Model Comparison

GLM-5 vs GPT-5.1 ThinkingWhich 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 Thinking — which is better?

GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and GPT-5.1 Thinking (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 Thinking 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 Thinking 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 Thinking if…

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

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

GLM-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified), while GPT-5.1 Thinking is better at 0 benchmarks.

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Sat Jun 13 2026 • llm-stats.com

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-5.1 Thinking ($1.25/1M tokens).

For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 3.1x cheaper than GPT-5.1 Thinking ($10.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-5.1 Thinking is more expensive than GLM-5.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Sat Jun 13 2026 • llm-stats.com
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input tokens$1.00
Output tokens$3.20
Best providerFriendliAI
OpenAI
GPT-5.1 Thinking
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-5.1 Thinking 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-5.1 Thinking
Input400,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Sat Jun 13 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-5.1 Thinking supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.

GPT-5.1 Thinking can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

GLM-5

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-5.1 Thinking

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-5.1 Thinking 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-5.1 Thinking

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while GPT-5.1 Thinking was released on 2025-11-12.

GLM-5 is 3 months newer than GPT-5.1 Thinking.

GLM-5

Feb 11, 2026

4 months ago

3mo newer
GPT-5.1 Thinking

Nov 12, 2025

7 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. GPT-5.1 Thinking 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-5.1 Thinking

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
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (77.8% vs 76.3%)
OpenAI
Larger context window (400,000 tokens)
Supports multimodal inputs

Detailed Comparison

AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
OpenAI
GPT-5.1 Thinking

FAQ

Common questions about GLM-5 vs GPT-5.1 Thinking.

Which is better, GLM-5 or GPT-5.1 Thinking?

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5 is made by Zhipu AI and GPT-5.1 Thinking is made by OpenAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GLM-5 compare to GPT-5.1 Thinking 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-5.1 Thinking scores Tau2 Telecom: 95.6%, AIME 2025: 94.0%, BrowseComp Long Context 128k: 90.0%, GPQA: 88.1%, MMMU: 85.4%.

Is GLM-5 cheaper than GPT-5.1 Thinking?

GLM-5 is 1.3x cheaper for input tokens. GLM-5 costs $1.00/M input and $3.20/M output via friendli. GPT-5.1 Thinking costs $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for GLM-5 and GPT-5.1 Thinking?

GLM-5 supports 200K tokens and GPT-5.1 Thinking 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-5.1 Thinking?

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-5.1 Thinking?

GLM-5 is developed by Zhipu AI and GPT-5.1 Thinking is developed by OpenAI.

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