Model Comparison

GLM-5 vs GLM-4.6Which is better in 2026?

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-4.6 is 1.7x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GLM-5 vs GLM-4.6 — which is better?

GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and GLM-4.6 (by Zhipu AI) 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-5 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, SWE-Bench Verified), while GLM-4.6 is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, GLM-4.6 is roughly 1.7x 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 want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 2 shared benchmarks
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 200,000 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2026

Choose GLM-4.6 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 1.7x cheaper per token
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

2 benchmarks

GLM-5 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, SWE-Bench Verified), while GLM-4.6 is better at 0 benchmarks.

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Jun 23 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GLM-4.6 costs less

For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 1.8x more expensive than GLM-4.6 ($0.55/1M tokens).

For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 1.6x more expensive than GLM-4.6 ($2.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GLM-5 is more expensive than GLM-4.6.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Jun 23 2026 • llm-stats.com
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input tokens$1.00
Output tokens$3.20
Best providerFriendliAI
Zhipu AI
GLM-4.6
Input tokens$0.55
Output tokens$2.00
Best providerFireworks
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

387.0B diff

GLM-5 has 387.0B more parameters than GLM-4.6, making it 108.4% larger.

Zhipu AI
GLM-5
744.0Bparameters
Zhipu AI
GLM-4.6
357.0Bparameters
744.0B
GLM-5
357.0B
GLM-4.6

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GLM-5 accepts 200,000 input tokens compared to GLM-4.6's 131,072 tokens. GLM-4.6 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GLM-5 is limited to 128,000 tokens.

Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input200,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Zhipu AI
GLM-4.6
Input131,072 tokens
Output131,072 tokens
Tue Jun 23 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GLM-4.6 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.

GLM-4.6 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

GLM-5

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GLM-4.6

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under MIT.

Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.

GLM-5

MIT

Open weights

GLM-4.6

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while GLM-4.6 was released on 2025-09-30.

GLM-5 is 4 months newer than GLM-4.6.

GLM-5

Feb 11, 2026

4 months ago

4mo newer
GLM-4.6

Sep 30, 2025

8 months ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.

Unable to compare the recency of their training data.

No cutoff dates available

Provider Availability

GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. GLM-4.6 is available from Fireworks, DeepInfra.

GLM-5

friendli logo
FriendliAI
Input Price:Input: $1.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $3.20/1M
z logo
Unknown Organization
Input Price:Input: $1.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $3.20/1M

GLM-4.6

fireworks logo
Fireworks
Input Price:Input: $0.55/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.19/1M
deepinfra logo
Deepinfra
Input Price:Input: $0.60/1MOutput Price:Output: $2.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Zhipu AI
Larger context window (200,000 tokens)
Higher BrowseComp score (75.9% vs 45.1%)
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (77.8% vs 68.0%)
Zhipu AI
Supports multimodal inputs
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Zhipu AI
GLM-4.6

FAQ

Common questions about GLM-5 vs GLM-4.6.

Which is better, GLM-5 or GLM-4.6?

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5 is made by Zhipu AI and GLM-4.6 is made by Zhipu AI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GLM-5 compare to GLM-4.6 in benchmarks?

GLM-5 scores t2-bench: 89.7%, SWE-Bench Verified: 77.8%, BrowseComp: 75.9%, MCP Atlas: 67.8%, Terminal-Bench 2.0: 56.2%. GLM-4.6 scores AIME 2025: 93.9%, LiveCodeBench v6: 82.8%, GPQA: 81.0%, SWE-Bench Verified: 68.0%, BrowseComp: 45.1%.

Is GLM-5 cheaper than GLM-4.6?

GLM-4.6 is 1.8x cheaper for input tokens. GLM-5 costs $1.00/M input and $3.20/M output via friendli. GLM-4.6 costs $0.55/M input and $2.00/M output via fireworks.

What are the context window sizes for GLM-5 and GLM-4.6?

GLM-5 supports 200K tokens and GLM-4.6 supports 131K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GLM-5 and GLM-4.6?

Key differences include context window (200K vs 131K), input pricing ($1.00 vs $0.55/M), multimodal support (no vs yes). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

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