text model comparison
GLM-5.3 vs GLM-5.3-Flash
GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash are both current text models, from Z.ai. GLM-5.3-Flash is 89% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GLM-5.3, $0.15 vs $1.40. On Arena Text, GLM-5.3 scores 1478 Elo and GLM-5.3-Flash 1475 Elo (Arena, measured October 8, 2026). Both accept 1,000,000 tokens of context.
Data verified October 13, 2026 · Dataset 2026-10-13
Side by side
Standard-tier prices in effect today. The better value in each row is highlighted.
| Fact | GLM-5.3 | GLM-5.3-Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M input tokens | $1.40 | $0.15 (better) |
| Price per 1M output tokens | $4.40 | $0.50 (better) |
| Cost of 10M input and 2M output tokens | $22.80 | $2.50 (better) |
| Arena Text | 1478 Elo (#18 of 49) (better) | 1475 Elo (#21 of 49) |
| GPQA Diamond | 90.9% (#22 of 40) (better) | 90.2% (#27 of 40) |
| FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2) | 68.8% (#21 of 40) (better) | 55.8% (#31 of 40) |
| SimpleQA Verified | 41% (#27 of 36) | Not measured |
| Provider | Z.ai | Z.ai |
| Release date | August 18, 2026 | August 26, 2026 |
| Access | API and open weights | API and open weights |
| Context window | 1,000,000 tokens | 1,000,000 tokens |
| Max output | 128,000 tokens | 128,000 tokens |
| Input | text | text, image, video |
| Output | text | text |
When to choose each
GLM-5.3
Best for
- Long-horizon agentic coding
- Self-hosted reasoning with permissive weights
Watch out for
- Text input only, and reasoning cannot be turned off: requests that disable thinking fail
- The licence requires a Z.ai security review before very large model-as-a-service operators use it commercially
GLM-5.3-Flash
Best for
- Low-cost coding from screenshots or screen recordings
- Document and research agents on a budget
Watch out for
- Thinking cannot be disabled
- A faster GLM-5.3-FlashX is a separate model id at $0.37 input and $1.25 output per 1M tokens
GLM-5.3 vs GLM-5.3-Flash FAQ
Which is cheaper, GLM-5.3 or GLM-5.3-Flash?
GLM-5.3-Flash is 89% cheaper per 1M input tokens than GLM-5.3, $0.15 vs $1.40. For 10M input and 2M output tokens, GLM-5.3 costs $22.80 and GLM-5.3-Flash $2.50 at standard rates.
Which scores higher on independent benchmarks, GLM-5.3 or GLM-5.3-Flash?
GLM-5.3 leads on Arena Text, 1478 Elo to 1475 Elo; GLM-5.3 leads on GPQA Diamond, 90.9% to 90.2%; GLM-5.3 leads on FrontierMath Tiers 1-3 (v2), 68.8% to 55.8%. Scores are independent evaluations, not either vendor's launch figures.
Which has the larger context window, GLM-5.3 or GLM-5.3-Flash?
Both accept 1,000,000 tokens of context.
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Production evaluation
Choosing between GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash?
Public benchmarks narrow the shortlist. We run both on your own tasks, data and cost limits, then build the routing and review controls to run the winner in production.
- A head-to-head evaluation on your real workload
- Routing between models by cost and difficulty