GLM-5V-Turbo vs Kimi K2.6
GLM-5V-Turbo (2026) and Kimi K2.6 (2026) are agentic coding models from Zhipu AI and Moonshot AI. GLM-5V-Turbo ships a 200k-token context window, while Kimi K2.6 ships a 262K-token context window. On pricing, Kimi K2.6 costs $0.75/1M input tokens versus $1.2/1M for the alternative. This comparison covers specs, pricing, capabilities, benchmarks, provider availability, and production fit. It focuses on practical selection signals rather than broad model-family marketing.
Kimi K2.6 is ~60% cheaper at $0.75/1M; pay for GLM-5V-Turbo only for vision-heavy evaluation.
Decision scorecard
Local evidence first| Signal | GLM-5V-Turbo | Kimi K2.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Decision fit | RAG, Agents, and Long context | Coding, RAG, and Agents |
| Context window | 200k | 262K |
| Cheapest output | $4/1M tokens | $3.5/1M tokens |
| Provider routes | 1 tracked | 5 tracked |
| Shared benchmarks | 0 rows | 0 rows |
Decision tradeoffs
- GLM-5V-Turbo uniquely exposes Structured outputs in local model data.
- Local decision data tags GLM-5V-Turbo for RAG, Agents, and Long context.
- Kimi K2.6 has the larger context window for long prompts, retrieval packs, or transcript analysis.
- Kimi K2.6 has the lower cheapest tracked output price at $3.5/1M tokens.
- Kimi K2.6 has broader tracked provider coverage for fallback and procurement flexibility.
- Local decision data tags Kimi K2.6 for Coding, RAG, and Agents.
Monthly cost at traffic
Estimate token spend from the cheapest tracked input and output prices on this page.
GLM-5V-Turbo
$1,960
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Kimi K2.6
$1,475
Cheapest tracked route: OpenRouter
Estimated monthly gap: $485. 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.
- Kimi K2.6 is $0.5/1M tokens lower on cheapest tracked output pricing before cache, batch, or negotiated discounts.
- Check replacement coverage for Structured outputs before moving production traffic.
- Provider overlap exists on OpenRouter; start route-level A/B tests there.
- GLM-5V-Turbo is $0.5/1M tokens higher on cheapest tracked output pricing, so quality gains need to justify the spend.
- GLM-5V-Turbo adds Structured outputs in local capability data.
Specs
| Specification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2026-04-01 | 2026-04-20 |
| Context window | 200k | 262K |
| Parameters | 744B total, 40B active | 1T |
| Architecture | mixture of experts | Mixture of Experts (MoE) |
| License | Proprietary | Open Source |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | - |
Pricing and availability
| Pricing attribute | GLM-5V-Turbo | Kimi K2.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $1.2/1M tokens | $0.75/1M tokens |
| Output price | $4/1M tokens | $3.5/1M tokens |
| Providers |
Capabilities
| Capability | GLM-5V-Turbo | Kimi K2.6 |
|---|---|---|
| Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Multimodal | Yes | Yes |
| Reasoning | Yes | Yes |
| Function calling | Yes | Yes |
| Tool use | Yes | Yes |
| Structured outputs | Yes | No |
| Code execution | No | No |
Benchmarks
No shared benchmark rows are currently sourced for this pair.
Deep dive
The capability footprint differs most on structured outputs: GLM-5V-Turbo. Both models share vision, multimodal input, reasoning mode, and function calling, 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-5V-Turbo lists $1.2/1M input and $4/1M output tokens, while Kimi K2.6 lists $0.75/1M input and $3.5/1M output tokens on the cheapest tracked provider. A 70/30 input-output blend puts Kimi K2.6 lower by about $0.47 per million blended tokens. Availability is 1 providers versus 5, so concentration risk also matters.
Choose GLM-5V-Turbo when vision-heavy evaluation are central to the workload. Choose Kimi K2.6 when coding workflow support, 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. 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-5V-Turbo or Kimi K2.6?
Kimi K2.6 supports 262K tokens, while GLM-5V-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-5V-Turbo or Kimi K2.6?
Kimi K2.6 is cheaper on tracked token pricing. GLM-5V-Turbo costs $1.2/1M input and $4/1M output tokens. Kimi K2.6 costs $0.75/1M input and $3.5/1M output tokens. Provider discounts or batch pricing can still change the final bill.
Is GLM-5V-Turbo or Kimi K2.6 open source?
GLM-5V-Turbo is listed under Proprietary. Kimi K2.6 is listed under Open Source. 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-5V-Turbo or Kimi K2.6?
Both GLM-5V-Turbo and Kimi K2.6 expose vision. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Which is better for multimodal input, GLM-5V-Turbo or Kimi K2.6?
Both GLM-5V-Turbo and Kimi K2.6 expose multimodal input. The better choice depends on benchmark fit, context budget, pricing, and whether your provider route exposes the same capability surface. Use this as a quick comparison signal, then confirm the provider-specific limits before committing to production.
Where can I run GLM-5V-Turbo and Kimi K2.6?
GLM-5V-Turbo is available on OpenRouter. Kimi K2.6 is available on NVIDIA NIM, Moonshot AI Kimi, Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, and Microsoft Foundry. Provider coverage can affect latency, region availability, compliance posture, and fallback options.
Continue comparing
Last reviewed: 2026-05-16. Data sourced from public model cards and provider documentation.