Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs GPT-5.2Which is better in 2026?
GLM-5 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GLM-5 is 3.1x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs GPT-5.2 — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and GPT-5.2 (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 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, MCP Atlas), while GPT-5.2 is better at 1 benchmark (SWE-Bench Verified). GLM-5 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, GLM-5 is roughly 3.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.2 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 2 of 3 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 3.1x 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-5.2 if…
- you process long inputs — it offers a 400,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, MCP Atlas), while GPT-5.2 is better at 1 benchmark (SWE-Bench Verified).
GLM-5 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 1.8x cheaper than GPT-5.2 ($1.75/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 4.4x cheaper than GPT-5.2 ($14.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.2 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-5.2 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-5.2 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.
GPT-5.2 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5
GPT-5.2
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-5.2 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-5.2 was released on 2025-12-11.
GLM-5 is 2 months newer than GPT-5.2.
Feb 11, 2026
3 months ago
2mo newerDec 11, 2025
5 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5.2 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2025-08-25, while GLM-5's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-5.2's training data extends to 2025-08-25, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5's cutoff date.
—
Aug 2025
Provider Availability
GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. GPT-5.2 is available from OpenAI.
GLM-5
GPT-5.2
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
GPT-5.2
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs GPT-5.2.