GLM-5 vs Grok 4
GLM-5 (2026) and Grok 4 (2025) are frontier-tier reasoning models from Zhipu AI and xAI. GLM-5 ships a 200k-token context window, while Grok 4 ships a 256k-token context window. On MMLU PRO, Grok 4 leads by 1 pts. On pricing, GLM-5 costs $0.60/1M input tokens versus $1.25/1M 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 is ~108% cheaper at $0.60/1M; pay for Grok 4 only for coding workflow support.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $2.08/1M tokens | $2.50/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 7 tracked | 4 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 3 rows | MMLU PRO leader |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5 holds a shared-benchmark lead on SWE-bench Verified, ahead by 1.1 points.
- GLM-5 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $2.08/1M tokens.
- GLM-5 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
- Grok 4 holds a shared-benchmark lead on MMLU PRO, ahead by 1 points.
- Grok 4 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Grok 4 uniquely exposes Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local model data.
- Local decision data tags Grok 4 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
$1,000
Cheapest tracked route/tier: OpenRouter
Grok 4
$1,625
Cheapest tracked route/tier: xAI Console
Estimated monthly gap: $625. Batch, cache, alternate speed tiers, and negotiated pricing are excluded from this local estimate.
Switch friction
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- Grok 4 is $0.42/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- Grok 4 adds Vision, Multimodal, and Code execution in local capability data.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5 is $0.42/1M 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.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-02-11 | 2025-07-09 |
| Context window | 200k | 256k |
| Parameters | 744B total, 40B active | — |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | decoder only |
| License | MIT(OSI) | Proprietary |
| Openness | Open source | Proprietary |
| Commercial use | Commercial use allowed | Commercial use with conditions |
| Knowledge cutoff | 2025-11 | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.60/1M tokens | $1.25/1M tokens |
| Output price | $2.08/1M tokens | $2.50/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | No | Yes |
| Multimodal | No | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| 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
| Benchmark | GLM-5 | Grok 4 |
|---|---|---|
| MMLU PRO | 86.0 | 87.0 |
| SWE-bench Verified | 77.8 | 76.7 |
| τ-bench | 82.1 | 78.9 |
Deep dive
On shared benchmark coverage, MMLU PRO has GLM-5 at 86 and Grok 4 at 87, with Grok 4 ahead by 1 points; SWE-bench Verified has GLM-5 at 77.8 and Grok 4 at 76.7, with GLM-5 ahead by 1.1 points; τ-bench has GLM-5 at 82.1 and Grok 4 at 78.9, with GLM-5 ahead by 3.2 points. The largest visible gap is 3.2 points on τ-bench, 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: Grok 4, multimodal input: Grok 4, and code execution: Grok 4. 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 lists $0.60/1M input and $2.08/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider, while Grok 4 lists $1.25/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts GLM-5 lower by about $0.58 per million blended tokens. Availability is 7 providers versus 4, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GLM-5 when provider fit, lower input-token cost, and broader provider choice are central to the workload. Choose Grok 4 when coding workflow support and larger context windows 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 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 supports 256k tokens, while GLM-5 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 or Grok 4?
GLM-5 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GLM-5 costs $0.60/1M input and $2.08/1M output tokens. Grok 4 costs $1.25/1M input and $2.50/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GLM-5 or Grok 4 open source?
GLM-5 is listed under MIT. Grok 4 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 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 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 or Grok 4?
Grok 4 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 and Grok 4?
GLM-5 is available on Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, Together AI, GCP Vertex AI, and NVIDIA NIM. Grok 4 is available on Microsoft Foundry, OpenRouter, Replicate API, and xAI Console. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-06-01. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.