Model Comparison

GLM-5 vs GPT-5 MediumWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing GLM-5 and GPT-5 Medium across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: GLM-5 vs GPT-5 Medium — which is better?

GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and GPT-5 Medium (by OpenAI) 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 2.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-5 Medium also accepts a larger context window (400,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose GLM-5 if…

  • cost matters — it's about 2.2x 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 GPT-5 Medium if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
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Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

GLM-5 and GPT-5 Medium 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

GLM-5 costs less

For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 1.3x cheaper than GPT-5 Medium ($1.25/1M tokens).

For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 3.1x cheaper than GPT-5 Medium ($10.00/1M tokens).

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

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Mon Jun 08 2026 • llm-stats.com
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input tokens$1.00
Output tokens$3.20
Best providerFriendliAI
OpenAI
GPT-5 Medium
Input tokens$1.25
Output tokens$10.00
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-5 Medium accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to GLM-5's 200,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 128,000 tokens.

Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input200,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-5 Medium
Input400,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Mon Jun 08 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-5 Medium supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.

GPT-5 Medium can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

GLM-5

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-5 Medium

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-5 Medium uses a proprietary license.

License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.

GLM-5

MIT

Open weights

GPT-5 Medium

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while GPT-5 Medium was released on 2025-08-07.

GLM-5 is 6 months newer than GPT-5 Medium.

GLM-5

Feb 11, 2026

3 months ago

6mo newer
GPT-5 Medium

Aug 7, 2025

10 months ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-5 Medium has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while GLM-5's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-5 Medium's training data extends to 2024-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5's cutoff date.

GLM-5

—

GPT-5 Medium

Sep 2024

Provider Availability

GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. GPT-5 Medium is available from OpenAI.

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

GPT-5 Medium

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $1.25/1MOutput Price:Output: $10.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Zhipu AI
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens
Has open weights
OpenAI
Larger context window (400,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
OpenAI
GPT-5 Medium

FAQ

Common questions about GLM-5 vs GPT-5 Medium.

Which is better, GLM-5 or GPT-5 Medium?

GLM-5 (Zhipu AI) and GPT-5 Medium (OpenAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does GLM-5 compare to GPT-5 Medium 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%. GPT-5 Medium scores AIME 2025: 88.9%, GPQA: 88.1%.

Is GLM-5 cheaper than GPT-5 Medium?

GLM-5 is 1.3x cheaper for input tokens. GLM-5 costs $1.00/M input and $3.20/M output via friendli. GPT-5 Medium costs $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output via openai.

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

GLM-5 supports 200K tokens and GPT-5 Medium supports 400K 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 GPT-5 Medium?

Key differences include context window (200K vs 400K), input pricing ($1.00 vs $1.25/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (MIT vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GLM-5 and GPT-5 Medium?

GLM-5 is developed by Zhipu AI and GPT-5 Medium is developed by OpenAI.

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