GLM-5 9B vs Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B
GLM-5 9B (2026) and Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B (2026) are frontier reasoning models from Zhipu AI and NVIDIA AI. GLM-5 9B ships a 262k-token context window, while Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B ships a 1.05m-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. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B fits 4x more tokens; pick it for long-context work and GLM-5 9B for tighter calls.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5 9B | Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and tool-calling agents | long-context analysis and provider-routed production |
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 262k | 1.05m |
| Cheapest output | - | $0.45/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 0 tracked | 6 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 shared | 0 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5 9B uniquely exposes Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 9B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B 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.
GLM-5 9B
Unavailable
No complete token price in local provider data
Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B
$185
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning, Function calling, and Tool use before moving production traffic.
- Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B 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, Function calling, and Tool use in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-15 | 2026-03-11 |
| Context window | 262k | 1.05m |
| Parameters | 9 | 120B |
| Architecture | Decoder Only | Decoder Only |
| License | MITOSI-approved | NVIDIA Open Model |
| Openness | Open source | Open weights |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5 9B | Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $0.09/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $0.45/1M tokens |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5 9B | Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | No |
| Multimodal | No | No |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | No |
| Tool use | Yes | No |
| Structured outputs | No | Yes |
| Code execution | No | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark scores are currently available for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on reasoning mode: GLM-5 9B, function calling: GLM-5 9B, tool use: GLM-5 9B, and structured outputs: Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B. Both models share the core language-model surface, 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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B has $0.09/1M input tokens. Provider availability is 0 tracked routes versus 6. 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 are central to the workload. Choose Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B when long-context analysis, larger context windows, 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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B?
Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B supports 1.05m tokens, while GLM-5 9B supports 262k 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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B open source?
GLM-5 9B is listed under MIT. Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B is listed under NVIDIA Open Model. 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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B?
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 Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B?
GLM-5 9B has the clearer documented function calling signal in this comparison. If function calling is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Which is better for tool use, GLM-5 9B or Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B?
GLM-5 9B has the clearer documented tool use signal in this comparison. If tool use is mission-critical, validate it against the provider endpoint because model-level support and API-level exposure can differ.
Where can I run GLM-5 9B and Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B?
GLM-5 9B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Nemotron 3 Super-120B-A12B is available on Cloudflare Workers AI, DeepInfra, NVIDIA NIM, OpenRouter, and Fireworks AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.