Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs DeepSeek-R1Which is better in 2026?
Comparing GLM-5 and DeepSeek-R1 across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs DeepSeek-R1 — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and DeepSeek-R1 (by DeepSeek) 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, DeepSeek-R1 is roughly 1.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GLM-5 also accepts a larger context window (200,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GLM-5 if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2026
Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…
- cost matters — it's about 1.6x cheaper per token
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 and DeepSeek-R1 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 1.8x more expensive than DeepSeek-R1 ($0.55/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 1.5x more expensive than DeepSeek-R1 ($2.19/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-5 is more expensive than DeepSeek-R1.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
GLM-5 has 73.0B more parameters than DeepSeek-R1, making it 10.9% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GLM-5 accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to DeepSeek-R1's 131,072 tokens. DeepSeek-R1 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GLM-5 is limited to 128,000 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
Both models are licensed under MIT.
Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.
MIT
Open weights
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while DeepSeek-R1 was released on 2025-01-20.
GLM-5 is 13 months newer than DeepSeek-R1.
Feb 11, 2026
3 months ago
1.1yr newerJan 20, 2025
1.4 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. DeepSeek-R1 is available from DeepSeek, DeepInfra, Together, Fireworks.
GLM-5
DeepSeek-R1
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
DeepSeek-R1
View detailsDeepSeek
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs DeepSeek-R1.