GLM-5 9B vs Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
GLM-5 9B (2026) and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B (2026) compare a standalone API model against a coding-specialized model. GLM-5 9B ships a 262k-token context window, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B ships a 262k-token context window. This page treats the result as workflow and deployment fit, not a universal model winner.
Treat this as a product-type comparison: GLM-5 9B is standalone API model, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is coding-specialized model. Choose based on workflow fit before reading any benchmark or price row as decisive.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5 9B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Standalone API model | Coding-specialized model |
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps and tool-calling agents | custom coding agents, code generation, and tool loops |
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 262k | 262k |
| Cheapest output | - | $1/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 0 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5 9B uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 9B for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6-35B-A3B 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
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B
$370
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 Qwen3.6-35B-A3B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.6-35B-A3B adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- No overlapping tracked provider route is sourced for Qwen3.6-35B-A3B and GLM-5 9B; plan for SDK, billing, or endpoint changes.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- GLM-5 9B adds Reasoning in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-15 | 2026-04-16 |
| Context window | 262k | 262k |
| Parameters | 9 | 35B |
| Architecture | decoder only | moe |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Apache 2.0(OSI) |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use allowed |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5 9B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | - | $0.15/1M tokens |
| Output price | - | $1/1M tokens |
| Providers | - |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5 9B | Qwen3.6-35B-A3B |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | No | No |
| 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 vision: Qwen3.6-35B-A3B, multimodal input: Qwen3.6-35B-A3B, and reasoning mode: GLM-5 9B. 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 Qwen3.6-35B-A3B has $0.15/1M input tokens. Provider availability is 0 tracked routes versus 2. 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 Qwen3.6-35B-A3B when coding workflow support 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. For teams standardizing a stack, that distinction is often the difference between a benchmark win and a reliable deployment.
FAQ
Which has a larger context window, GLM-5 9B or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
GLM-5 9B supports 262k tokens, while Qwen3.6-35B-A3B supports 262k tokens. That gap matters most for long documents, large codebases, retrieval-heavy agents, and conversations where earlier context must remain visible. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Is GLM-5 9B or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B open source?
GLM-5 9B is listed under MIT. Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is listed under Apache 2.0. 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, GLM-5 9B or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B 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. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, GLM-5 9B or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
Qwen3.6-35B-A3B 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.
Which is better for reasoning mode, GLM-5 9B or Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
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.
Where can I run GLM-5 9B and Qwen3.6-35B-A3B?
GLM-5 9B is available on the tracked providers still being sourced. Qwen3.6-35B-A3B is available on OpenRouter and Novita AI. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-04. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.