Model Comparison
GLM-4.6 vs Claude 3 SonnetWhich is better in 2026?
GLM-4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-4.6 is 6.6x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-4.6 vs Claude 3 Sonnet — which is better?
GLM-4.6 (by Zhipu AI) and Claude 3 Sonnet (by Anthropic) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.
GLM-4.6 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Claude 3 Sonnet is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GLM-4.6 is roughly 6.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Claude 3 Sonnet also accepts a larger context window (200,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GLM-4.6 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 6.6x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Claude 3 Sonnet if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-4.6 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Claude 3 Sonnet is better at 0 benchmarks.
GLM-4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-4.6 ($0.55/1M tokens) is 5.5x cheaper than Claude 3 Sonnet ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-4.6 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 7.5x cheaper than Claude 3 Sonnet ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Claude 3 Sonnet is more expensive than GLM-4.6.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Claude 3 Sonnet accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to GLM-4.6's 131,072 tokens. Claude 3 Sonnet can generate longer responses up to 200,000 tokens, while GLM-4.6 is limited to 131,072 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GLM-4.6 and Claude 3 Sonnet support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GLM-4.6
Claude 3 Sonnet
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-4.6 is licensed under MIT, while Claude 3 Sonnet uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
MIT
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GLM-4.6 was released on 2025-09-30, while Claude 3 Sonnet was released on 2024-02-29.
GLM-4.6 is 19 months newer than Claude 3 Sonnet.
Sep 30, 2025
8 months ago
1.6yr newerFeb 29, 2024
2.3 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GLM-4.6 is available from Fireworks, DeepInfra. Claude 3 Sonnet is available from Anthropic, Bedrock, Google.
GLM-4.6
Claude 3 Sonnet
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-4.6
View detailsZhipu AI
Claude 3 Sonnet
View detailsAnthropic
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GLM-4.6 vs Claude 3 Sonnet.