GLM-5.3 vs Kimi K3
Kimi K3 has a slight edge in benchmark performance. GLM-5.3 is 2.8x cheaper per token.
Zhipu AI · Moonshot AI · Updated for 2026
Which is better?
GLM-5.3 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (AutomationBench, Humanity's Last Exam, PostTrainBench, SWE-Marathon), while Kimi K3 is better at 5 benchmarks (DeepSWE 1.1, FrontierSWE, Program Bench, Terminal-Bench 2.1, Toolathlon). Kimi K3 has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
On price, GLM-5.3 is roughly 2.8x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
Based on current benchmark, pricing, and model metadata for 2026.
Choose GLM-5.3
- cost matters — it's about 2.8x cheaper per token
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Aug 2026
Choose Kimi K3
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 5 of 9 shared benchmarks
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
At a glance
The differences that matter most.
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GLM-5.3 outperforms in 4 benchmarks (AutomationBench, Humanity's Last Exam, PostTrainBench, SWE-Marathon), while Kimi K3 is better at 5 benchmarks (DeepSWE 1.1, FrontierSWE, Program Bench, Terminal-Bench 2.1, Toolathlon).
Kimi K3 has a slight edge in benchmark performance.
Arena Performance
Playground indexes and blind preference scores
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GLM-5.3 ($1.40/1M tokens) is 2.1x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($3.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GLM-5.3 ($4.40/1M tokens) is 3.4x cheaper than Kimi K3 ($15.00/1M tokens).
In conclusion, Kimi K3 is more expensive than GLM-5.3.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Model Size
Parameter count comparison
Kimi K3 has 2047.0B more parameters than GLM-5.3, making it 271.8% larger.
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
Both models have the same input context window of 1,048,576 tokens. Kimi K3 can generate longer responses up to 1,048,576 tokens, while GLM-5.3 is limited to 131,072 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
Kimi K3 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5.3 does not.
Kimi K3 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GLM-5.3
Kimi K3
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GLM-5.3 was released on 2026-08-14, while Kimi K3 was released on 2026-07-16.
GLM-5.3 is 1 month newer than Kimi K3.
Aug 14, 2026
1 weeks ago
4w newerJul 16, 2026
1 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 Novita, ZAI. Kimi K3 is available from Fireworks, Moonshot AI, Novita, Together.
GLM-5.3
Kimi K3
Outputs Comparison
Judge for yourself.
Run your own prompts against GLM-5.3 and Kimi K3 side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.
FAQ
Common questions about GLM-5.3 vs Kimi K3.