Model Comparison
GPT-5.4 vs GLM-5Which is better in 2026?
GPT-5.4 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks. GLM-5 is 3.6x cheaper per token.
Verdict: GPT-5.4 vs GLM-5 — which is better?
GPT-5.4 (by OpenAI) and GLM-5 (by Zhipu AI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.
GPT-5.4 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, Terminal-Bench 2.0), while GLM-5 is better at 1 benchmark (MCP Atlas). GPT-5.4 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
On price, GLM-5 is roughly 3.6x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.
GPT-5.4 also accepts a larger context window (1,000,000 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.
Choose GPT-5.4 if…
- you want the strongest raw capability — it leads on 2 of 3 shared benchmarks
- you process long inputs — it offers a 1,000,000 token context window
- you want the most recent training data — it shipped Mar 2026
Choose GLM-5 if…
- cost matters — it's about 3.6x cheaper per token
- you need open weights you can self-host or fine-tune
Performance Benchmarks
Comparative analysis across standard metrics
GPT-5.4 outperforms in 2 benchmarks (BrowseComp, Terminal-Bench 2.0), while GLM-5 is better at 1 benchmark (MCP Atlas).
GPT-5.4 shows notably better performance in the majority of benchmarks.
Arena Performance
Human preference votes
Pricing Analysis
Price comparison per million tokens
For input processing, GPT-5.4 ($2.50/1M tokens) is 2.5x more expensive than GLM-5 ($1.00/1M tokens).
For output processing, GPT-5.4 ($15.00/1M tokens) is 4.7x more expensive than GLM-5 ($3.20/1M tokens).
In conclusion, GPT-5.4 is more expensive than GLM-5.*
* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens
Context Window
Maximum input and output token capacity
GPT-5.4 accepts 1,000,000 input tokens compared to GLM-5's 200,000 tokens. Both models can generate responses up to 128,000 tokens.
Input Capabilities
Supported data types and modalities
GPT-5.4 supports multimodal inputs, whereas GLM-5 does not.
GPT-5.4 can handle both text and other forms of data like images, making it suitable for multimodal applications.
GPT-5.4
GLM-5
License
Usage and distribution terms
GPT-5.4 is licensed under a proprietary license, while GLM-5 uses MIT.
License differences may affect how you can use these models in commercial or open-source projects.
Proprietary
Closed source
MIT
Open weights
Release Timeline
When each model was launched
GPT-5.4 was released on 2026-03-05, while GLM-5 was released on 2026-02-11.
GPT-5.4 is 1 month newer than GLM-5.
Mar 5, 2026
3 months ago
3w newerFeb 11, 2026
4 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
GPT-5.4 is available from OpenAI. GLM-5 is available from FriendliAI, ZAI.
GPT-5.4
GLM-5
Outputs Comparison
Key Takeaways
GPT-5.4
View detailsOpenAI
GLM-5
View detailsZhipu AI
Detailed Comparison
FAQ
Common questions about GPT-5.4 vs GLM-5.