Step 3.5 Flash vs Step 3.5 Flash 2603: cost comparison
Prices updated 2026-11-06 · computed from live provider data
Short answer: Step 3.5 Flash 2603 is cheaper on a
3:1 input/output blend — $0.150 per million tokens versus
$0.150, a 0% difference.
Both offer the same 262,144-token context window, so cost is the deciding factor.
Head to head
| Step 3.5 Flash | Step 3.5 Flash 2603 | |
|---|---|---|
| Input, per 1M tokens | $0.100 | $0.100 |
| Output, per 1M tokens | $0.300 | $0.300 |
| Blended 3:1, per 1M | $0.150 | $0.150 |
| Context window | 262,144 | 262,144 |
| Vendor | empiriolabs | empiriolabs |
Monthly cost at real volumes
| Workload (input / output) | Step 3.5 Flash | Step 3.5 Flash 2603 |
|---|---|---|
| 1M in / 250K out | $0.175 | $0.175 |
| 10M in / 2.5M out | $1.75 | $1.75 |
| 100M in / 25M out | $17.50 | $17.50 |
Which should you pick?
Because the context windows are identical, the cheaper option is the better default. Choose Step 3.5 Flash 2603 unless you are already standardised on empiriolabs tooling and want to avoid a second integration.