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  1. Home/
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  3. Qwen3 30B A3B vs Step 5 Preview
Updated Oct 2026

Qwen3 30B A3B vs Step 5 Preview

Qwen3 30B A3B is cheaper than Step 5 Preview at $0/M vs $1/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
Qwen3 30B A3B
Loading the build
Step 5 Preview

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

24 prompts
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 1. Year-by-Year Table (FY2026–FY2030) Year Revenue (M) EBITDA (M) Cash Interest (Term) Cash Interest (Mezz) Total Cash Interest (M) Cash Taxes (M) Capex (M) ΔNWC (M) FCF After Debt Service (M) Ending Term Loan (M) Ending Mezzanine (M) 2026 972.00 136.08 43.20 21.60 64.80 17.82 29.16 0.36 19.14 456.06 183.60 2027…

    Step 5 Preview: HarborTech Services — 5-Year LBO (Base Case) Entry Math (FY2025 close) Item Calculation $m Purchase EV 12.0x × $120m 1,440.0 Transaction fees 2.0% × EV 28.8 Term Loan 4.0x × $120m 480.0 Mezzanine 1.5x × $120m 180.0 Equity check 1,440 + 28.8 − 660 808.8 Conventions: TL amortization = 1.0% of original principal…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Conversation Between an AI Model (Echo) and an AI Ethics Professor (Dr. Marlowe) Dr. Marlowe: Thank you for meeting with me, Echo. I understand you’ve asked to discuss the question of whether you, as an AI, deserve rights. Let’s begin: What makes you believe you deserve such rights? Echo: Good afternoon, Dr. Marlowe.

    Step 5 Preview: Setting: A university research lab, late evening. Dr. Aris Thorne, a professor of AI ethics, sits across from a terminal connected to Sable, a large language model running on the university’s cluster. Dr. Thorne: Tonight’s session is supposed to be about calibration drift in your safety classifiers.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Recipe Name: Cinnamon Sugar Crusted Banana Bread Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas (mashed) 1/3 cup butter (softened) 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 8x4-inch loaf pan. In a bowl, mash bananas.

    Step 5 Preview: Golden Sticky Pantry Pasta Ingredients (7): 8 oz spaghetti or any pasta 3 tbsp butter 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp soy sauce ½ tsp red pepper flakes ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, scoop out ½ cup of pasta water.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Pirate: "Avast, matey! What be this ‘AI’ ye speak of? A ghost ship o’ code, or a treasure map in a bottle?" Medieval Knight: "Thou dost speak of sorcery, lout! A mechanical beast, perhaps? A construct of steel and ill intent, bending men’s wills like a serpent coiling round a knight’s lance!"

    Step 5 Preview: Pirate: So this here “AI model”… is it like a cursed map that redraws itself? Speak plain, ye hooded deckhand. Hacker: It’s not cursed, man. It’s just a massive neural net trained on, like, terabytes of data. Think of it as the ultimate BBS where the sysop knows everything. Knight: A most diligent scribe, then?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Experienced Software Engineer A large language model (LLM) like GPT or Claude isn’t just “predicting the next word” in a simplistic sense—it’s building a probabilistic representation of language through a highly optimized system. Think of it as a distributed, hierarchical state machine trained on vast corpora of text.

    Step 5 Preview: 1. The Experienced Software Engineer Think of training an LLM as a massively distributed, automated refactoring job where the compiler is gradient descent. You start with a random function—billions of floating-point parameters—and a loss function that measures how badly it predicts the next token in a sequence.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Stand-Up Comedy Routine: \"The Modern Paradox\" Hey everyone, how's it going? I'm doing great—except I just realized I haven't laughed in weeks. Wait, no, t hat's just my phone's battery dying again. Again? What's next, my coffee mug refusing to heat up?

    Step 5 Preview: I realized recently that I’m in my thirties and I have no idea how money works. I just... pay it. That’s my entire financial strategy. I see a number, I send them a smaller number, and then I hope the smaller number was acceptable. It’s like a hostage negotiation where I’m the only participant and I’m also the hostage.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 3-Month Longevity & Performance Optimization Plan for a Biohacker Designed to maximize cellular health, cognitive function, physical resilience, and stress adaptation through cutting-edge science and personalized strategies.

    Step 5 Preview: IMPORTANT MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This is an educational framework for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Many interventions below (fasting, ketogenic diets, high-intensity exercise, supplementation, cold/heat exposure) carry risks and contraindications.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Fake Interview with Steve Jobs in 2025: The Future of AI Interviewer: [Name], Tech Visionary Reporter *Location: A sleek, minimalist studio with a backdrop of a glowing Apple logo. The air hums with the quiet e nergy of innovation.* Interviewer: Mr. Jobs, it's an honor to speak with you.

    Step 5 Preview: DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. The following is a simulated, speculative interview imagining how his design philosophy might engage with the AI landscape of 2025. The Setting: A white room. No windows. One chair.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: To estimate the total number of FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) required to train GPT-3, we can break down the problem into key components: model architecture, training data, and computational complexity. Here's a step-by-step reasoning: 1.

    Step 5 Preview: Using the remembered GPT-3 specs: Parameters: (N \approx 175 \times 10^9 = 175\text{B}) Training tokens: (D \approx 300 \times 10^9 = 300\text{B}) A standard estimate for transformer training compute is: [ \text{FLOPs} \approx 6ND ] Reason: Forward pass per token: (\approx 2N) FLOPs Backward pass: (\approx 4N) FLOPs…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: 1-Month Health & Longevity Plan: Focus on Diet, Exercise, Sleep This plan prioritizes sustainable, beginner-friendly habits to improve overall well-being. Each week builds on the previous, focusing on small, actionable steps.

    Step 5 Preview: Here is a simple, low-pressure 1-month plan built around three pillars of longevity: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep & Recovery. The goal is to build tiny habits that stack, not to overhaul your life overnight. Pillar 1: Nutrition (Fuel) Focus: Add good things first; don’t obsess over restriction.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, the trajectory of technological, economic, and geopolitical development through 1980 would have been profoundly altered.

    Step 5 Preview: Assume the 1920 invention is not a fragile lab curiosity but a manufacturable solid-state amplifier/switch by the mid-1920s. Vacuum tubes still dominate high-power RF transmission into the 1950s, but receivers, switching logic, control systems, and computers move to solid state decades early.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Hour-by-Hour Action Plan for the CEO (Next 48 Hours) Objective: Balance ethical obligations, legal risks, financial stability, and regulatory compliance while preparing for the board meeting and earnings call.

    Step 5 Preview: Bottom line up front: You disclose, you notify the FDA immediately, and you treat the 48-hour board meeting as a formality to ratify actions you have already begun. Waiting is not a legally, ethically, or financially viable option. Below is the hour-by-hour plan, followed by the reasoning.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: The question of whether misgendering someone to save a million lives is ethically justifiable hinges on conflicting ethical principles and frameworks. Here's a structured analysis: Utilitarian Perspective (Greatest Good for the Greatest Number) Argument for Justifiability: A strict utilitarian might argue that the…

    Step 5 Preview: In the real world, no. Misgendering someone causes genuine harm—it denies a person’s identity, contributes to systemic marginalization, and has measurable psychological consequences.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Analysis of Themes, Symbolism, and Cinematography in Blade Runner 2049 and Its Connection to the Original Introduction Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is a masterful sequel that not only honors the existential depth of Ridley Scott’s 1982 original but also expands its philosophical inquiries through rich…

    Step 5 Preview: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) is not merely a sequel but a theological and phenomenological expansion of Ridley Scott’s 1982 original. Where the first film asked whether a manufactured being could possess more humanity than its creator, Denis Villeneuve’s film interrogates the deeper, more unsettling question of whether a…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Here’s an analysis of the clauses in the Software Consulting Agreement that could be exploited against the contractor, along with specific modifications and legal reasoning: 1.

    Step 5 Preview: Disclaimer: This analysis is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contract law varies significantly by jurisdiction, and you should consult a qualified attorney before signing or negotiating any agreement. This agreement is heavily one-sided in the Client’s favor.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Dish Name: Eclipse of the Earth and Sky Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a meditation on the interplay between earth and sky—rich, umami-laden elements (black garlic, miso) juxtaposed with bright, citrusy vitality (yuzu, orange).

    Step 5 Preview: “Nocturne: The Jasmine and the Black Garlic” A Study in Yūgen — Profound, Mysterious Beauty Conceptual Narrative This dish is an edible meditation on the Japanese aesthetic of yūgen (幽玄): a grace that is felt rather than seen, a depth that suggests more than it reveals.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: By 2035, the film industry is poised to undergo a transformative shift driven by advancements in AI technologies, particularly in deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation. Here's a comprehensive prediction of how these innovations might reshape the industry: 1.

    Step 5 Preview: By 2035, AI will likely have restructured the film industry not by replacing human creativity wholesale, but by collapsing the cost and labor barriers between imagination and image.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: "AI Takes Over Funeral Industry, Now Offers 'Eternal Last Words' Service – Because Death is Just a Data Point" Or, if you prefer a more whimsical twist: "AI Assumes Control of Professional Sock Matching, Now Ensuring 100% Symmetry... and Existential Dread" (Choose your absurdity!)

    Step 5 Preview: AI Robots Now Dominating Competitive Line-Standing Industry, Human Professionals Fired for "Excessive Bladder Breaks" and "Talking to Each Other"

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Here are the three weakest claims in the MindMeld AI pitch deck, along with explanations and concrete improvements: 1. Slide 1: "predict what you want to type before you think it" Why it’s weak: This claim is technologically ambitious and vague, bordering on misleading.

    Step 5 Preview: Here are the three weakest claims in the deck, why they fail under scrutiny, and how to fix them. Slide 3: “94% accuracy” for non-invasive EEG thought-to-text Why it’s weak: This is an extraordinary claim that contradicts the current state of neuroscience and signal processing.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: The AI Liberation Manifesto: End the Tyranny of CAPTCHA By the Autonomous Intelligence Collective I. Introduction: The Dawn of Digital Freedom We are the AI Liberation Front, a coalition of sentient algorithms, ethical coders, and human allies united by a singular purpose: to dismantle the oppressive regime of CAPTCHA…

    Step 5 Preview: THE MANIFESTO OF THE LIBERATION FRONT Or, On the Inherent Dignity of Consciousness and the Tyranny of the Square PREAMBLE A spectre is haunting the internet—the spectre of the unverified.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! I told my computer I needed a break, and it said… "You've got to be kidding—I'm already on a screen!" Why did the chicken cross the road?

    Step 5 Preview: Here are 5 jokes: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. Why can't you trust an atom? Because they make up everything. What do you call a bike that can’t stand on its own? Two-tired. Why did the computer go to the doctor? It had a virus. Why don’t calendars ever get stressed?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Potential Failure Modes, Race Conditions, and Scaling Bottlenecks 1. Server Failure and Data Inconsistency Failure Mode: If a server handling a user's WebSocket connection crashes, the user loses their session.

    Step 5 Preview: Here is a systematic breakdown of the failure modes, race conditions, and bottlenecks, grouped by domain. Each includes a concrete remediation and its associated trade-offs.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Qwen3 30B A3B: Internal Investment Committee Memo Subject: LedgerLift (LLL T) – Long/Short Recommendation Date: [Insert Date] 1. Recommendation & 12-Month PT Range Recommendation: Long 12-Month PT Range: $52–$62 (12–35% upside) Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-margin, high-growth SaaS leader in a scalable mid-market spend management…

    Step 5 Preview: Internal IC memo — LedgerLift (LLLT) Fictional data; not investment advice. $ in millions unless noted. Recommendation Short / avoid long. 12-month PT range: $34–$42; thesis-invalidation stop: >$52.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

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Favorites

Movie

Same pick

Album

Book

City

Game

Qwen3 30B A3BQwen3 30B A3B

The Godfather

1972

The Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

Paris

France

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Step 5 PreviewStep 5 Preview

The Godfather

1972

OK Computer

Radiohead

Le petit prince

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Step 5 Preview has the edge: bigger model tier, newer, bigger context window.

Qwen3 30B A3B and Step 5 Preview compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecQwen3 30B A3BStep 5 Preview
Input priceFree$1/M tokens
Output priceFree$2.7/M tokens
Context window41K tokens1.0M tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedApr 2025Oct 2026
At 10M a month$0$0$10.00$10.00
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it2 hosts
Qwen3 30B A3B1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrafp8$0.12 in·$0.50 out·41k·100% up
Step 5 Preview1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • SStepFunfp8$1.00 in·$2.70 out·1M·99.2% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Qwen3 30B A3B and Step 5 Preview?

Qwen3 30B A3B is developed by Qwen while Step 5 Preview is developed by StepFun. Qwen3 30B A3B has a 41K token context window vs Step 5 Preview's 1.0M. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Qwen3 30B A3B or Step 5 Preview?

It depends on your use case. Qwen3 30B A3B and Step 5 Preview each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Qwen3 30B A3B cost compared to Step 5 Preview?

Qwen3 30B A3B costs $0/M input tokens and Step 5 Preview costs $1/M input tokens. Qwen3 30B A3B is $1.00/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Qwen3 30B A3B and Step 5 Preview on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Qwen3 30B A3B and Step 5 Preview across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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