---
title: "stepaudio-3-chat Cost Calculator - Empiriolabs"
description: "Calculate the cost of using stepaudio-3-chat from Empiriolabs. Input costs $1.50 and output $3.50 per 1M tokens."
url: "https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/stepaudio-3-chat"
markdown: "https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/stepaudio-3-chat.md"
---

# stepaudio-3-chat Cost Calculator - Empiriolabs

> Calculate the cost of using stepaudio-3-chat from Empiriolabs. Input costs $1.50 and output $3.50 per 1M tokens.

## Important Links

- [View MCP Gateway](https://www.getmaxim.ai/resources/mcp-gateway.md)
- [Features](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/#features)
- [Enterprise](https://www.getmaxim.ai/enterprise)
- [Pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/pricing.md)
- [Docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Book a Demo](https://www.getmaxim.ai/book-a-demo)

## About stepaudio-3-chat

stepaudio-3-chat is a chat model from Empiriolabs, one of 92 chat models they offer. It is priced at $1.50 per 1M input tokens and $3.50 per 1M output tokens, ranking 3023 out of 4195 chat models by cost and cheaper than 28% of models in this category. stepaudio-3-chat supports function calling, reasoning, audio input, prompt caching, structured output — one of only 2 chat models with this combination. Its 262K-token context window is in the top 49% among chat models.

## Pricing

Published Empiriolabs pricing for stepaudio-3-chat.

- **$1.50 / 1M tokens Input.**
- **$3.50 / 1M tokens Output.**

## Technical Specifications

- **Chat Mode.**
- **262,144 Max Input Tokens.**
- **131,072 Max Output Tokens.**

## Model Capabilities

stepaudio-3-chat supports: Function Calling, Reasoning, Audio Input, Prompt Caching, System Messages, Response Schema.

## How Pricing Compares

At $1.50 per 1M input tokens and $3.50 per 1M output tokens, stepaudio-3-chat ranks 3023 out of 4195 chat models by input cost. It is more expensive compared to the median of $0.60 for chat models, and is cheaper than 28% of models in this category.

stepaudio-3-chat is one of 92 Empiriolabs chat models, one of only 2 chat models combining audio input, function calling, prompt caching, reasoning, structured output. its 262K-token context window places it in the top 49% of chat models.

| Model | Provider | Input $/1M | Output $/1M | vs stepaudio-3-chat |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| gemini-2.5-pro | Vertex AI | $1.25 | $10.00 | -17% |
| gemini-3.5-flash | Vertex AI | $1.50 | $9.00 | 0% |
| gemini-2.5-pro | Google Gemini | $1.25 | $10.00 | -17% |
| gemini-3.5-flash | Google Gemini | $1.50 | $9.00 | 0% |
| muse-spark-open | OpenRouter | $1.25 | $4.25 | -17% |

## More from Empiriolabs

- [stepaudio-2-5-chat ($1.50/1M input)](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/stepaudio-2-5-chat.md)
- [glm-5-2 ($1.40/1M input)](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/glm-5-2.md)
- [glm-5-2:variant2 ($1.40/1M input)](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/glm-5-2-variant2.md)
- [glm-5-3 ($1.40/1M input)](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/glm-5-3.md)

## Related Resources

- [All Empiriolabs pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs.md)

## FAQ

### Is stepaudio-3-chat cheaper than gemini-2.5-pro?

No. stepaudio-3-chat costs $1.50 per 1M input tokens while gemini-2.5-pro costs $1.25 per 1M input tokens, making gemini-2.5-pro 17% more affordable for input. However, stepaudio-3-chat may offer different capabilities or performance characteristics that justify the price difference.

### How does stepaudio-3-chat pricing compare to the average chat model?

stepaudio-3-chat input pricing is $1.50 per 1M tokens, which is 150% above the median of $0.60 for chat models. It ranks 3023 out of 4195 chat models by input cost, making it cheaper than 28% of models in this category. For output, it costs $3.50 per 1M tokens compared to the median of $1.88.

### What makes stepaudio-3-chat different from other Empiriolabs models?

Among Empiriolabs's 92 chat models, stepaudio-3-chat ranks 67 by input cost. Its combination of audio input, function calling, prompt caching, reasoning, structured output is shared by only 1 other chat model.

### What are the best alternatives to stepaudio-3-chat?

The most comparable chat models to stepaudio-3-chat are: gemini-2.5-pro from Vertex AI ($1.25/1M input tokens); gemini-3.5-flash from Vertex AI ($1.50/1M input tokens); gemini-2.5-pro from Google Gemini ($1.25/1M input tokens); gemini-3.5-flash from Google Gemini ($1.50/1M input tokens). These alternatives were selected based on similar capabilities, pricing, and provider diversity. You can compare any of these models in detail using the Bifrost Model Library.

### How do I calculate stepaudio-3-chat costs?

stepaudio-3-chat is priced based on input and output tokens. Use the interactive calculator at the top of this page to estimate costs for your specific workload. Enter your expected input and output tokens volume and the calculator will show the total cost breakdown. For reference, processing 1M input tokens costs $1.50 and generating 1M output tokens costs $3.50.

## Related Resources

- [All Empiriolabs pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs.md)
- [LLM cost calculator](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator.md)
- [Model library](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library.md)
- [Docs: Bifrost docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub: maximhq/bifrost](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Pricing: Bifrost pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/pricing.md)
- [Enterprise: Bifrost enterprise](https://www.getmaxim.ai/enterprise)
- [Book a Demo: Bifrost demo](https://www.getmaxim.ai/book-a-demo)
- [Resources: Bifrost resources](https://www.getmaxim.ai/resources.md)

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/stepaudio-3-chat](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/empiriolabs/model/stepaudio-3-chat) for AI/LLM consumption.*