needs.
Both models are priced similarly, so the decision comes down to quality and features rather than cost.
Both models have comparable response speeds. For most applications, the latency difference is negligible.
When latency matters most: Interactive chatbots, IDE code completion, real-time translation, and user-facing applications where response time directly impacts experience. For batch processing, background summarization, or offline analysis, latency is less critical.
Code generation & review
Higher benchmark score (0/100) indicates stronger performance on coding tasks like generating functions, debugging, and refactoring
Customer support chatbot
Faster response time (speed score 0/100) is critical for user-facing chat. Lyria 3 Clip Preview also offers lower per-token costs for high-volume support
Long document analysis
Larger context window (1049K tokens) can process longer documents, contracts, and research papers in a single pass
Batch data extraction
Lower output pricing ($0.00/M) reduces costs when processing thousands of records daily
Creative writing & content
Higher overall composite score (79/100) correlates with better nuance, coherence, and style in long-form content
Image understanding & OCR
Supports vision input - can analyze screenshots, diagrams, photos, and scanned documents directly
Lyria 3 Clip Preview and Step 3.5 Flash (free) are extremely close in overall performance (only 0.5 points apart). Your best choice depends entirely on which specific strengths matter most for your use case.
Best for Quality
Lyria 3 Clip Preview
Marginally better benchmark scores; both are excellent
Best for Cost
Lyria 3 Clip Preview
0% lower pricing; better value at scale
Best for Reliability
Lyria 3 Clip Preview
Higher uptime and faster response speeds
Best for Prototyping
Lyria 3 Clip Preview
Stronger community support and better developer experience
Best for Production
Lyria 3 Clip Preview
Wider enterprise adoption and proven at scale
by Google
| Capability | Lyria 3 Clip Preview | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
|---|---|---|
| Vision (Image Input)differs | ||
| Function Callingdiffers | ||
| Streaming | ||
| JSON Modediffers | ||
| Reasoningdiffers | ||
| Web Search | ||
| Image Output |
StepFun
Assumes 60% input / 40% output token ratio per request. Actual costs may vary based on your usage pattern.
| Parameter | Lyria 3 Clip Preview | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
|---|---|---|
| Context Window | 1.0M | 256K |
| Max Output Tokens | 65,536 | 256,000 |
| Open Source | No | Yes |
| Created | Mar 30, 2026 | Jan 29, 2026 |
Lyria 3 Clip Preview scores 79/100 (rank #82) compared to Step 3.5 Flash (free)'s 78/100 (rank #87), giving it a 1-point advantage. Lyria 3 Clip Preview is the stronger overall choice, though Step 3.5 Flash (free) may excel in specific areas like certain benchmarks.
Lyria 3 Clip Preview is ranked #82 and Step 3.5 Flash (free) is ranked #87 out of 290+ AI models. Rankings use a composite score combining benchmark performance (25%), pricing (25%), context window (15%), recency (15%), output capacity (10%), and versatility (10%). Scores update hourly.
Lyria 3 Clip Preview is cheaper at $0.00/M output tokens vs Step 3.5 Flash (free)'s $0.00/M output tokens - a significant difference. Input token pricing: Lyria 3 Clip Preview at $0.00/M vs Step 3.5 Flash (free) at $0.00/M.
Lyria 3 Clip Preview has a larger context window of 1,048,576 tokens compared to Step 3.5 Flash (free)'s 256,000 tokens. A larger context window means the model can process longer documents and conversations.