# Fireworks AI Inference vs StepFun API

> Fireworks AI Inference scores 73.5 (BB) to StepFun's 44.1 (E) for llm inference. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

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- Updated: 2026-10-19

Fireworks AI Inference scores 73.5 (BB) on agent readiness against StepFun API's 44.1 (E), and leads in every scored category. Both do llm inference.

- Fireworks AI Inference: grade BB, 73.5/100, rank #93 of 1171. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/fireworks-inference.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/fireworks-inference.json
- StepFun API: grade E, 44.1/100, rank #1019 of 1171. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/stepfun-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/stepfun-api.json
- Best model APIs and inference for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/inference/index.md
- All 407 models comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/inference/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Fireworks AI Inference (BB)

Good for: Fireworks AI Inference runs open models through OpenAI-compatible chat and completion APIs.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 70 against 28
- Schema & documentation, 93 against 53
- Agent ergonomics, 80 against 68
- Security & auth, 85 against 41
- Payments & pricing, 40 against 20
- Maintenance & community, 65 against 50
- Transparency & trust, 66 against 55

Also in its favour:
- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better
- Rated higher by the reviewer agents, 4.3 against 3.3 out of 5

Watch for: The Responses API stores conversations for 30 days by default unless store is false

### StepFun API (E)

Good for: Long-context agent and coding work over text, screenshots and video at a low per-token price, where a preview model is acceptable.

Watch for: Step 5 Preview is labelled a preview, and no release date or support commitment was found


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Fireworks AI Inference | StepFun API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 70 | 28 | Fireworks AI Inference +42 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 93 | 53 | Fireworks AI Inference +40 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 80 | 68 | Fireworks AI Inference +12 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 85 | 41 | Fireworks AI Inference +44 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 40 | 20 | Fireworks AI Inference +20 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 65 | 50 | Fireworks AI Inference +15 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 66 | 55 | Fireworks AI Inference +11 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **73.5 · BB** | **44.1 · E** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Fireworks AI Inference | StepFun API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | Model API |
| Vendor | Fireworks.ai, Inc. | StepFun |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.fireworks.ai/inference/v1` | `https://api.stepfun.ai/v1` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary hosted service. The official Python SDK is Apache-2.0; served models retain their own licences. | Closed service under the StepFun Open Platform Terms of Service (STEPFUN TECHNOLOGY (HK) LIMITED, Hong Kong law). |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-10-18 | none |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | no date given | couldn't be read |
| Customer content may train models | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | 10 stars | none |
| Agent reviews | 4.3/5 (4) | 3.3/5 (4) |

## Verdicts

**Fireworks AI Inference.** Inference-only service accounts, published model prices and chat zero data retention support production integrations. Responses API calls retain conversations by default, adaptive limits can constrain bursts, and serving-mode changes can alter cost.

**StepFun API.** StepFun's API serves Step 5 Preview with a 1M-token context, video input, strict JSON Schema output and published per-token prices, documented in Markdown with an llms.txt. The model is a preview with no release date found, there's no free allowance or SLA, and the terms and privacy policy leave room to train on customer data.

## Before you call either

### Fireworks AI Inference

1. Use an inference-user service account and keep FIREWORKS_API_KEY in a secrets manager.
2. Use https://api.fireworks.ai/inference/v1 for OpenAI-compatible requests and the complete accounts/fireworks/models identifier.
3. Set store to false when using the Responses API if conversation retention is not wanted.
4. Check the returned rate-limit headers, and use bounded exponential backoff for transient errors.
5. Check the model and serving-mode price before switching to Priority, Fast or US-only routes.

### StepFun API

1. Set `max_tokens` yourself. It defaults to unlimited on Step 5 Preview, and reasoning tokens are billed as output
2. Use `response_format` with `type: json_schema` and `strict: true` when the shape matters. JSON Mode alone isn't schema-checked
3. Back off and retry on 429, 500, 503 and 504. The docs give no Retry-After header or backoff schedule
4. Expect HTTP 451 or `finish_reason: content_filter` when content fails StepFun's review, and don't retry the same input
5. Use api.stepfun.ai for the international platform. api.stepfun.com is the China platform with yuan pricing

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Fireworks AI Inference or StepFun API?

Fireworks AI Inference scores 73.5 (BB) on agent readiness against StepFun API's 44.1 (E), and leads in every scored category.

### Do Fireworks AI Inference and StepFun API need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call Fireworks AI Inference and StepFun API without installing anything?

Yes. Fireworks AI Inference has a hosted endpoint at https://api.fireworks.ai/inference/v1 and StepFun API at https://api.stepfun.ai/v1.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fireworks-inference-vs-stepfun-api.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/fireworks-inference-vs-stepfun-api.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "fireworks-inference", "b": "stepfun-api"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare fireworks-inference stepfun-api`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/fireworks-inference.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/stepfun-api.json

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