DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max vs GLM-5.3
GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max is 12.3x cheaper per token.
DeepSeek · Zhipu AI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GLM-5.3 is better at 2 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam, Toolathlon). GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max is roughly 12.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max
- cost matters — it's about 12.3x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GLM-5.3
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GLM-5.3 is better at 2 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam, Toolathlon).
GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max ($0.14/1M tokens) is 10.0x cheaper than GLM-5.3 ($1.40/1M tokens).
For output processing, DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max ($0.28/1M tokens) is 15.7x cheaper than GLM-5.3 ($4.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-5.3 is more expensive than DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
GLM-5.3 has 469.0B more parameters than DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max, making it 165.1% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to GLM-5.3's 1,000,000 tokens. DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max can generate longer responses up to 393,216 tokens, while GLM-5.3 is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max was released on 2026-04-23, while GLM-5.3 was released on 2026-08-14.
GLM-5.3 is 4 months newer than DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max.
Apr 23, 2026
4 months ago
Aug 14, 2026
1 weeks ago
3mo newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max is available from DeepSeek. GLM-5.3 is available from ZAI.
DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max
GLM-5.3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max and GLM-5.3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about DeepSeek-V4-Flash-Max vs GLM-5.3.