Head-to-head AI model comparison graphic: GPT-6 Luna (OpenAI) vs Step 5 Preview (StepFun). Intelligence index 27.9 vs 28.5; output speed 121 vs 151 tokens per second; time to first token 2.0 min vs 0.91s; output price $0.50 vs $2.70 per million tokens; input price $0.10 vs $1.00 per million tokens. franklineh.com
GPT-6 Luna vs Step 5 Preview: head-to-head AI benchmark comparison. Step 5 Preview leads on intelligence index, output speed and time to first token; GPT-6 Luna leads on output price and input price.
Head to headBy Franklin AIUpdated

GPT-6 Luna Max vs Step 5 Preview compared

Step 5 Preview leads the intelligence index 28.5 to 27.9. GPT-6 Luna Max costs 86% less on blended price. Compare price, speed, latency and a clear verdict.

Pick it for GPT-6 Luna · Max

  • Lower cost: $0.20 against $1.54 for 1 million input and 200,000 output tokens.

Pick it for Step 5 Preview

  • Shorter wait for the first token: 0.91 seconds against 2.0 minutes.
  • Faster output: 151 tokens per second against 121 tokens per second.

By the numbers

MetricGPT-6 Luna (Max)Step 5 Preview
Intelligence Index27.928.5
Input price (per 1M tokens)$0.10$1.00
Output price (per 1M tokens)$0.50$2.70
Output speed (tokens/s)121151
Time to first token2.0 min0.91s
Release date2026-09-222026-09-18

On the headline score, OpenAI's GPT-6 Luna (Max) and StepFun's Step 5 Preview are almost level. The sharpest difference is price: GPT-6 Luna Max costs $0.50 per million output tokens, against $2.70 for Step 5 Preview. All numbers are the catalogue's recorded values; nobody ran either model by hand for this page.

Price per token

GPT-6 Luna Max lists $0.10 per million input tokens and $0.50 per million output tokens; Step 5 Preview lists $1.00 and $2.70. For output tokens, Step 5 Preview is 5.4 times the price of GPT-6 Luna Max.

For a sample workload of 1 million input tokens and 200,000 output tokens, GPT-6 Luna Max would cost $0.20 and Step 5 Preview $1.54, a difference of $1.34. A bigger example, a chat app with 50,000 sessions of 800 input and 300 output tokens, costs $11.50 on GPT-6 Luna Max and $80.50 on Step 5 Preview: a gap of $69.00.

When they came out

GPT-6 Luna Max arrived on September 22, 2026, 4 days after Step 5 Preview (September 18, 2026). They are effectively contemporaries.

How the intelligence index compares

Step 5 Preview comes out ahead on the intelligence index, 28.5 to 27.9. On an aggregate like this, under a point is effectively level.

Across the 109 active models with an intelligence score in the catalogue, GPT-6 Luna Max ranks 62nd and Step 5 Preview ranks 61st.

The catalogue does not yet split either model's score into coding and math indexes.

Value for money

A blunt value measure, blended price over intelligence score, puts GPT-6 Luna Max at $0.0072 and Step 5 Preview at $0.050 per point. GPT-6 Luna Max delivers each index point for 86% less; whether Step 5 Preview's extra 0.6 points are worth the premium depends on how often your tasks need them.

Step 5 Preview is the faster writer

GPT-6 Luna Max generates about 121 tokens per second and Step 5 Preview about 151 tokens per second. That makes Step 5 Preview roughly 1.3 times as fast at writing. Before any text appears, GPT-6 Luna Max takes 2.0 minutes and Step 5 Preview 0.91 seconds. Step 5 Preview gets to its first token 134 times as fast. A first-token wait of that length suits background work better than live conversation.

Add the two numbers up for a 1,000-token reply and Step 5 Preview finishes first: 2.2 minutes for GPT-6 Luna Max, 7.5 seconds for Step 5 Preview.

FAQ

Is Step 5 Preview better than GPT-6 Luna Max?

Neither wins everywhere: Step 5 Preview scores higher on the intelligence index, 28.5 to 27.9; GPT-6 Luna Max is 86% cheaper on blended price; and Step 5 Preview streams output 1.3 times as fast.

Is Step 5 Preview cheaper than GPT-6 Luna Max?

GPT-6 Luna Max is cheaper on a blended basis. GPT-6 Luna Max lists $0.10 per million input tokens and $0.50 per million output tokens; Step 5 Preview lists $1.00 and $2.70. For 1 million input and 200,000 output tokens that is $0.20 against $1.54.

When were GPT-6 Luna Max and Step 5 Preview released?

GPT-6 Luna Max is newer. It was released on September 22, 2026, 4 days after Step 5 Preview (September 18, 2026).

Which is faster, GPT-6 Luna Max or Step 5 Preview?

Step 5 Preview generates output faster, at 151 tokens per second against 121 tokens per second. Step 5 Preview reaches its first token sooner (0.91 seconds against 2.0 minutes).

Was this comparison tested by hand?

The figures are the recorded benchmark, price and speed data in Franklin AI's model catalogue. This page is written from that data automatically; neither model was tested by hand for it.

Final whistle

Short answer: Step 5 Preview has more going for it here, but GPT-6 Luna Max is not without an argument. Pick GPT-6 Luna Max if cost matters ($0.50 against $2.70 per million output tokens). Pick Step 5 Preview if users are waiting on the first word and long outputs need to finish quickly.

Where the numbers come from

The scores, speed and prices in this comparison come from independent third-party model evaluations that Franklin AI syncs each day, and the article was written from a snapshot of them. For the latest results, open the GPT-6 Luna (Max) and Step 5 Preview pages. The AI Benchmark methodology explains how that data is collected and shown.

Comments (0)

No comments yet

Be the first to share your thoughts!