Model Comparison

GLM-5 vs LongCat-Flash-LiteWhich is better in 2026?

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. LongCat-Flash-Lite is 8.9x cheaper per token.

Verdict: GLM-5 vs LongCat-Flash-Lite — which is better?

GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and LongCat-Flash-Lite (by Meituan) 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 LongCat-Flash-Lite is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, LongCat-Flash-Lite is roughly 8.9x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

LongCat-Flash-Lite also accepts a larger context window (256,000 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
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Feb 2026

Choose LongCat-Flash-Lite if…

  • cost matters — it's about 8.9x cheaper per token
  • you process long inputs — it offers a 256,000 token context window

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

GLM-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified), while LongCat-Flash-Lite is better at 0 benchmarks.

GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Mon Jul 13 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

LongCat-Flash-Lite costs less

For input processing, GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens) is 10.0x more expensive than LongCat-Flash-Lite ($0.10/1M tokens).

For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 8.0x more expensive than LongCat-Flash-Lite ($0.40/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GLM-5 is more expensive than LongCat-Flash-Lite.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Mon Jul 13 2026 • llm-stats.com
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Input tokens$1.00
Output tokens$3.20
Best providerFriendliAI
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Lite
Input tokens$0.10
Output tokens$0.40
Best providerMeituan
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Model Size

Parameter count comparison

675.5B diff

GLM-5 has 675.5B more parameters than LongCat-Flash-Lite, making it 986.1% larger.

Zhipu AI
GLM-5
744.0Bparameters
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Lite
68.5Bparameters
744.0B
GLM-5
68.5B
LongCat-Flash-Lite

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

LongCat-Flash-Lite accepts 256,000 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
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Lite
Input256,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Mon Jul 13 2026 • llm-stats.com

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under MIT.

Both models share the same licensing terms, providing consistent usage rights.

GLM-5

MIT

Open weights

LongCat-Flash-Lite

MIT

Open weights

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11, while LongCat-Flash-Lite was released on 2026-02-05.

GLM-5 is 0 month newer than LongCat-Flash-Lite.

GLM-5

Feb 11, 2026

5 months ago

6d newer
LongCat-Flash-Lite

Feb 5, 2026

5 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. LongCat-Flash-Lite is available from Meituan.

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

LongCat-Flash-Lite

meituan logo
Meituan
Input Price:Input: $0.10/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.40/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Zhipu AI
Higher SWE-Bench Verified score (77.8% vs 54.4%)
Meituan
Larger context window (256,000 tokens)
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GLM-5 and LongCat-Flash-Lite side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GLM-5
✓ Preferred
LongCat-Flash-Lite
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Zhipu AI
GLM-5
Meituan
LongCat-Flash-Lite

FAQ

Common questions about GLM-5 vs LongCat-Flash-Lite.

Which is better, GLM-5 or LongCat-Flash-Lite?

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

How does GLM-5 compare to LongCat-Flash-Lite 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%. LongCat-Flash-Lite scores MATH-500: 96.8%, MMLU: 85.5%, CMMLU: 82.5%, MMLU-Pro: 78.3%, Tau2 Retail: 73.1%.

Is GLM-5 cheaper than LongCat-Flash-Lite?

LongCat-Flash-Lite is 10.0x cheaper for input tokens. GLM-5 costs $1.00/M input and $3.20/M output via friendli. LongCat-Flash-Lite costs $0.10/M input and $0.40/M output via meituan.

What are the context window sizes for GLM-5 and LongCat-Flash-Lite?

GLM-5 supports 200K tokens and LongCat-Flash-Lite supports 256K 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 LongCat-Flash-Lite?

Key differences include context window (200K vs 256K), input pricing ($1.00 vs $0.10/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GLM-5 and LongCat-Flash-Lite?

GLM-5 is developed by Zhipu AI and LongCat-Flash-Lite is developed by Meituan.

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