Step 1 (32K) vs Jamba Large
Jamba Large comes out ahead, 30 to 18 on our weighted score, and it is the cheaper option too.
StepFunStep 1 (32K)
18/100- ECI—
- Price$2.05 / $9.59
- Context33K
- Our pick
AI21 LabsJamba Large
30/100- ECI—
- Price$2.00 / $8.00
- Context256K
Add a model
Make it a three-way comparison.
Jamba Large is our pick
Jamba Large is the better all-round choice, scoring 30/100 against Step 1 (32K) (18). It leads on price, inputs & features and context window. The score weighs price 50%, inputs & features 30%, context window 20%. None of the shared benchmarks cover every model here yet, so capability is left out of this verdict.
- CapabilityNot enough dataNo independent benchmark covers every model here yet
- Lowest priceJamba LargeJamba Large $3.50 · Step 1 (32K) $3.94 per 1M tokens (3:1 blend)
- Longest contextJamba LargeJamba Large 256,000 · Step 1 (32K) 32,768 tokens
- Widest inputsSame inputsStep 1 (32K): Text · Jamba Large: Text
- Self-hostingJamba LargePublishes downloadable weights
| Measure | Weight | Step 1 (32K) | Jamba Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 50% | 22 | 24 |
| Inputs & features | 30% | 25 | 35 |
| Context window | 20% | 0 | 36 |
| Overall | 100% | 18/100 | 30/100 |
Left out because at least one model lacks the data: capability. The remaining weights were rescaled.
Every spec in one table
Highlighted cells lead their row. Dashes mean the data is not published.
| Specification | Step 1 (32K)StepFun | Jamba LargeAI21 Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | ||
| Capabilities Index (ECI) | — | — |
| ECI rank | — | — |
| Price per million tokens | ||
| Input | $2.05 | $2.00 (best) |
| Output | $9.59 | $8.00 (best) |
| Cached input | $0.41 | — |
| Blended (3:1) | $3.94 | $3.50 (best) |
| Long-context rate | Same rate | Same rate |
| Price source | Official StepFun (Global) API | Official AI21 Labs API |
| Limits | ||
| Context window | 32,768 tokens | 256,000 tokens (best) |
| Max output | 32,768 tokens (best) | 4,096 tokens |
| Inputs and features | ||
| Text | Yes | Yes |
| Images | No | No |
| PDFs | No | No |
| Audio | No | No |
| Video | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | No |
| Tool calling | Yes | Yes |
| Structured output | No | Yes |
| Availability | ||
| Weights | Proprietary | Open |
| API model ID | step-1-32k | jamba-large |
| API providers | 1 | 1 |
| Released | Jan 1, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 |
| Knowledge cutoff | Jun 2024 | Aug 22, 2024 |
What would a month cost?
Enter your expected volume in millions of tokens. List prices only; caching and batch discounts would lower these.
- Step 1 (32K)$39.68
- Jamba Large$36.00
Which should you choose?
Which is better: Step 1 (32K) or Jamba Large?
Jamba Large is the better all-round choice, scoring 30/100 against Step 1 (32K) (18). It leads on price, inputs & features and context window. The score weighs price 50%, inputs & features 30%, context window 20%. None of the shared benchmarks cover every model here yet, so capability is left out of this verdict.
Which is cheaper, Step 1 (32K) or Jamba Large?
Jamba Large is cheaper at $2.00 input / $8.00 output per million tokens (official AI21 Labs API price). Step 1 (32K) costs $2.05 input / $9.59 output per million tokens (official StepFun (Global) API price). At a typical mix of three input tokens to one output token, that is $3.50 per million tokens for Jamba Large versus $3.94 for Step 1 (32K) (1.1× as much).
Which scores higher on benchmarks?
There is no independent benchmark that covers both models yet. Step 1 (32K) has not been scored yet and Jamba Large has not been scored yet.
Which is better for coding?
There are no published SWE-bench Verified results for Step 1 (32K) and Jamba Large yet, so there is no like-for-like coding score. Test both on a sample of your own tasks. Both support tool calling for agent workflows.
Which has the bigger context window?
Jamba Large has the largest context window at 256,000 tokens, against 32,768 for Step 1 (32K). Maximum output per response: Step 1 (32K) up to 32,768, Jamba Large up to 4,096 tokens.
Which can read images, PDFs, audio or video?
Step 1 (32K) accepts text; Jamba Large accepts text. They handle the same number of input types.
Are any of these open source?
Jamba Large publishes its weights and can be self-hosted; Step 1 (32K) is proprietary.
Which is newer?
Jamba Large is the newest, released Jul 1, 2025. Step 1 (32K) came out Jan 1, 2025. Knowledge cutoff: Step 1 (32K) Jun 2024, Jamba Large Aug 22, 2024.
How do you decide the winner?
Each model gets a 0–100 score on capability (50%, independent benchmark results); price (25%, blended price per million tokens (3 input : 1 output), log scale); inputs & features (15%, image, PDF, audio and video input, tool calling, structured output and reasoning); context window (10%, maximum tokens per request, log scale). Dimensions missing for any model are dropped and the remaining weights rescaled, so every model is judged on the same evidence. Specs and prices come from public model listings and the labs’ own API pages; capability scores come from independent benchmark runs. Data updated Oct 4, 2026.
