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ModelCap

Head-to-head comparison

GLM 5.3 vs GLM 5.3 Flash

GLM 5.3 (Z.ai) and GLM 5.3 Flash (Z.ai) compared on the ModelCap Index, API price, context window, provider availability, weight access and every public benchmark board they share. Figures are the same ones shown on the live rankings; nothing here is a hidden score.

Snapshot as of 9 September 2026

As of 9 September 2026, GLM 5.3 holds the stronger ModelCap Index position (#8 vs #11); GLM 5.3 Flash is 17.6× cheaper per output token ($0.25/1M vs $4.40/1M); GLM 5.3 Flash offers the longer context window (1.3M vs 1M tokens); and GLM 5.3 Flash ships open weights.

Which should you choose?

Choose GLM 5.3 if…

  • you want the stronger overall ModelCap Index position — #8 against #11 (82.1 vs 78.7 points).
  • LMArena Agent is your yardstick — 2.6% against 2.0%.
  • AA Intelligence Index is your yardstick — 44.9 against 41.9.
  • AA Humanity's Last Exam is your yardstick — 42.3% against 39.9%.

Choose GLM 5.3 Flash if…

  • API cost matters — $0.25/1M output tokens against $4.40/1M, about 17.6× cheaper.
  • your workload is prompt-heavy — input tokens cost $0.075/1M against $1.40/1M.
  • you need the longer context window — 1.3M tokens against 1M.
  • you want to self-host: GLM 5.3 Flash ships open weights while GLM 5.3 is restricted license.
  • Arena coding is your yardstick — 1534 against 1528.
  • AA Terminal-Bench 2.1 is your yardstick — 84.3% against 83.9%.
  • you want the more recently listed model — GLM 5.3 Flash was listed 26 August 2026, GLM 5.3 18 August 2026.

GLM 5.3 vs GLM 5.3 Flash: specs, pricing and context

Specification comparison of GLM 5.3 and GLM 5.3 Flash
FieldGLM 5.3Z.aiGLM 5.3 FlashZ.ai
ModelCap Index position#8#11
Index score82.178.7
EvidenceMeasuredMeasured
Input price / 1M tokens$1.40$0.075
Output price / 1M tokens$4.40$0.25
Context window1M tokens1.3M tokens
Max output tokens944K131K
API providers listed2626
Weight accessRestricted licenseOpen weights
Input modalitiesTextText, Image, Video
First listed18 August 202626 August 2026
PublisherZ.aiZ.ai

Evidence: 4 public benchmark observations across 4 boards · 4 public benchmark observations across 4 boards. Prices are the lowest listed API offer per million tokens observed on the OpenRouter catalogue.

Benchmark scores: GLM 5.3 vs GLM 5.3 Flash

Public benchmark boards where GLM 5.3 or GLM 5.3 Flash has a published result
BoardGLM 5.3GLM 5.3 FlashLeads
Arena codingArena (LMArena)15281514–1541Max15341517–1551GLM 5.3 Flash
LMArena AgentLMArena2.6%1.9%–3.2%Max2.0%1.1%–2.9%GLM 5.3
AA Intelligence IndexArtificial Analysis44.9intelligence-index:v4.3:max41.9intelligence-index:v4.3:reasoning-unspecifiedGLM 5.3
AA Terminal-Bench 2.1Artificial Analysis83.9%terminal-bench:2.1:terminus-2:e2b:pass-at-1:3-repeats:source-model="GLM-5.3 (max)":reasoning=true84.3%terminal-bench:2.1:terminus-2:e2b:pass-at-1:3-repeats:source-model="GLM-5.3-Flash":reasoning=trueGLM 5.3 Flash
AA Humanity's Last ExamArtificial Analysis42.3%hle:may-2025:text-only-2158:no-tools:pass-at-1:source-model="GLM-5.3 (max)":reasoning=true39.9%hle:may-2025:text-only-2158:no-tools:pass-at-1:source-model="GLM-5.3-Flash":reasoning=trueGLM 5.3
Terminal-Bench 4.0Terminal-Bench (Laude Institute)41.8%38.6%–45.1%Claude Code · Max—Only one result

Scores are the sources' own published figures for each model's best evaluated configuration; ModelCap never re-runs a benchmark.

Want a different pairing? Open the interactive comparison tool to swap either model for any current ranked language model.

GLM 5.3 vs GLM 5.3 Flash: common questions

Is GLM 5.3 better than GLM 5.3 Flash?

GLM 5.3 ranks higher on the ModelCap Index as of 9 September 2026: #8 against #11. That is a capability ranking built from public benchmark evidence with published uncertainty; whether it is "better" for you also depends on price, context and where you can run it. Their published uncertainty intervals overlap, so the rank difference alone does not establish a reliable capability advantage for your workload.

Is GLM 5.3 cheaper than GLM 5.3 Flash?

GLM 5.3 Flash is cheaper on output tokens: $0.25/1M against $4.40/1M. Input tokens are $1.40/1M for GLM 5.3 and $0.075/1M for GLM 5.3 Flash. Prices are the lowest listed API offer ModelCap observed, in USD per million tokens. For 1,000 requests with 2,000 input and 500 output tokens each (2M input + 0.5M output), the listed-rate estimate is $5.00 for GLM 5.3 versus $0.28 for GLM 5.3 Flash. GLM 5.3 Flash costs 94.5% less in this scenario. This excludes caching, batch discounts, prompt-length tiers, tool charges and retries; verify the selected endpoint before budgeting.

Which has the bigger context window, GLM 5.3 or GLM 5.3 Flash?

GLM 5.3 Flash has the larger context window: 1.3M tokens against 1M.

Which is better for coding, GLM 5.3 or GLM 5.3 Flash?

Arena coding: GLM 5.3 1528, GLM 5.3 Flash 1534 — GLM 5.3 Flash leads. AA Terminal-Bench 2.1: GLM 5.3 83.9%, GLM 5.3 Flash 84.3% — GLM 5.3 Flash leads.

Are GLM 5.3 and GLM 5.3 Flash open-weight models?

GLM 5.3: Restricted license. GLM 5.3 Flash: Open weights. Open weights mean the checkpoint can be downloaded and self-hosted under its licence; API-only models are available solely through hosted endpoints.

Where can I run GLM 5.3 and GLM 5.3 Flash?

ModelCap currently lists 26 API providers for GLM 5.3 and 26 for GLM 5.3 Flash, from the OpenRouter catalogue snapshot the site serves; each model page lists the providers and their prices.

How current is this GLM 5.3 vs GLM 5.3 Flash comparison?

Every figure comes from the sealed ModelCap dataset published 9 September 2026; the page re-renders within a minute of each data refresh, and the ModelCap Index positions are the same ones shown on the live rankings.

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