Gemini 3.1 Pro vs Step 5 Preview
Wins 1 of 6 areas
Images and charts
Wins 4 of 6 areas
Coding · Agents · Reasoning · Long documents
Step 5 Preview is the stronger all-rounder.Gemini 3.1 Pro is better at images and charts.
Scores updated · 15 tests both models report · How we compare
Where each one wins
Tests won in each of the six areas where both have results. Each piece is one test, so a longer bar means more evidence; grey means the two scored within a point of each other.
- AgentsCarrying out multi-step tasks on its own04Step 5 Preview4 of 4 tests
- CodingWriting and fixing software01Step 5 Preview1 of 2 tests · 1 tie
- ReasoningHard problems that need careful thinking01Step 5 Preview1 of 2 tests · 1 tie
- Long documentsFinding answers in very long texts01Step 5 Preview1 of 1 test
- Images and chartsUnderstanding pictures, charts and video20Gemini 3.1 Pro2 of 2 tests
- FactsGetting facts right instead of making them up11Even1 each
Long documents rests on a single test.
What it costs
Prices per million tokens, roughly 750,000 words. The bars show the cost of a million tokens read plus a million written.
Step 5 Preview costs 74% less for the same work.
The biggest differences
The tests each model wins by the widest margin, up to three each. Scores are out of 100.
Where Step 5 Preview pulls ahead
- Real work tasks from 44 professionsGDPVal+39.7points ahead
- Complex command-line tasks across many fieldsTerminal-Bench 4.0+29.3points ahead
- Finds the root cause of IT system incidentsAA IT-Bench SRE+25.3points ahead
Where Gemini 3.1 Pro pulls ahead
- Answers hard knowledge questions correctlyAA-Omniscience · Accuracy+13.4points ahead
- Harder college exam questions with imagesMMMU-Pro+6points ahead
Every test, side by side
All 15 tests both models report. The winning score is in its model's colour; marks a score checked independently.
CodingStep 5 Preview
- LMArena · WebDevStep 5 Preview by 124 rating points14471571+124 rating
- SciCodetie58.758.9tie
AgentsStep 5 Preview
- GDPValStep 5 Preview by 39.714.654.3+39.7
- Terminal-Bench 4.0Step 5 Preview by 29.3433.3+29.3
- AA IT-Bench SREStep 5 Preview by 25.330.355.6+25.3
- AA ApexAgentsStep 5 Preview by 63238+6
ReasoningStep 5 Preview
- CritPtStep 5 Preview by 3.217.720.9+3.2
- Humanity's Last Examtie4746.5tie
FactsEven
- AA-Omniscience · AccuracyGemini 3.1 Pro by 13.454.941.5+13.4
- AA-Omniscience · Non-hallucinationStep 5 Preview by 7.949.157+7.9
Images and chartsGemini 3.1 Pro
- MMMU-ProGemini 3.1 Pro by 682.476.4+6
- LMArena · VisionGemini 3.1 Pro by 31 rating points12961265+31 rating
Other results2 tests, not counted
Tests outside the eight areas. They are not counted above: several are summary scores built from other tests, or the same test under another name.
- AA-OmniscienceGemini 3.1 Pro by 15.531.916.4+15.5
- AA IntelligenceStep 5 Preview by 1429.743.7+14
Questions people ask
Which is better, Gemini 3.1 Pro or Step 5 Preview?
Step 5 Preview wins four of the six areas where both have results: coding, agents, reasoning and long documents. Gemini 3.1 Pro wins images and charts. They are level on facts.
Which is better for coding?
Step 5 Preview. It wins 1 of the 2 coding tests both models report; Gemini 3.1 Pro wins none, and 1 is a tie.
Which is cheaper?
Gemini 3.1 Pro costs $2.00 per million input tokens and $12.00 per million output tokens; Step 5 Preview costs $1.00 and $2.70. That makes Step 5 Preview about 74% cheaper for the same work.
How do you compare the two?
We use the 15 benchmark tests both models have published scores on. The verdict counts the 13 tests in the eight capability areas, and a gap under one point (ten on rating-style scales) counts as a tie. The other 2 are listed but not counted, because several are summary scores or repeat a test. Each score is the one shown on the model's own page.