Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs Grok-4.1 Fast ReasoningWhich is better in 2026?
Comparing GLM-5 and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning (by xAI) 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, Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is roughly 5.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning also accepts a larger context window (2,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GLM-5 if…
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning if…
- cost matters — it's about 5.6x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 2,000,000 token context window
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 and Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning 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
For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 5.0x more expensive than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning ($0.20/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 6.4x more expensive than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning ($0.50/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-5 is more expensive than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning accepts 2,000,000 input tokens compared to GLM-5's 200,000 tokens. GLM-5 can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is limited to 30,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning 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 Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning was released on 2025-11-17.
GLM-5 is 3 months newer than Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning.
Feb 11, 2026
3 months ago
2mo newerNov 17, 2025
6 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning is available from xAI.
GLM-5
Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
Detailed Comparison
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FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs Grok-4.1 Fast Reasoning.