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 0.2 pts. On pricing, GLM-5.1 costs $1.05/1M input tokens; Qwen3.6 Max Preview ranges from $1.30 to $2/1M input tokens by tier. This comparison covers specs, pricing, API access, capabilities, benchmarks, input and output token costs, and production fit for coding and agent workloads.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | reasoning-heavy apps, tool-calling agents, and provider-routed production | reasoning-heavy apps, multimodal apps, and tool-calling agents |
| Decision fit | Coding, RAG, and Agents | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 200k | 256k |
| Cheapest output | $3.50/1M tokens | $6.24/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 5 tracked | 3 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | Google-Proof Q&A leader | 2 shared |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5.1 holds a shared-benchmark lead on Google-Proof Q&A, ahead by 0.2 points.
- GLM-5.1 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $3.50/1M tokens.
- GLM-5.1 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and route 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 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-5.1
$1,715
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Qwen3.6 Max Preview
$2,392
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $677. 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.
- 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 and Vercel AI Gateway; 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 | Mixture of Experts |
| License | MITOSI-approved | Apache 2.0OSI-approved |
| Openness | Open source | Open source |
| Weights | Available | Unknown |
| Code | Unknown | Unknown |
| Commercial use | Commercial use: permitted | Commercial use: permitted |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.05/1M tokens |
|
| Output price | $3.50/1M tokens |
|
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| JSON / Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | Yes | No |
| IDE integration | No | No |
| Computer use | No | No |
| Parallel agents | No | No |
Benchmarks
| Benchmark | GLM-5.1 | Qwen3.6 Max Preview |
|---|---|---|
| Google-Proof Q&A | 86.2 | 86.0 |
| Humanity's Last Exam | 31.0 | 28.8 |
Continue comparing
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-30. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.