Model Comparison
GLM-5 vs o3-miniWhich is better in 2026?
GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5 is 1.2x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-5 vs o3-mini — which is better?
GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) and o3-mini (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 o3-mini is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GLM-5 is roughly 1.2x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Choose GLM-5 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 1.2x 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 o3-mini if…
- you want predictable pricing at $1.10/M input and $4.40/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (SWE-Bench Verified), while o3-mini 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 1.1x cheaper than o3-mini ($1.10/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens) is 1.4x cheaper than o3-mini ($4.40/1M tokens).
In conclusion, o3-mini is more expensive than GLM-5.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 200,000 tokens. GLM-5 can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while o3-mini is limited to 100,000 tokens.
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5 is licensed under MIT, while o3-mini 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 o3-mini was released on 2025-01-30.
GLM-5 is 13 months newer than o3-mini.
Feb 11, 2026
3 months ago
1.0yr newerJan 30, 2025
1.3 years ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
o3-mini has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2023-09-30, while GLM-5's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm o3-mini's training data extends to 2023-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5's cutoff date.
—
Sep 2023
Provider Availability
GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI. o3-mini is available from Azure, OpenAI.
GLM-5
o3-mini
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
o3-mini
View detailsOpenAI
No standout differentiators in the data we have for this pair.
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5 vs o3-mini.