Model Comparison
GLM-4.6 vs Nova LiteWhich is better in 2026?
GLM-4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. Nova Lite is 8.7x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-4.6 vs Nova Lite — which is better?
GLM-4.6 (by Zhipu AI) and Nova Lite (by Amazon) 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 Nova Lite is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-4.6 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, Nova Lite is roughly 8.7x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Nova Lite also accepts a larger context window (300,000 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
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2025
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Nova Lite if…
- cost matters — it's about 8.7x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 300,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-4.6 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while Nova Lite 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 9.2x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.06/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-4.6 ($2.00/1M tokens) is 8.3x more expensive than Nova Lite ($0.24/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-4.6 is more expensive than Nova Lite.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Nova Lite accepts 300,000 input tokens compared to GLM-4.6's 131,072 tokens. GLM-4.6 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while Nova Lite is limited to 2,048 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Both GLM-4.6 and Nova Lite support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GLM-4.6
Nova Lite
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-4.6 is licensed under MIT, while Nova Lite 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 Nova Lite was released on 2024-11-20.
GLM-4.6 is 10 months newer than Nova Lite.
Sep 30, 2025
9 months ago
10mo newerNov 20, 2024
1.7 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. Nova Lite is available from Bedrock.
GLM-4.6
Nova Lite
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-4.6
View detailsZhipu AI
Nova Lite
View detailsAmazon
Detailed Comparison
Interactive Arena
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GLM-4.6 and Nova Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-4.6 vs Nova Lite.