StarCoder2 15B vs StarCoder2 15B Instruct
Compare the listed model data for StarCoder2 15B by bigcode and StarCoder2 15B Instruct by bigcode. Benchmark and pricing records are not a controlled test and may change.
Data last updated: 2026-10-16. Verify current model details with each provider.
What the listed data says
StarCoder2 15B: 16K tokens; StarCoder2 15B Instruct: 16K tokens. The listed context-window values are equal. StarCoder2 15B is listed for coding; StarCoder2 15B Instruct is listed for coding. Shared catalog benchmark entries: HumanEval: StarCoder2 15B 46.5%; StarCoder2 15B Instruct 72.0%. These records are reference data, not a controlled head-to-head test; verify current pricing and specifications with each provider.
Catalog source links
Use these model and provider links to verify current specifications, pricing, and availability.
Computed differences from catalog data
- The listed context windows are 16K tokens and 16K tokens; the larger is 1× the smaller.
- On shared numeric benchmark entries, HumanEval: StarCoder2 15B − StarCoder2 15B Instruct = -25.5 percentage points (46.5% vs 72.0%).
- The first listed parameter quantities are 15.5B and 15.5B; the larger quantity is 1× the smaller. Total and active MoE parameters are not directly equivalent.
- The catalog release dates are February 2024 and April 2024, about 2 months apart at the precision supplied.
Cost example: 1M input and 1M output tokens
A cost example for 1M input plus 1M output tokens cannot be calculated reliably because separate numeric input and output rates are not listed for both models.
Choose StarCoder2 15B if…
Choose StarCoder2 15B when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as IDE completion in rare or niche programming languages, Organizations prioritizing ethical AI data sourcing, Multi-language polyglot projects spanning 600+ languages, 600+ programming languages — broadest language coverage of any open code model.
Choose StarCoder2 15B Instruct if…
Choose StarCoder2 15B Instruct when your task aligns with catalog-listed uses or strengths such as Conversational code assistance, Code review and documentation generation, 72% HumanEval — significant jump from base StarCoder2, Good at explaining code and writing documentation.
StarCoder2 15B
BigCode's StarCoder2 15B — trained on the Stack v2 with 600+ programming languages. Great for code completion and repository-level tasks.
Parameters: 15.5B
Context: 16K tokens
Catalog pricing: Apache 2.0 / BigCode OpenRAIL — free
StarCoder2 15B Instruct
BigCode's instruction-tuned StarCoder2 15B — agentic auto-coding, multi-file refactors, and natural-language-to-code generation.
Parameters: 15.5B
Context: 16K tokens
Catalog pricing: BigCode OpenRAIL-M — free
Feature Comparison — StarCoder2 15B vs StarCoder2 15B Instruct
| Specification | StarCoder2 15B | StarCoder2 15B Instruct |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | bigcode | bigcode |
| Parameters | 15.5B | 15.5B |
| Context window | 16K tokens | 16K tokens |
| Maximum output | Not listed | Not listed |
| Catalog pricing | Apache 2.0 / BigCode OpenRAIL — free | BigCode OpenRAIL-M — free |
| Listed input/output cost per 1M tokens | Separate numeric input/output rates not listed | Separate numeric input/output rates not listed |
| License | BigCode Open RAIL-M v1 | BigCode OpenRAIL-M |
| Coding support | Listed | Listed |
| Reasoning support | Not listed | Not listed |
| Vision input | Not listed | Not listed |
| Multimodal | Not listed | Not listed |
| Open weights | Yes | Yes |
| Benchmark: HumanEval | 46.5% | 72.0% |
Figures are transcribed from LITHOVEX model records. Benchmark versions and evaluation setups may differ; pricing and specifications can change. Check each provider's current documentation before making a decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is different between StarCoder2 15B and StarCoder2 15B Instruct?
What benchmark values are listed for StarCoder2 15B and StarCoder2 15B Instruct?
Which model has the larger listed context window?
What are the listed costs per million tokens for StarCoder2 15B and StarCoder2 15B Instruct?
How far apart are the listed release dates for StarCoder2 15B and StarCoder2 15B Instruct?
When was the comparison data last updated?
How should I choose between StarCoder2 15B and StarCoder2 15B Instruct?
Explore these models and related comparisons
Read the StarCoder2 15B model profile and StarCoder2 15B Instruct model profile, or browse the model directory.