Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs GLM-5.2
GLM-5.2 leads the LLM Stats Score 45.5 to 29.9. Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 1.4x cheaper per token.
Google · Zhipu AI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GLM-5.2 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 45.5 to 29.9, ranking #27 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GLM-5.2 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is roughly 1.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
- cost matters — it's about 1.4x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026
Choose GLM-5.2
- overall performance matters — it scores 45.5 and ranks #27 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Individual benchmarks
6 reported for Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite · 19 for GLM-5.2
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite outperforms in 0 benchmarks, while GLM-5.2 is better at 2 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Pro, Terminal-Bench 2.1).
GLM-5.2 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($0.30/1M tokens) is 2.5x cheaper than GLM-5.2 ($0.75/1M tokens).
For output processing, Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite ($2.50/1M tokens) is 1.0x more expensive than GLM-5.2 ($2.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-5.2 is more expensive than Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 1,048,576 tokens. GLM-5.2 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is limited to 65,536 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.2 does not.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
GLM-5.2
License
Usage and distribution terms
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is licensed under a proprietary license, while GLM-5.2 uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite was released on 2026-07-21, while GLM-5.2 was released on 2026-06-16.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is 1 month newer than GLM-5.2.
Jul 21, 2026
1 months ago
1mo newerJun 16, 2026
3 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while GLM-5.2's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite's training data extends to 2026-03-31, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5.2's cutoff date.
Mar 2026
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Provider Availability
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is available from Google. GLM-5.2 is available from DeepInfra, Fireworks, FriendliAI, Novita, Together, ZAI.
Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite
GLM-5.2
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite and GLM-5.2 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite vs GLM-5.2.