Gemini 2.5 Flash vs GLM-5
Gemini 2.5 Flash (2025) and GLM-5 (2026) are frontier reasoning models from Google DeepMind and Zhipu AI. Gemini 2.5 Flash ships a 1m-token context window, while GLM-5 ships a 200k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Gemini 2.5 Flash leads by 2.4 pts. On pricing, Gemini 2.5 Flash costs $0.30/1M input tokens versus $0.60/1M 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.
Gemini 2.5 Flash is ~100% cheaper at $0.30/1M; pay for GLM-5 only for reasoning depth.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | Gemini 2.5 Flash | GLM-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 1m | 200k |
| Cheapest output | $2.50/1M tokens | $2.08/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 7 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | MMLU PRO leader | 3 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- Gemini 2.5 Flash holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 2.4 points.
- Gemini 2.5 Flash has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Gemini 2.5 Flash uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Gemini 2.5 Flash for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- GLM-5 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 3.2 points.
- GLM-5 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.08/1M tokens.
- GLM-5 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GLM-5 uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 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.
Gemini 2.5 Flash
$865
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Google AI Studio
GLM-5
$1,000
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $135. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter, GCP Vertex AI, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5 is $0.42/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution before moving production traffic.
- GLM-5 adds Reasoning in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on GCP Vertex AI, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Gemini 2.5 Flash is $0.42/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- Gemini 2.5 Flash adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025-06-17 | 2026-02-11 |
| Context window | 1m | 200k |
| Parameters | — | 744B total, 40B active |
| Architecture | decoder only | mixture of experts |
| License | Proprietary | MIT(OSI) |
| Openness | Proprietary | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use with conditions | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-01 | 2025-11 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | Gemini 2.5 Flash | GLM-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.30/1M tokens | $0.60/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.50/1M tokens | $2.08/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | Gemini 2.5 Flash | GLM-5 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | No |
| Multimodal | Yes | No |
| Reasoning | No | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | Gemini 2.5 Flash | GLM-5 |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 88.4 | 86.0 |
| Google-Proof Q&A | 82.8 | 86.0 |
| LiveCodeBench | 76.2 | 81.9 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has Gemini 2.5 Flash at 88.4 and GLM-5 at 86, with Gemini 2.5 Flash ahead by 2.4 points; Google-Proof Q&A has Gemini 2.5 Flash at 82.8 and GLM-5 at 86, with GLM-5 ahead by 3.2 points; LiveCodeBench has Gemini 2.5 Flash at 76.2 and GLM-5 at 81.9, with GLM-5 ahead by 5.7 points. The largest visible gap is 5.7 points on LiveCodeBench, which matters most when that benchmark mirrors your workload. Treat isolated benchmark wins as directional, because provider routing, prompt style, and tool access can move real application results.
The capability footprint differs most on vision: Gemini 2.5 Flash, multimodal input: Gemini 2.5 Flash, reasoning mode: GLM-5, and code execution: Gemini 2.5 Flash. Both models share function calling, tool use, and structured outputs, so the practical split is not just feature count. Use those differences to decide whether the page is about raw model quality, agentic coding support, multimodal ingestion, or predictable structured API behavior.
For cost, Gemini 2.5 Flash lists $0.30/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while GLM-5 lists $0.60/1M input and $2.08/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Gemini 2.5 Flash lower by about $0.08 per million blended tokens. Availability is 5 providers versus 7, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose Gemini 2.5 Flash when coding workflow support, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose GLM-5 when reasoning depth and broader provider choice are more important. For production, rerun your own prompts through the exact provider, region, and tool stack you plan to ship.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, Gemini 2.5 Flash or GLM-5?
Gemini 2.5 Flash supports 1m tokens, while GLM-5 supports 200k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Which is cheaper, Gemini 2.5 Flash or GLM-5?
Gemini 2.5 Flash is cheaper on tracked token pricing. Gemini 2.5 Flash costs $0.30/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens. GLM-5 costs $0.60/1M input and $2.08/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is Gemini 2.5 Flash or GLM-5 open source?
Gemini 2.5 Flash is listed under Proprietary. GLM-5 is listed under MIT. License labels affect whether you can self-host, redistribute weights, or rely only on hosted APIs, so confirm the upstream license before deployment.
Which is better for vision, Gemini 2.5 Flash or GLM-5?
Gemini 2.5 Flash has the clearer documented vision signal in this comparison. If vision is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for multimodal input, Gemini 2.5 Flash or GLM-5?
Gemini 2.5 Flash has the clearer documented multimodal input signal in this comparison. If multimodal input is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run Gemini 2.5 Flash and GLM-5?
Gemini 2.5 Flash is available on Google AI Studio, GCP Vertex AI, Replicate API, OpenRouter, and Vercel AI Gateway. GLM-5 is available on Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, Together AI, GCP Vertex AI, and NVIDIA NIM. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-22. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.