GLM-5.1 vs Qwen3.6 Max Preview
GLM-5.1 (2026) and Qwen3.6 Max Preview (2026) are frontier-tier reasoning models from Zhipu AI and Alibaba. GLM-5.1 ships a 200k-token context window, while Qwen3.6 Max Preview ships a 256K-token context window. On Google-Proof Q&A, GLM-5.1 leads by a hair. On pricing, Qwen3.6 Max Preview costs $1.04/1M input tokens versus $1.05/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit.
Qwen3.6 Max Preview is safer overall; choose GLM-5.1 when coding workflow support matters.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | RAG, Agents, and Long context |
| Context window | 200k | 256K |
| Cheapest output | $3.5/1M tokens | $6.24/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 3 tracked | 2 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 1 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5.1 leads the largest shared benchmark signal on Google-Proof Q&A by 0.2 points.
- GLM-5.1 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $3.5/1M tokens.
- GLM-5.1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- GLM-5.1 uniquely exposes Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5.1 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview uniquely exposes Vision and Multimodal in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Qwen3.6 Max Preview for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
GLM-5.1
$1,715
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Qwen3.6 Max Preview
$2,392
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $677. Batch, cache, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview is $2.74/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Check replacement coverage for Code execution before moving production traffic.
- Qwen3.6 Max Preview adds Vision and Multimodal in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5.1 is $2.74/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Vision and Multimodal before moving production traffic.
- GLM-5.1 adds Code execution in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-04-07 | 2026-04-20 |
| Context window | 200k | 256K |
| Parameters | 754B total, 40B active | — |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | moe |
| License | MIT | Proprietary |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.05/1M tokens | $1.04/1M tokens |
| Output price | $3.5/1M tokens | $6.24/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 86.2 | 86.0 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, Google-Proof Q&A has GLM-5.1 at 86.2 and Qwen3.6 Max Preview at 86, with GLM-5.1 ahead by 0.2 points. The largest visible gap is 0.2 points on Google-Proof Q&A, 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: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, multimodal input: Qwen3.6 Max Preview, and code execution: GLM-5.1. Both models share reasoning mode, 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-5.1 lists $1.05/1M input and $3.5/1M output tokens, while Qwen3.6 Max Preview lists $1.04/1M input and $6.24/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GLM-5.1 lower by about $0.81 per million blended tokens. Availability is 3 providers versus 2, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GLM-5.1 when coding workflow support and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Qwen3.6 Max Preview when long-context analysis, larger context windows, and lower input-token cost 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, GLM-5.1 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview supports 256K tokens, while GLM-5.1 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, GLM-5.1 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GLM-5.1 costs $1.05/1M input and $3.5/1M output tokens. Qwen3.6 Max Preview costs $1.04/1M input and $6.24/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GLM-5.1 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview open source?
GLM-5.1 is listed under MIT. Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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-5.1 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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, GLM-5.1 or Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
Qwen3.6 Max Preview 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-5.1 and Qwen3.6 Max Preview?
GLM-5.1 is available on Z.ai, OpenRouter, and Fireworks AI. Qwen3.6 Max Preview is available on OpenRouter and Alibaba Cloud PAI-EAS. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-15. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.