DeepSeek R1 vs GLM-5.1
DeepSeek R1 (2025) and GLM-5.1 (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Zhipu AI. DeepSeek R1 ships a 128k-token context window, while GLM-5.1 ships a 200k-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, GLM-5.1 leads by 14.7 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek R1 costs $0.10/1M input tokens versus $1.05/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
DeepSeek R1 is ~950% cheaper at $0.10/1M; pay for GLM-5.1 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $0.30/1M tokens | $3.50/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 14 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 2 shared | Google-Proof Q&A leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek R1 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.30/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek R1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek R1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- GLM-5.1 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 14.7 points.
- GLM-5.1 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GLM-5.1 uniquely exposes JSON / Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5.1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
DeepSeek R1
$155
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Bitdeer AI
GLM-5.1
$1,715
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $1,560. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter, Fireworks AI, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5.1 is $3.20/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- GLM-5.1 adds JSON / Tool use in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter, Fireworks AI, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek R1 is $3.20/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for JSON / Tool use before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-01-20 | 2026-04-07 |
| Context window | 128k | 200k |
| Parameters | 671B, 37B Active | 754B total, 40B active |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Mixture of Experts |
| License | MITOSI-approved | MITOSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Weights | Available | Available |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2023-12 | 2025-11 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.10/1M tokens | $1.05/1M tokens |
| Output price | $0.30/1M tokens | $3.50/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| JSON / Tool use | No | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 71.5 | 86.2 |
| Chatbot Arena | 1372.0 | 1475.0 |
Continue comparing
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Last reviewed: 2026-10-08. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.