Perplexity (Sonar API)8.5/10
See alternativesUpdated September 28, 2026 · DeployCue Editorial Team
Perplexity (Sonar API) vs Zhipu AI (Z.ai)
Compare Perplexity (Sonar API) and Zhipu AI (Z.ai) using recorded catalog facts and pricing.
| Fact | Perplexity (Sonar API) | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Published offerings | 0 | 2 |
Where Perplexity (Sonar API) and Zhipu AI (Z.ai) differ
| Fact | Perplexity (Sonar API) | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Input price from | $1 to $3 | $0.030 to $2.20Lower |
| Output price from | $1 to $15 | $0.030 to $8.90Lower |
| Models offered | Sonar, Sonar Pro, Sonar Reasoning Pro, Sonar Deep Research | GLM 5.3 Flash, GLM 5.3 FlashX, GLM 5.3, GLM 5.2, GLM 5.1, GLM 5, GLM 4.7, GLM 4.7 FlashX, GLM 4.7 Flash, GLM 4.6, GLM 4.5, GLM 4.5 X, GLM 4.5 Air, GLM 4.5 AirX, GLM 4.5 Flash, GLM 4 32B 0414 128K, GLM 4.6V, GLM 4.6V FlashX, GLM 4.6V Flash, GLM 4.5V, GLM OCR, GLM Image, CogView 4, CogVideoX 3, GLM ASR 2512 |
| Largest context window | 200,000 | 1,000,000Higher |
| Free credits | Not confirmed | Free models: GLM-4.7-Flash, GLM-4.5-Flash, GLM-4.6V-Flash; cached input storage limited-time free |
Same on both: OpenAI-compatible API (Yes).
Key differences
- Zhipu AI (Z.ai) scores higher overall: 9.40 vs 8.50.
- Input price from is lower at Zhipu AI (Z.ai): $0.030 to $2.20 vs $1 to $3.
- Output price from is lower at Zhipu AI (Z.ai): $0.030 to $8.90 vs $1 to $15.
- Models offered: only Perplexity (Sonar API) offers Sonar, Sonar Pro, Sonar Reasoning Pro.
- Models offered: only Zhipu AI (Z.ai) offers GLM 5.3 Flash, GLM 5.3 FlashX, GLM 5.3.
- Largest context window is higher at Zhipu AI (Z.ai): 1,000,000 vs 200,000.
Score breakdown
| Area | Perplexity (Sonar API) | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.30Input fees of $1 to $3 and output fees of $1 to $15 sit above the site medians €0.07 and €0.23. | 9.70HigherInput fees of $0.03 to $2.20 sit under the site median of €0.07, and free models add savings. |
| Offer | 8.60The catalogue spans answer, reasoning and research models: Sonar, Sonar Pro and Sonar Reasoning Pro, and the API is OpenAI-compatible. | 9.20HigherA wide GLM family, an OpenAI compatible API and a 1,000,000 window, but support is email, help centre and community only. |
| Trust | 8.60 | Not confirmed |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Perplexity (Sonar API) | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Input price from | $1 to $3 | $0.030 to $2.20 |
| Output price from | $1 to $15 | $0.030 to $8.90 |
| Largest context window | 200,000 | 1,000,000 |
Winner by area
Perplexity (Sonar API)
- Cost8.3
- Offer8.6
Zhipu AI (Z.ai)
- Cost9.7
- Offer9.2
- Cost goes to Zhipu AI (Z.ai) by 1.4 points, led by input price from: $0.030 to $2.20 vs $1 to $3.
- Zhipu AI (Z.ai) leads on offer by 0.6 points (9.2 vs 8.6).
The bill, worked out
10M input and 2M output tokens, cheapest model
Perplexity (Sonar API)
$12 to $60
10 × $1 to $3 + 2 × $1 to $15
Zhipu AI (Z.ai)
$0.36 to $39.80
10 × $0.03 to $2.20 + 2 × $0.03 to $8.90
Zhipu AI (Z.ai) costs $11.64 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Perplexity (Sonar API) | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Perplexity AI, Inc. | JINGSHENG HENGXING TECHNOLOGY PTE.LTD |
| Headquarters | United States | Singapore |
| Founded | 2022 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Help centre, Community |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.