GLM-5 Turbo vs GPT-4.1
GLM-5 Turbo (2026) and GPT-4.1 (2025) are frontier reasoning models from Zhipu AI and OpenAI. GLM-5 Turbo ships a 200k-token context window, while GPT-4.1 ships a 1.05m-token context window. On pricing, GLM-5 Turbo costs $1.20/1M input tokens versus $2/1M 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.
GLM-5 Turbo is ~67% cheaper at $1.20/1M; pay for GPT-4.1 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5 Turbo | GPT-4.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production | multimodal apps, tool-calling agents, and long-context analysis |
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 200k | 1.05m |
| Cheapest output | $4/1M tokens | $8/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 2 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5 Turbo has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $4/1M tokens.
- GLM-5 Turbo uniquely exposes Reasoning in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 Turbo for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- GPT-4.1 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- GPT-4.1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GPT-4.1 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GPT-4.1 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.
GLM-5 Turbo
$1,960
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
GPT-4.1
$3,600
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $1,640. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GPT-4.1 is $4/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Reasoning before moving production traffic.
- GPT-4.1 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5 Turbo is $4/1M 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 Turbo adds Reasoning in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-03-01 | 2025-04-01 |
| Context window | 200k | 1.05m |
| Parameters | 744B total, 40B active | — |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | decoder only |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | 2025-01 |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5 Turbo | GPT-4.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.20/1M tokens | $2/1M tokens |
| Output price | $4/1M tokens | $8/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5 Turbo | GPT-4.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | No |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| 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
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on vision: GPT-4.1, multimodal input: GPT-4.1, reasoning mode: GLM-5 Turbo, and code execution: GPT-4.1. 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, GLM-5 Turbo lists $1.20/1M input and $4/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while GPT-4.1 lists $2/1M input and $8/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GLM-5 Turbo lower by about $1.76 per million blended tokens. Availability is 2 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GLM-5 Turbo when reasoning depth and lower input-token cost are central to the workload. Choose GPT-4.1 when coding workflow support, 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 Turbo or GPT-4.1?
GPT-4.1 supports 1.05m tokens, while GLM-5 Turbo supports 200k 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.
Which is cheaper, GLM-5 Turbo or GPT-4.1?
GLM-5 Turbo is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GLM-5 Turbo costs $1.20/1M input and $4/1M output tokens. GPT-4.1 costs $2/1M input and $8/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GLM-5 Turbo or GPT-4.1 open source?
GLM-5 Turbo is listed under Proprietary. GPT-4.1 is listed under Proprietary. 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 Turbo or GPT-4.1?
GPT-4.1 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 Turbo or GPT-4.1?
GPT-4.1 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 GLM-5 Turbo and GPT-4.1?
GLM-5 Turbo is available on OpenRouter and Vercel AI Gateway. GPT-4.1 is available on OpenRouter, Azure OpenAI, OpenAI API, and Vercel AI Gateway. 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.