DeepSeek V3.2 vs Step 3.5 Flash
| Spec | DeepSeek V3.2 | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Respan Index | 26.3 (#96) | 26.5 (#95) |
| Blended price per 1M | $0.29 | $0.15 |
| Context window | 131K | 256K |
| Input / output per 1M | $0.26 / $0.38 | $0.1 / $0.3 |
| Max output | 66K | - |
| Input | text | text |
| Released | 2025-12-01 | 2026-02-12 |
Respan Index by category
Each category is scored 0 to 100, and how far ahead the winner is. Leads under a point are close to even.
| Category | DeepSeek V3.2 | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Coding | 8.8 DeepSeek V3.2 | 10.7 Step 3.5 Flash |
| Agents | 31.3 DeepSeek V3.2 | 23.9 Step 3.5 Flash |
| Reasoning | 27.4 DeepSeek V3.2 | 34.6 Step 3.5 Flash |
| Knowledge & language | 20.1 DeepSeek V3.2 | 24.8* Step 3.5 Flash |
| Human preference | 49.6 DeepSeek V3.2 | 44.6 Step 3.5 Flash |
* Estimated: no published scores in that category. How the Respan Index works
Benchmarks both report
Step 3.5 Flash leads on 3 of the 4 benchmarks both report. Higher is better. Each score links to where it was published.
| Benchmark | DeepSeek V3.2 | Step 3.5 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| LMArena Elo | 1425 | 1393 |
| AIME 2025 | 93.1% | 97.3% |
| AIME 2026 | 94.2% | 96.7% |
| SWE-bench Verified | 73.1% | 74.4% |
FAQ
Is DeepSeek V3.2 better than Step 3.5 Flash?
Step 3.5 Flash scores 26.5 on the Respan Index (#95), ahead of DeepSeek V3.2 at 26.3 (#96). Step 3.5 Flash leads on 3 of the 4 benchmarks both report.
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek V3.2 or Step 3.5 Flash?
DeepSeek V3.2 lists at $0.26 input and $0.38 output per 1M tokens; Step 3.5 Flash at $0.1 and $0.3. Step 3.5 Flash is 1.9x cheaper per token at list price.
Which has the larger context window?
DeepSeek V3.2 accepts 131K tokens and Step 3.5 Flash 256K tokens.