---
title: "glm-5.3 - Model Details & Comparison"
description: "glm-5.3 from Zai: capabilities, context limits, pricing, and side-by-side comparisons with alternative models."
url: "https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/zai/glm-5.3"
markdown: "https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/zai/glm-5.3.md"
---

# glm-5.3 - Model Details & Comparison

> glm-5.3 from Zai: capabilities, context limits, pricing, and side-by-side comparisons with alternative models.

## Important Links

- [View MCP Gateway](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/resources/mcp-gateway.md)
- [Features](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/#features)
- [Enterprise](https://www.getmaxim.ai/enterprise)
- [Pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/pricing)
- [Docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Book a Demo](https://www.getmaxim.ai/book-a-demo)

## About glm-5.3

glm-5.3 is a chat model from Zai, one of 14 chat models they offer. It is priced at $1.40 per 1M input tokens and $4.40 per 1M output tokens, ranking 2630 out of 3648 chat models by cost and cheaper than 27% of models in this category. glm-5.3 supports function calling, reasoning, prompt caching. Its 1,000K-token context window is in the top 22% among chat models.

## Specifications

- **Zai Provider.**
- **Chat Mode.**
- **1,000,000 Max Input Tokens.**
- **128,000 Max Output Tokens.**
- **$1.40 / 1M tokens Input Price.**
- **$4.40 / 1M tokens Output Price.**

## Capabilities

glm-5.3 supports: Function Calling, Reasoning, Prompt Caching, Tool Choice.

## glm-5.3 Pricing Overview

At $1.40 per 1M input tokens and $4.40 per 1M output tokens, glm-5.3 ranks 2630 out of 3648 chat models by input cost. It is more expensive compared to the median of $0.57 for chat models, and is cheaper than 27% of models in this category.

glm-5.3 is one of 14 Zai chat models, with support for function calling, reasoning, prompt caching. its 1,000K-token context window places it in the top 22% of chat models.

## Models to Compare

Alternatives to glm-5.3 with comparable capabilities.

| Model | Provider | Input $/1M | Output $/1M |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| gpt-5-2025-08-07 | Azure | $1.38 | $11.00 |
| gpt-5.1 | Azure | $1.38 | $11.00 |
| gpt-5.1-chat | Azure | $1.38 | $11.00 |
| gpt-5.1-2025-11-13 | Azure | $1.25 | $10.00 |
| gpt-5 | Azure | $1.25 | $10.00 |

- [Compare gpt-5-2025-08-07](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-5-2025-08-07.md)
- [Compare gpt-5.1](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-5.1.md)
- [Compare gpt-5.1-chat](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-5.1-chat.md)
- [Compare gpt-5.1-2025-11-13](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-5.1-2025-11-13.md)
- [Compare gpt-5](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/azure/gpt-5.md)

## Related Resources

- [Calculate glm-5.3 costs](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/zai/model/glm-5.3.md)
- [All Zai pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator/provider/zai.md)

## FAQ

### Is glm-5.3 cheaper than gpt-5-2025-08-07?

No. glm-5.3 costs $1.40 per 1M input tokens while gpt-5-2025-08-07 costs $1.38 per 1M input tokens, making gpt-5-2025-08-07 2% more affordable for input. However, glm-5.3 may offer different capabilities or performance characteristics that justify the price difference.

### How does glm-5.3 pricing compare to the average chat model?

glm-5.3 input pricing is $1.40 per 1M tokens, which is 147% above the median of $0.57 for chat models. It ranks 2630 out of 3648 chat models by input cost, making it cheaper than 27% of models in this category. For output, it costs $4.40 per 1M tokens compared to the median of $1.65.

### What makes glm-5.3 different from other Zai models?

Among Zai's 14 chat models, glm-5.3 ranks 11 by input cost.

### What are the best alternatives to glm-5.3?

The most comparable chat models to glm-5.3 are: gpt-5-2025-08-07 from Azure ($1.38/1M input tokens); gpt-5.1 from Azure ($1.38/1M input tokens); gpt-5.1-chat from Azure ($1.38/1M input tokens); gpt-5.1-2025-11-13 from Azure ($1.25/1M input tokens). These alternatives were selected based on similar capabilities, pricing, and provider diversity. You can compare any of these models in detail using the Bifrost Model Library.

### How large is glm-5.3's context window?

glm-5.3 supports up to 1,000,000 input tokens, placing it in the top 22% of chat models by context window size (rank 634 of 3577). This makes it suitable for processing long documents, extensive code repositories, or maintaining detailed conversation histories.

### How do I calculate glm-5.3 costs?

glm-5.3 is priced based on input and output tokens. Use the interactive calculator at the top of this page to estimate costs for your specific workload. Enter your expected input and output tokens volume and the calculator will show the total cost breakdown. For reference, processing 1M input tokens costs $1.40 and generating 1M output tokens costs $4.40.

## Related Resources

- [Zai models](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/provider/zai.md)
- [Model library](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library.md)
- [LLM cost calculator](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/llm-cost-calculator.md)
- [Docs: Bifrost docs](https://docs.getbifrost.ai)
- [GitHub: maximhq/bifrost](https://github.com/maximhq/bifrost)
- [Pricing: Bifrost pricing](https://www.getmaxim.ai/pricing)
- [Enterprise: Bifrost enterprise](https://www.getmaxim.ai/enterprise)
- [Book a Demo: Bifrost demo](https://www.getmaxim.ai/book-a-demo)
- [Resources: Bifrost resources](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/resources.md)

---

*This is a markdown version of [https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/zai/glm-5.3](https://www.getmaxim.ai/bifrost/model-library/compare/zai/glm-5.3) for AI/LLM consumption.*