GLM-5 API Pricing & Integration
GLM-5 from Zhipu AI (Z.ai) is the current generation of the GLM line, with strong coding, agentic tool use, and Chinese-language understanding. It offers a 200K context window, 128K max output, and competitive pricing for enterprise deployments — with an always-on thinking mode for harder reasoning.
Key specifications
| Provider | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
| Context Window | 200K |
| Max Output | 128K |
| Modalities | Text |
| Release Date | 2026 |
| Benchmark | Top-5 Chinese model on 2026 leaderboards; GLM-5.3 extends context to 1M. |
GLM-5 pricing
Per-token pricing through BestLLM. Cost pass-through with no hidden markup — the price you see is what the ledger bills.
| Tier | Input (per 1M tokens) | Output (per 1M tokens) |
|---|---|---|
| Input | $0.60 | — |
| Output | — | $2.68 |
Cost calculator: what you actually spend
Estimated cost for GLM-5 at BestLLM's per-token pricing. Assumes an average of 500 input tokens and 200 output tokens per request — adjust for your actual workload. All prices are cost pass-through with no hidden markup.
| Volume | Input tokens | Output tokens | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10K requests | 5.0M | 2.0M | $8.36 |
| 100K requests | 50.0M | 20.0M | $83.60 |
| 1M requests | 500.0M | 200.0M | $836.00 |
Input: $0.600/M tokens · Output: $2.68/M tokens. See the full pricing table for all models.
Features and capabilities
GLM-5 through BestLLM includes all standard features of the OpenAI-compatible API:`
- 200K context window
- 128K max output tokens
- Strong coding and agentic tool use
- Excellent Chinese-language performance
- OpenAI-compatible API format
API integration example
Call GLM-5 through the BestLLM OpenAI-compatible API. Works with the official OpenAI SDK — just set the base URL to https://api.bestllm.dev/v1 and use your BestLLM API key.
curl -X POST https://api.bestllm.dev/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $BESTLLM_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "glm-5",
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Explain the differences between TCP and UDP."}]
}'See the full API documentation for Python SDK, Node.js SDK, streaming, and error handling examples.
How GLM-5 compares to other models
Side-by-side pricing and specs for all models available through BestLLM. GLM-5 is highlighted. Switch models by changing the model field — same endpoint, same SDK, same API key.
| Model | Input /M | Output /M | Context | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLM-5 ← | $0.60 | $2.68 | 200K | Coding assistants, agentic workflows, and Chinese-language e… |
| DeepSeek Chat | $0.30 | $1.19 | 128K | Reasoning-heavy workloads, code generation, and cost-sensiti… |
| DeepSeek Reasoner | $1.79 | $3.57 | 1M | Complex reasoning tasks, mathematical analysis, and multi-st… |
| Qwen3.8 Max | $1.79 | $5.36 | 1M | Enterprise workloads, long-document analysis, and agentic pi… |
| Qwen Plus | $0.30 | $1.19 | 256K | High-volume production workloads where cost efficiency matte… |
| Kimi K3 | $2.98 | $14.88 | 1M | Long-context analysis, deep-reasoning agents, and cost-sensi… |
| MiniMax M3 | $0.31 | $1.25 | 1M | Cost-sensitive long-context analysis and high-volume agent l… |
Read our Best Chinese AI Models 2026 guide for a full comparison with benchmarks and use-case recommendations.
When to consider switching from GLM-5
GLM-5 is a strong choice for coding assistants, agentic workflows, and chinese-language enterprise applications. But depending on your workload, another model might fit better:
- Need lower cost? DeepSeek Chat, Qwen Plus, MiniMax M3 have a lower input price at $0.30 / $0.30 / $0.31/M tokens.
- Need more context? Qwen Plus offers up to 256K context.
- Switching is instant. Change the
modelfield in your API call — same endpoint, same SDK, same API key. No code changes beyond that one field. See the API documentation for examples.
Best for
Coding assistants, agentic workflows, and Chinese-language enterprise applications.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pricing for GLM-5 through BestLLM?
GLM-5 costs $0.60 per million input tokens and $2.68 per million output tokens through BestLLM. Pricing is cost pass-through with no hidden markup. You pay only for the tokens you use — no minimum commitments, no per-request surcharges.
What is the context window for GLM-5?
GLM-5 has a 200K-token context window with a maximum output of 128K tokens. This means you can fit up to 200K tokens of input — roughly a medium-length document in a single request.
Can I use GLM-5 with the OpenAI SDK?
Yes. GLM-5 is accessible through BestLLM's OpenAI-compatible API. Set the base URL to https://api.bestllm.dev/v1 and use your BestLLM API key. The official OpenAI Python, Node.js, and TypeScript SDKs all work without modification beyond the base URL and key.
How does GLM-5 compare to other models on BestLLM?
GLM-5 is best suited for coding assistants, agentic workflows, and chinese-language enterprise applications. Other models on BestLLM include DeepSeek Chat, DeepSeek Reasoner, Qwen3.8 Max — each optimized for different workloads. See the comparison table above or read our Best Chinese AI Models 2026 guide for benchmarks.
Is GLM-5 available for production use?
Yes — GLM-5 is live and routable through BestLLM with regional routing (US and EU), workspace-level spend controls, and an immutable billing ledger. Create a workspace, generate an API key, and start making requests immediately.
Start using GLM-5 today
One API key. Every supported model. OpenAI-compatible format. Switch to GLM-5 by changing the model field — no SDK changes required.