GLM-5 9B vs Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite
GLM-5 9B (2026) and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite (2025) are frontier reasoning models from Zhipu AI and AI at Meta. GLM-5 9B ships a 262k-token context window, while Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite ships a 8k-token context window. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
GLM-5 9B fits 32x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5 9B | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and tool-calling agents | tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Agents, Classification, and JSON / Tool use |
| Context window | 262k | 8k |
| Cheapest output | - | $0.10/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 0 tracked | 1 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5 9B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GLM-5 9B uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 9B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite for Agents, Classification, and JSON / Tool use.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output route or tier on this page.
GLM-5 9B
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite
$105
Cheapest tracked route/tier: Together AI
Cost delta unavailable until both models have sourced input and output token prices.
Switch friction
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for GLM-5 9B and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite and GLM-5 9B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- GLM-5 9B adds Reasoning in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-15 | 2025-07-15 |
| Context window | 262k | 8k |
| Parameters | 9 | 8B |
| Architecture | decoder only | decoder only |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Llama 3 Community |
| Openness | Open source | Open weights |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use with conditions |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | 2024-03 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5 9B | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $0.10/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $0.10/1M tokens |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5 9B | Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | No | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: GLM-5 9B and structured outputs: Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite. Both models share function calling and tool use, 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.
Pricing coverage is uneven: GLM-5 9B has no token price sourced yet and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite has $0.10/1M input tokens. Provider availability is 0 tracked routes versus 1. Treat unknown pricing as an integration gap, then verify the route you will actually call before estimating production spend.
Choose GLM-5 9B when reasoning depth and larger context windows are central to the workload. Choose Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite when provider fit 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. This keeps the decision grounded in measurable tradeoffs instead of brand-level assumptions. It also helps separate model capability from provider packaging, which can change cost and latency.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, GLM-5 9B or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
GLM-5 9B supports 262k tokens, while Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite supports 8k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible.
Is GLM-5 9B or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite open source?
GLM-5 9B is listed under MIT. Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is listed under Llama 3 Community. 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 reasoning mode, GLM-5 9B or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
GLM-5 9B has the clearer documented reasoning mode signal in this comparison. If reasoning mode is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for function calling, GLM-5 9B or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Both GLM-5 9B and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite expose function calling. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Which is better for tool use, GLM-5 9B or Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
Both GLM-5 9B and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite expose tool use. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface.
Where can I run GLM-5 9B and Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite?
GLM-5 9B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Together AI - Llama 3 8B Lite is available on Together AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
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Last reviewed: 2026-05-19. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.