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Nous: Hermes 4 70B vs StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free)

Head-to-head API cost, context, and performance comparison. Synced at 12:31:47 PM.

Executive Summary

When evaluating Nous: Hermes 4 70B against StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free), the pricing structure is a key differentiator. StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free) is approximately 100% more cost-effective per 1 million tokens overall. In fact, it is currently available for free inference, though developers should be mindful of potential rate limits or stability changes common with zero-cost or preview tiers.

However, when looking at raw reasoning capabilities, Nous: Hermes 4 70B leads with a statistical ELO score of 1200. For tasks involving complex logic, coding, or instruction-following, developers might prefer Nous: Hermes 4 70B, provided their budget allows for the API burn rate.

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Raw Technical comparison

Metric
Nous: Hermes 4 70B
StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free)
Performance (ELO)
1200
1150
Input Cost / 1M
$0.13
Free
Output Cost / 1M
$0.40
Free
Context Window
131,072 tokens
256,000 tokens

Verdict

If you are looking for pure performance and capability, Nous: Hermes 4 70B is statistically superior. However, if API burn rate is the primary concern, StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free) wins out aggressively in pricing.

People Also Ask

Is Nous: Hermes 4 70B cheaper than StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free)?

No. StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free) is the more cost-effective model, operating at a lower price point per 1 million tokens.

Which model has the larger context window?

The StepFun: Step 3.5 Flash (free) model has the advantage in memory, offering a massive 256,000 token limit for document ingestion.

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