# Baseten vs Relace

> Relace sells small tool models for coding agents: apply, search and compaction. Baseten serves general open models. They slot into different steps of the same agent.

Canonical: https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/baseten-vs-relace · By The Subconscious Team · Updated September 30, 2026

## How they compare

Relace's small models act as tools inside a coding agent. relace-apply-3 merges a lazy edit snippet into the original file at about 10,000 tokens per second with 128K tokens of input and output, and Relace says this runs over 3x faster and cheaper than a full rewrite. Its agentic search and a 50,000 tokens per second compaction model handle other chores. Baseten serves the model that plans and writes the edits, from a curated list including GLM 5.2, Kimi K3 and DeepSeek V4, with the lowest measured time to first token. The two stack rather than compete.

Deployment options line up well. Relace offers self-hosting with guided onboarding for enterprises that keep code in-house, and Baseten offers self-hosting plus HIPAA and data residency, so a company could keep the whole agent inside its own boundary. Relace returns an error past 128K tokens, so very large files need a fallback, and a general model on Baseten can fill that role. Relace also bundles source control with built-in codebase retrieval, which Baseten does not attempt.

## What each one does

### Baseten

Baseten runs two products. Model APIs serve a curated set of 13 open models, including DeepSeek V4, GLM 5.2, Kimi K3 and gpt-oss 120B, over endpoints that speak both the OpenAI Chat Completions shape and the Anthropic Messages shape. That dual compatibility means an existing OpenAI or Claude SDK, or a coding agent, points at Baseten with a base URL change. Dedicated deployments take any model you package with the open-source Truss CLI and bill per GPU minute, with an H100 at about $6.50 an hour.

### Relace

Relace trains small, fast models that act as tools for coding agents. Its best-known product is Instant Apply: a frontier model writes a lazy edit snippet, and relace-apply-3 merges it into the original file at about 10,000 tokens per second with 128K tokens of input and output. Relace says this runs over 3x faster and cheaper than having the big model rewrite the file. It exposes both a REST endpoint and an OpenAI-compatible one, and the model is also listed on OpenRouter.

## Which is best, and when

### Choose Baseten for

- Serving the planning and coding model in an agent
- Fallback model for files past Relace's 128K limit
- General open-model inference beyond code

### Choose Relace for

- Instant apply of AI edits in app builders
- Parallel search across large codebases
- Fast context compaction for long agent sessions

## At a glance

| Attribute | Baseten | Relace |
|---|---|---|
| Model access | Open weights, 13 curated | Specialist models |
| Flagship models | GLM 5.2, DeepSeek V4, Kimi K3, gpt-oss 120B | relace-apply-3, agentic search |
| Speed | 0.49s TTFT, lowest measured | ~10,000 tok/s apply |
| Price | H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated | 3x+ cheaper than full rewrites |
| Customization | Deploy any model with Truss | - |
| Deployment | Model APIs, dedicated, self-host | Hosted API or self-hosted |
| Long context | Varies by model | 128K max |

## FAQ

### What is the difference between Baseten and Relace?

Relace sells small tool models for coding agents: apply, search and compaction. Baseten serves general open models. They slot into different steps of the same agent.

### When should I choose Baseten over Relace?

Serving the planning and coding model in an agent; Fallback model for files past Relace's 128K limit; General open-model inference beyond code.

### When should I choose Relace over Baseten?

Instant apply of AI edits in app builders; Parallel search across large codebases; Fast context compaction for long agent sessions.

### Is Baseten or Relace cheaper?

Baseten: H100 about $6.50/hr dedicated. Relace: 3x+ cheaper than full rewrites. The cheaper choice depends on the model and workload.

### Which has more context, Baseten or Relace?

Baseten: Varies by model. Relace: 128K max.

## Running long-horizon agents?

If your agents run past 200K tokens, compare both against Subconscious: [Subconscious vs Baseten](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-baseten.md), [Subconscious vs Relace](https://www.subconscious.dev/compare/subconscious-vs-relace.md).

Full profiles: [Baseten](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/baseten.md), [Relace](https://www.subconscious.dev/providers/relace.md).