Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs GPT-5.1Which is better in 2026?
GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5 is 2.2x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs GPT-5.1 — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and GPT-5.1 (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.
GLM-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-5.1 is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
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-5.1 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…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- 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-5.1 if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-5.1 is better at 0 benchmarks.
GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 1.3x cheaper than GPT-5.1 ($1.25/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 3.1x cheaper than GPT-5.1 ($10.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 is more expensive than GLM-5.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.1 accepts 400,000 input tokens compared to GLM-5's 200,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-5.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.
GPT-5.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5
GPT-5.1
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-5.1 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 GPT-5.1 was released on 2025-11-13.
GLM-5 is 3 months newer than GPT-5.1.
Feb 11, 2026
4 months ago
3mo newerNov 13, 2025
7 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while GLM-5's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-5.1's training data extends to 2024-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5's cutoff date.
—
Sep 2024
Provider Availability
GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. GPT-5.1 is available from OpenAI.
GLM-5
GPT-5.1
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
GPT-5.1
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs GPT-5.1.