Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs Claude 3 OpusWhich is better in 2026?
Comparing GLM-5 and Claude 3 Opus across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs Claude 3 Opus — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and Claude 3 Opus (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.
On price, GLM-5 is roughly 19.4x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Choose GLM-5 if…
- cost matters — it's about 19.4x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Claude 3 Opus if…
- you want predictable pricing at $15.00/M input and $75.00/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 and Claude 3 Opus don't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 15.0x cheaper than Claude 3 Opus ($15.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 23.4x cheaper than Claude 3 Opus ($75.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Claude 3 Opus is more expensive than GLM-5.*
* 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 200,000 tokens. Claude 3 Opus can generate longer responses up to 200,000 tokens, while GLM-5 is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Claude 3 Opus supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.
Claude 3 Opus can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5
Claude 3 Opus
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while Claude 3 Opus 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-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while Claude 3 Opus was released on 2024-02-29.
GLM-5 is 24 months newer than Claude 3 Opus.
Feb 11, 2026
3 months ago
2.0yr 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-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. Claude 3 Opus is available from Anthropic, Bedrock, Google.
GLM-5
Claude 3 Opus
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
Claude 3 Opus
View detailsAnthropic
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs Claude 3 Opus.