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GLM-5.3 vs GPT-4.1

GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5.3 is 1.6x cheaper per token.

Zhipu AI · OpenAI · Updated for 2026

Which is better?

GLM-5.3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam), while GPT-4.1 is better at 0 benchmarks. GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

On price, GLM-5.3 is roughly 1.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

GPT-4.1 also accepts a larger context window (1,047,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.

Choose GLM-5.3

  • 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 want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026

Choose GPT-4.1

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,047,576 token context window

At a glance

The differences that matter most.

GLM-5.3
Zhipu AI
GPT-4.1
OpenAI
Benchmark wins
1 of 1
0 of 1
Input price
$1.40 / M
$2.00 / M
Output price
$4.40 / M
$8.00 / M
Context window
1,000,000
1,047,576
Released
Aug 2026
Apr 2025
License
Unknown
Proprietary

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

1 benchmarks

GLM-5.3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (Humanity's Last Exam), while GPT-4.1 is better at 0 benchmarks.

GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks.

Tue Aug 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Arena Performance

Playground indexes and blind preference scores

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GLM-5.3 costs less

For input processing, GLM-5.3 ($1.40/1M tokens) is 1.4x cheaper than GPT-4.1 ($2.00/1M tokens).

For output processing, GLM-5.3 ($4.40/1M tokens) is 1.8x cheaper than GPT-4.1 ($8.00/1M tokens).

In conclusion, GPT-4.1 is more expensive than GLM-5.3.*

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

Lowest available price from all providers
Tue Aug 25 2026 • llm-stats.com
Zhipu AI
GLM-5.3
Input tokens$1.40
Output tokens$4.40
Best providerUnknown Organization
OpenAI
GPT-4.1
Input tokens$2.00
Output tokens$8.00
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

GPT-4.1 accepts 1,047,576 input tokens compared to GLM-5.3's 1,000,000 tokens. GLM-5.3 can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while GPT-4.1 is limited to 32,768 tokens.

Zhipu AI
GLM-5.3
Input1,000,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-4.1
Input1,047,576 tokens
Output32,768 tokens
Tue Aug 25 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

GPT-4.1 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.3 does not.

GPT-4.1 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.

GLM-5.3

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-4.1

Text
Images
Audio
Video

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

GLM-5.3 was released on 2026-08-14, while GPT-4.1 was released on 2025-04-14.

GLM-5.3 is 16 months newer than GPT-4.1.

GLM-5.3

Aug 14, 2026

1 weeks ago

1.3yr newer
GPT-4.1

Apr 14, 2025

1.4 years ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

GPT-4.1 has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2024-06-01, while GLM-5.3's cutoff date is not specified.

We can confirm GPT-4.1's training data extends to 2024-06-01, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5.3's cutoff date.

GLM-5.3

—

GPT-4.1

Jun 2024

Provider Availability

GLM-5.3 is available from ZAI. GPT-4.1 is available from OpenAI.

GLM-5.3

z logo
Unknown Organization
Input Price:Input: $1.40/1MOutput Price:Output: $4.40/1M

GPT-4.1

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $2.00/1MOutput Price:Output: $8.00/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against GLM-5.3 and GPT-4.1 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

GLM-5.3
✓ Preferred
GPT-4.1
Open in Playground

FAQ

Common questions about GLM-5.3 vs GPT-4.1.

Which is better, GLM-5.3 or GPT-4.1?

GLM-5.3 significantly outperforms across most benchmarks. GLM-5.3 is made by Zhipu AI and GPT-4.1 is made by OpenAI. The best choice depends on your use case — compare their benchmark scores, pricing, and capabilities above.

How does GLM-5.3 compare to GPT-4.1 in benchmarks?

GLM-5.3 scores Terminal-Bench 2.1: 88.2%, CyberGym: 84.5%, FrontierSWE: 78.1%, Toolathlon: 73.0%, DeepSWE 1.1: 66.9%. GPT-4.1 scores MMLU: 90.2%, CharXiv-D: 87.9%, IFEval: 87.4%, MMMLU: 87.3%, MMMU: 74.8%.

Is GLM-5.3 cheaper than GPT-4.1?

GLM-5.3 is 1.4x cheaper for input tokens. GLM-5.3 costs $1.40/M input and $4.40/M output via z. GPT-4.1 costs $2.00/M input and $8.00/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for GLM-5.3 and GPT-4.1?

GLM-5.3 supports 1.0M tokens and GPT-4.1 supports 1.0M tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between GLM-5.3 and GPT-4.1?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 1.0M), input pricing ($1.40 vs $2.00/M), multimodal support (no vs yes), licensing (Unknown vs Proprietary). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes GLM-5.3 and GPT-4.1?

GLM-5.3 is developed by Zhipu AI and GPT-4.1 is developed by OpenAI.

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