DeepSeek V3 vs GLM-5.1
DeepSeek V3 (2024) and GLM-5.1 (2026) are frontier reasoning models from DeepSeek and Zhipu AI. DeepSeek V3 ships a 64k-token context window, while GLM-5.1 ships a 200k-token context window. On Chatbot Arena, GLM-5.1 leads by 173 pts. On pricing, DeepSeek V3 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 V3 is ~950% cheaper at $0.10/1M; pay for GLM-5.1 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | DeepSeek V3 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | tool-calling agents and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, Agents, and Classification | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 64k | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $0.30/1M tokens | $3.50/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 13 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 1 shared | Chatbot Arena leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- DeepSeek V3 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $0.30/1M tokens.
- DeepSeek V3 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route flexibility.
- Local decision data tags DeepSeek V3 for Coding, Agents, and Classification.
- GLM-5.1 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Chatbot Arena, ahead by 173 points.
- GLM-5.1 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GLM-5.1 uniquely exposes Reasoning and Code execution 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 V3
$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 Reasoning and Code execution in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- DeepSeek V3 is $3.20/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning and Code execution before moving production traffic.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024-12-26 | 2026-04-07 |
| Context window | 64k | 200k |
| Parameters | 671B | 754B total, 40B active |
| Architecture | Mixture of Experts | 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 | 2024-04 | 2025-11 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | DeepSeek V3 | 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 V3 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| JSON / Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | Yes |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | DeepSeek V3 | GLM-5.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Chatbot Arena | 1302.0 | 1475.0 |
Continue comparing
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Last reviewed: 2026-10-08. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.