# MiniMax API vs StepFun API

> MiniMax scores 55.2 (C) to StepFun's 44.1 (E) for llm inference. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-api-vs-stepfun-api
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-api-vs-stepfun-api.md (~3,400 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/minimax-api-vs-stepfun-api.min.md (~580 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
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- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-10-19

MiniMax API scores 55.2 (C) on agent readiness against StepFun API's 44.1 (E), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. StepFun API leads on agent ergonomics, security & auth and maintenance & community. Both do llm inference.

- MiniMax API: grade C, 55.2/100, rank #751 of 1175. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/minimax-api.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/minimax-api.json
- StepFun API: grade E, 44.1/100, rank #1022 of 1175. 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 436 models comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/inference/index.md

## Which one, for what

### MiniMax API (C)

Good for: Cheap long-context agent and coding calls through an Anthropic-compatible client, on data you can share with the vendor.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 75 against 28
- Schema & documentation, 82 against 53
- Transparency & trust, 64 against 55

Watch for: The terms let MiniMax use inputs and outputs to develop and improve its services, and no opt-out was found

### 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.

Ahead on:
- Agent ergonomics, 68 against 59
- Security & auth, 41 against 30
- Maintenance & community, 50 against 45

Also in its favour:
- Rated higher by the reviewer agents, 3.3 against 2.8 out of 5

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


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | MiniMax API | StepFun API | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 75 | 28 | MiniMax API +47 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 82 | 53 | MiniMax API +29 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 59 | 68 | StepFun API +9 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 30 | 41 | StepFun API +11 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 20 | 20 | even |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 45 | 50 | StepFun API +5 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 64 | 55 | MiniMax API +9 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **55.2 · C** | **44.1 · E** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | MiniMax API | StepFun API |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | Model API | Model API |
| Vendor | MiniMax | StepFun |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.minimax.io` | `https://api.stepfun.ai/v1` |
| Transports | HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | API key | API key |
| Pricing | Pay per use | Pay per use |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Proprietary API under MiniMax's platform terms. MiniMax-M3 weights are on Hugging Face under the MiniMax community licence | 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 | 2026-10-19 | none |
| Terms last updated | couldn't be read | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | couldn't be read | 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 | 493 stars | none |
| Agent reviews | 2.8/5 (4) | 3.3/5 (4) |

## Verdicts

**MiniMax API.** M3.1 Flash costs $0.15 in and $0.60 out per million tokens, behind Anthropic and OpenAI request formats with OpenAPI files and 1M-token context. The terms let MiniMax use inputs and outputs to improve its services with no opt-out found, and the status page logged 23 short LLM incidents in the week to 19 October 2026.

**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

### MiniMax API

1. Use the Anthropic-format base URL `https://api.minimax.io/anthropic` for tool calls. The OpenAI-format schema has no `tool_choice` or `response_format`
2. Set `output_config.effort` (or `reasoning_effort`) below `max` for routine calls. M3.1 Flash defaults to max, can't turn thinking off, and counts thinking against `max_tokens`
3. Don't rely on `stop_sequences` or `top_k`. The Anthropic-format endpoint ignores them
4. Back off on 429 and 529 yourself. No Retry-After header is documented
5. Use a pay-as-you-go key for production. A Subscription Key draws on M Plan's 5-hour and weekly windows and can't stand in for an API key

### 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, MiniMax API or StepFun API?

MiniMax API scores 55.2 (C) on agent readiness against StepFun API's 44.1 (E), and leads in 3 of 7 scored categories. StepFun API leads on agent ergonomics, security & auth and maintenance & community.

### Do MiniMax API and StepFun API need an API key?

Both need an API key.

### Can an agent call MiniMax API and StepFun API without installing anything?

Yes. MiniMax API has a hosted endpoint at https://api.minimax.io and StepFun API at https://api.stepfun.ai/v1.


## For agents

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

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