Model Comparison
GLM-5.2 vs GPT-5.1Which is better in 2026?
GLM-5.2 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5.2 is 1.6x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GLM-5.2 vs GPT-5.1 — which is better?
GLM-5.2 (by Zhipu AI) and GPT-5.1 (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-5.2 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while GPT-5.1 is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5.2 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
On price, GLM-5.2 is roughly 1.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GLM-5.2 also accepts a larger context window (1,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GLM-5.2 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 1 of 1 shared benchmarks
- cost matters — it's about 1.6x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,000,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jun 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GPT-5.1 if…
- you want predictable pricing at $1.25/M input and $10.00/M output
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5.2 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (GPQA), while GPT-5.1 is better at 0 benchmarks.
GLM-5.2 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5.2 ($1.40/1M tokens) is 1.1x more expensive than GPT-5.1 ($1.25/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5.2 ($4.40/1M tokens) is 2.3x cheaper than GPT-5.1 ($10.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.1 is more expensive than GLM-5.2.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GLM-5.2 accepts 1,000,000 input tokens compared to GPT-5.1's 400,000 tokens. GLM-5.2 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-5.1 is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-5.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.2 does not.
GPT-5.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5.2
GPT-5.1
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5.2 is licensed under MIT, while GPT-5.1 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-5.2 was released on 2026-06-16, while GPT-5.1 was released on 2025-11-13.
GLM-5.2 is 7 months newer than GPT-5.1.
Jun 16, 2026
1 weeks ago
7mo newerNov 13, 2025
7 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-5.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-09-30, while GLM-5.2's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-5.1's training data extends to 2024-09-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5.2's cutoff date.
—
Sep 2024
Provider Availability
GLM-5.2 is available from FriendliAI, Novita, ZAI. GPT-5.1 is available from OpenAI.
GLM-5.2
GPT-5.1
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GLM-5.2
View detailsZhipu AI
GPT-5.1
View detailsOpenAI
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5.2 vs GPT-5.1.