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Zhipu AI (Z.ai) review

Updated September 28, 2026 · DeployCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Zhipu AI is a low cost way to run GLM models at scale, with input fees of $0.03 to $2.20 and a 1,000,000 context window. It suits developers who want free models, an OpenAI compatible API and a wide GLM line up without a subscription.

Key facts

Best for
Cheap GLM access with free models and a large context window.
Input price from
$0.030 to $2.20 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Output price from
$0.030 to $8.90 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Models offered
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 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Largest context window
1,000,000 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Free credits
Free models: GLM-4.7-Flash, GLM-4.5-Flash, GLM-4.6V-Flash; cached input storage limited-time free (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
OpenAI-compatible API
Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
JINGSHENG HENGXING TECHNOLOGY PTE.LTD (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
Singapore (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Official website
z.ai

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaX

Pricing

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.5 (USD)

    input-tokens: $0.20 / million

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.5 (USD)

    output-tokens: $1.10 / million

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.5 (USD)

    cached-input-tokens: $0.03 / million

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.6 (USD)

    input-tokens: $0.04 / million

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.6 (USD)

    output-tokens: $0.40 / million

  • Zhipu AI (Z.ai) GLM-4.6 (USD)

    cached-input-tokens: $0.004 / million

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Input fees of $0.03 to $2.20 sit well under the site median of €0.07
  • Free models plus free cached input storage trim trial costs
  • The API is OpenAI compatible, so most clients need no rewrite
  • A 1,000,000 context window matches the top of the site range

Cons

  • Support runs on email, help centre and community only, with no live chat or phone listed
  • The model list centres on GLM and its own vision, image and video models, so it is a single family rather than a multi vendor gateway
Zhipu AI (Z.ai)

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Who it suits

  • Teams that want one family of GLM models behind an OpenAI style endpoint
  • Developers prototyping on free models before paying per token
  • Builders feeding very long documents through a single request

Who should look elsewhere

  • Shoppers wanting a gateway across many vendors, where Azure AI Foundry or Supascale AI list wider catalogues
  • Buyers who need phone or live chat support, as the listed channels cover only email, a help centre and community

Pricing

Zhipu AI bills per token rather than on a subscription. Input fees run $0.03 to $2.20 and output fees run $0.03 to $8.90 across the GLM line, from the Flash tiers up to the flagship models. Several models are free, and cached input storage is free for a limited time, so light use can cost nothing at all. Compare input fees with the site median of €0.07.

How Zhipu AI (Z.ai) compares

Frequently asked questions

What does Zhipu AI cost per token?+

Input fees run $0.03 to $2.20 and output fees run $0.03 to $8.90 across the GLM range. Those input fees sit below the site median of €0.07, while output fees start among the cheapest in this group.

Is there a free tier or free credit?+

Yes. Several models are free, including the Flash text and vision tiers, and cached input storage is free for a limited time. That makes it a low cost way to test prompts and agent loops before any metered call.

How large a context window do the models support?+

The largest context window is 1,000,000, which matches the top of the site range of 10,000,000 and the median of 1,000,000. Long documents and large codebases fit in one request.

Is the API compatible with OpenAI clients?+

The API is OpenAI compatible, so existing OpenAI client libraries and coding assistants can point at the Zhipu AI endpoint instead. Every provider in this group offers the same compatibility, so it does not separate Zhipu AI from the rest.

Which models are available?+

The catalogue runs from the GLM-5.3 tier down through earlier GLM releases, plus vision, OCR, image and video models such as GLM-4.6V, GLM-Image, CogView and CogVideoX. It is a single family rather than a multi vendor gateway.

Who operates Zhipu AI?+

The legal entity listed in the privacy policy is JINGSHENG HENGXING TECHNOLOGY PTE.LTD, with its headquarters in Singapore. Buyers with data residency or vendor due diligence requirements should check those details against their own policy.

How do I get support?+

Support runs on email, help centre and community. There is no live chat or phone number listed, so teams needing real time help should look at an alternative with wider support options.

How does Zhipu AI compare with a multi vendor gateway?+

Azure AI Foundry lists gpt 6 astra, gpt 6 luna and gpt 6 sol and Supascale AI lists DeepSeek V4 Pro, GPT 5.6 Sol and GPT 5.6 Terra, covering many vendors each. Zhipu AI stays within its own GLM family, which suits teams that only need those models.

Sources

  • docs.z.ai/guides/llm/glm-5.3.md checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Largest context window, OpenAI-compatible API

    “GLM-5.3 currently supports text-only inputs, with a 1M-token context window and a maximum output length of 128K tokens.”

  • docs.z.ai/guides/overview/pricing checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Free credits, Input price from, Models offered, Output price from

    “GLM-4.7-Flash | Free | Free | Free | Free; Cached Input Storage: Limited-time Free”

  • docs.z.ai/legal-agreement/privacy-policy checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity

    “We generally provide the Services from Singapore, and our group companies and their designated service providers are typically located in Singapore.”

  • z.ai/model-api checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Support channels

    “Contact: X.com (https://x.com/Zai_org), Discord (https://discord.com/invite/QR7SARHRxK), Docs (https://docs.z.ai/guides/overview/quick-start)”

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Zhipu AI (Z.ai)

Zhipu AI (Z.ai)

Cheap GLM access with free models and a large context window.

9.4/10Visit