GLM-5.3 vs GPT-6 Astra
GPT-6 Astra leads the LLM Stats Score 60.7 to 53.6. GLM-5.3 is 9.3x cheaper per token.
Zhipu AI · OpenAI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GPT-6 Astra leads the overall LLM Stats Score 60.7 to 53.6, ranking #1 overall.
In the 6 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GPT-6 Astra wins 5; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, GLM-5.3 is roughly 9.3x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-6 Astra also accepts a larger context window (1,050,000 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
- cost matters — it's about 9.3x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Choose GPT-6 Astra
- overall performance matters — it scores 60.7 and ranks #1 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes coding and agents — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 5 of 6 exact shared results
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,050,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Sep 2026
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Capability indexes
Additional strengths measured across groups of related public benchmarks
Individual benchmarks
17 reported for GLM-5.3 · 22 for GPT-6 Astra
GLM-5.3 outperforms in 1 benchmarks (AutomationBench), while GPT-6 Astra is better at 5 benchmarks (Agents' Last Exam, DeepSWE 1.1, ExploitBench, ExploitGym, Terminal-Bench 4.0).
GPT-6 Astra 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 ($1.40/1M tokens) is 7.1x cheaper than GPT-6 Astra ($10.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5.3 ($4.40/1M tokens) is 11.4x cheaper than GPT-6 Astra ($50.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-6 Astra is more expensive than GLM-5.3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-6 Astra accepts 1,050,000 input tokens compared to GLM-5.3's 1,000,000 tokens. GLM-5.3 can generate longer responses up to 131,072 tokens, while GPT-6 Astra is limited to 128,000 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
GPT-6 Astra supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.3 does not.
GPT-6 Astra can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5.3
GPT-6 Astra
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5.3 is licensed under GLM-5.3 License, while GPT-6 Astra uses a proprietary license.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
GLM-5.3 License
Open weights
Proprietary
Closed source
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GLM-5.3 was released on 2026-08-14, while GPT-6 Astra was released on 2026-09-04.
GPT-6 Astra is 1 month newer than GLM-5.3.
Aug 14, 2026
3 weeks ago
Sep 4, 2026
1 days ago
3w newerKnowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
GPT-6 Astra has a documented knowledge cutoff of 2026-04-30, while GLM-5.3's cutoff date is not specified.
We can confirm GPT-6 Astra's training data extends to 2026-04-30, but cannot make a direct comparison without GLM-5.3's cutoff date.
—
Apr 2026
Provider Availability
GLM-5.3 is available from FriendliAI, Novita, ZAI. GPT-6 Astra is available from OpenAI.
GLM-5.3
GPT-6 Astra
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GLM-5.3 and GPT-6 Astra side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5.3 vs GPT-6 Astra.