Model Comparison

DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Step3-VL-10BWhich is better in 2026?

Step3-VL-10B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Verdict: DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Step3-VL-10B — which is better?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 (by DeepSeek) and Step3-VL-10B (by StepFun) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Step3-VL-10B is better at 1 benchmark (AIME 2025). Step3-VL-10B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Choose DeepSeek-R1-0528 if…

  • you want predictable pricing at $0.50/M input and $2.15/M output

Choose Step3-VL-10B if…

  • you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jan 2026

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

DeepSeek-R1-0528 outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while Step3-VL-10B is better at 1 benchmark (AIME 2025).

Step3-VL-10B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

661.0B diff

DeepSeek-R1-0528 has 661.0B more parameters than Step3-VL-10B, making it 6610.0% larger.

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
671.0Bparameters
StepFun
Step3-VL-10B
10.0Bparameters
671.0B
DeepSeek-R1-0528
10.0B
Step3-VL-10B

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Only DeepSeek-R1-0528 specifies input context (131,072 tokens). Only DeepSeek-R1-0528 specifies output context (131,072 tokens).

DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
StepFun
Step3-VL-10B
Input- tokens
Output- tokens
Tue Jul 21 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Step3-VL-10B supports multimodal inputs, whereas DeepSeek-R1-0528 does not.

Step3-VL-10B can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Step3-VL-10B

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is licensed under MIT, while Step3-VL-10B uses Apache 2.0.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

MIT

Open weights

Step3-VL-10B

Apache 2.0

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

DeepSeek-R1-0528 was released on 2025-05-28, while Step3-VL-10B was released on 2026-01-15.

Step3-VL-10B is 8 months newer than DeepSeek-R1-0528.

DeepSeek-R1-0528

May 28, 2025

1.1 years ago

Step3-VL-10B

Jan 15, 2026

6 months ago

7mo newer

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

DeepSeek
Larger context window (131,072 tokens)
StepFun
Supports multimodal inputs
Higher AIME 2025 score (87.7% vs 87.5%)

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Step3-VL-10B side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

DeepSeek-R1-0528
✓ Preferred
Step3-VL-10B
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
DeepSeek
DeepSeek-R1-0528
StepFun
Step3-VL-10B

FAQ

Common questions about DeepSeek-R1-0528 vs Step3-VL-10B.

Which is better, DeepSeek-R1-0528 or Step3-VL-10B?

Step3-VL-10B significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-R1-0528 is made by DeepSeek and Step3-VL-10B is made by StepFun. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does DeepSeek-R1-0528 compare to Step3-VL-10B in benchmarks?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 scores MMLU-Redux: 93.4%, SimpleQA: 92.3%, AIME 2024: 91.4%, AIME 2025: 87.5%, MMLU-Pro: 85.0%. Step3-VL-10B scores MMBench: 91.8%, AIME 2025: 87.7%, MathVista: 84.0%, MMMU: 78.1%, MathVision: 70.8%.

What are the context window sizes for DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Step3-VL-10B?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 supports 131K tokens and Step3-VL-10B supports an unknown number of tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Step3-VL-10B?

Key differences include multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT vs Apache 2.0). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes DeepSeek-R1-0528 and Step3-VL-10B?

DeepSeek-R1-0528 is developed by DeepSeek and Step3-VL-10B is developed by StepFun.

Related comparisons