GLM-5.3-Flash vs Grok 4.5
GLM-5.3-Flash and Grok 4.5 are closely matched at 51.6 and 47.0 on the LLM Stats Score. GLM-5.3-Flash is 12.6x cheaper per token.
Zhipu AI · xAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GLM-5.3-Flash and Grok 4.5 are closely matched on the overall LLM Stats Score at 51.6 and 47.0.
In the 3 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GLM-5.3-Flash wins 3; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, GLM-5.3-Flash is roughly 12.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GLM-5.3-Flash also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Based on current LLM Stats indexes, shared benchmarks, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GLM-5.3-Flash
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 3 of 3 exact shared results
- cost matters — it's about 12.6x cheaper per token
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose Grok 4.5
- you want predictable pricing at $2.00/M input and $6.00/M output
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
15 reported for GLM-5.3-Flash · 14 for Grok 4.5
GLM-5.3-Flash outperforms in 3 benchmarks (Artificial Analysis, DeepSWE 1.1, Terminal-Bench 2.1), while Grok 4.5 is better at 0 benchmarks.
GLM-5.3-Flash significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.
Human preference
Blind head-to-head votes and playground preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5.3-Flash ($0.15/1M tokens) is 13.3x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($2.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5.3-Flash ($0.50/1M tokens) is 12.0x cheaper than Grok 4.5 ($6.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Grok 4.5 is more expensive than GLM-5.3-Flash.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GLM-5.3-Flash accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Grok 4.5's 500,000 tokens. Only GLM-5.3-Flash specifies output context (131,072 tokens).
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Both GLM-5.3-Flash and Grok 4.5 support multimodal inputs.
They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.
GLM-5.3-Flash
Grok 4.5
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5.3-Flash is licensed under MIT, while Grok 4.5 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-5.3-Flash was released on 2026-08-26, while Grok 4.5 was released on 2026-07-16.
GLM-5.3-Flash is 1 month newer than Grok 4.5.
Aug 26, 2026
2 days ago
1mo newerJul 16, 2026
1 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Grok 4.5 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-02-01, while GLM-5.3-Flash's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm Grok 4.5's training data extends to 2026-02-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5.3-Flash's cutoff date.
—
Feb 2026
Provider Availability
GLM-5.3-Flash is available from DeepInfra, Novita, ZAI. Grok 4.5 is available from xAI.
GLM-5.3-Flash
Grok 4.5
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GLM-5.3-Flash and Grok 4.5 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5.3-Flash vs Grok 4.5.