Gemini 3.5 Flash 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 3.5 Flash 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 own13Step 5 Preview3 of 4 tests
- CodingWriting and fixing software02Step 5 Preview2 of 2 tests
- ReasoningHard problems that need careful thinking02Step 5 Preview2 of 2 tests
- Long documentsFinding answers in very long texts01Step 5 Preview1 of 1 test
- Images and chartsUnderstanding pictures, charts and video20Gemini 3.5 Flash2 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 65% less for the same work.
The biggest differences
The three tests each model wins by the widest margin. Scores are out of 100.
Where Step 5 Preview pulls ahead
- Complex command-line tasks across many fieldsTerminal-Bench 4.0+26.7points ahead
- Real work tasks from 44 professionsGDPVal+19.2points ahead
- Avoids making up answers it doesn't knowAA-Omniscience · Non-hallucination+19.2points ahead
Where Gemini 3.5 Flash pulls ahead
- Answers hard knowledge questions correctlyAA-Omniscience · Accuracy+9.9points ahead
- Long professional tasks in banking, consulting and lawAA ApexAgents+9.1points ahead
- Harder college exam questions with imagesMMMU-Pro+7.9points 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 72 rating points14991571+72 rating
- SciCodeStep 5 Preview by 553.958.9+5
AgentsStep 5 Preview
- Terminal-Bench 4.0Step 5 Preview by 26.76.633.3+26.7
- GDPValStep 5 Preview by 19.235.154.3+19.2
- AA IT-Bench SREStep 5 Preview by 15.340.355.6+15.3
- AA ApexAgentsGemini 3.5 Flash by 9.147.138+9.1
ReasoningStep 5 Preview
- CritPtStep 5 Preview by 7.813.120.9+7.8
- Humanity's Last ExamStep 5 Preview by 3.842.746.5+3.8
FactsEven
- AA-Omniscience · Non-hallucinationStep 5 Preview by 19.237.857+19.2
- AA-Omniscience · AccuracyGemini 3.5 Flash by 9.951.441.5+9.9
Images and chartsGemini 3.5 Flash
- MMMU-ProGemini 3.5 Flash by 7.984.376.4+7.9
- LMArena · VisionGemini 3.5 Flash by 43 rating points13081265+43 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 IntelligenceStep 5 Preview by 11.132.643.7+11.1
- AA-OmniscienceGemini 3.5 Flash by 4.821.216.4+4.8
Questions people ask
Which is better, Gemini 3.5 Flash or Step 5 Preview?
Step 5 Preview wins four of the six areas where both have results: coding, agents, reasoning and long documents. Gemini 3.5 Flash wins images and charts. They are level on facts.
Which is better for coding?
Step 5 Preview. It wins 2 of the 2 coding tests both models report; Gemini 3.5 Flash wins none.
Which is cheaper?
Gemini 3.5 Flash costs $1.50 per million input tokens and $9.00 per million output tokens; Step 5 Preview costs $1.00 and $2.70. That makes Step 5 Preview about 65% 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.