GLM-5.3 vs Inkling
GLM-5.3 leads the LLM Stats Score 51.5 to 37.1. Inkling is 1.1x cheaper per token.
Zhipu AI · Thinking Machines Lab · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GLM-5.3 leads the overall LLM Stats Score 51.5 to 37.1, ranking #13 overall.
In the 2 individual benchmarks reported for both models, GLM-5.3 wins 2; this is a narrower head-to-head signal than the composite indexes.
On price, Inkling is roughly 1.1x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GLM-5.3 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
- overall performance matters — it scores 51.5 and ranks #13 on LLM Stats
- your work emphasizes reasoning and coding — it leads those capability indexes
- you value its reported benchmark strengths — it wins 2 of 2 exact shared results
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
Choose Inkling
- cost matters — it's about 1.1x cheaper per token
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 · 16 for Inkling
GLM-5.3 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (GDPval-AA, Terminal-Bench 2.1), while Inkling is better at 0 benchmarks.
GLM-5.3 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 ($1.20/1M tokens) is 1.3x more expensive than Inkling ($0.95/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5.3 ($4.00/1M tokens) is 1.0x cheaper than Inkling ($4.05/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GLM-5.3 is more expensive than Inkling.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Inkling has 222.0B more parameters than GLM-5.3, making it 29.5% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GLM-5.3 accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to Inkling's 524,288 tokens. GLM-5.3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while Inkling is limited to 524,288 tokens.
Input capabilities
Documented input modalities across available providers
Inkling supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.3 does not.
Inkling can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5.3
Inkling
License
Usage and distribution terms
GLM-5.3 is licensed under GLM-5.3 License, while Inkling uses Apache 2.0.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
GLM-5.3 License
Open weights
Apache 2.0
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GLM-5.3 was released on 2026-08-14, while Inkling was released on 2026-07-21.
GLM-5.3 is 1 month newer than Inkling.
Aug 14, 2026
1 months ago
3w newerJul 21, 2026
2 months ago
Knowledge Cutoff
When training data ends
Neither model specifies a knowledge cutoff date.
Unable to compare the recency of their training data.
Provider Availability
GLM-5.3 is available from DeepInfra, FriendliAI, Novita, ZAI. Inkling is available from DeepInfra.
GLM-5.3
Inkling
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GLM-5.3 and Inkling side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5.3 vs Inkling.