Pairwise benchmark snapshot · Aug 16, 2026
In this head-to-head showdown, GLM-5.3 delivers higher overall intelligence and human-preferred responses (Elo 1,558 vs 1,506), while GLM-5.3 leads in SWE-bench software engineering benchmarks (76.4%), while GLM-5.3 is more budget-friendly at $1.8/1M per 1M output tokens, while Gemini 3.6 Flash provides faster response streaming (198 tok/s). Review the complete breakdown below to determine which model best fits your performance and budget requirements.
10 direct benchmark disciplines evaluated across capability, speed, and cost
Google Jul 21 workhorse. Now shares the 3.7 Flash introductory $0.75/$3.75 rate through Dec 31 2026.
Z.ai Aug 14 2026 post-train of the GLM-5.2 744B base. Coding-plan live; open weights promised after a two-week safety review (z.ai/blog/glm-5.3).
Currently comparing Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GLM-5.3. Alternative family tiers available.
Δ 52 Arena Elo pts
198 tok/s
$1.8 / 1M output
Relative percentile scores computed across all active models in the benchmark catalog.
Comparing top Western standard models with China's leading frontier rival across 6 skill dimensions. Tap any spoke or dot to inspect.
Category wins across reasoning intelligence, generation speed, and token cost.
Preference Elo, Coding proficiency, SWE-bench & LiveBench accuracy
Generation throughput and time to first token responsiveness
Cost per million tokens and max context window length
| Benchmark | Gemini 3.6 Flash | GLM-5.3 | Advantage Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preference Elo | +52 | ||
| Coding Elo | +72 | ||
| LiveBench | +3.6% | ||
| SWE-bench | +5.6% | ||
| GPQA Diamond | +3.6% | ||
| Time to first token | +163 ms | ||
| Output speed | 198 tok/s | 90 tok/s | +108 tok/s |
| Input price | $0.75/1M | +$0.25/1M | |
| Output price | $3.75/1M | +$1.95/1M | |
| Context window | +849k |
Simulate monthly production API costs in USD (US Dollar).
GLM-5.3 is estimated to save $38.00/month ($456/year).
Higher SWE-bench (76.4%).
Lower output list price ($1.8/1M).
Lower TTFT (92 ms).
Larger window (1M).
Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GLM-5.3).
| Target Workload | Recommended Pick | Evaluation Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Repo / coding agents | GLM-5.3 | Higher SWE-bench (76.4%). |
| High-volume chat | GLM-5.3 | Lower output list price ($1.8/1M). |
| Voice / low-latency UI | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Lower TTFT (92 ms). |
| Long-document RAG | Gemini 3.6 Flash | Larger window (1M). |
| Screenshots / vision | GLM-5.3 | Both accept images. Defaulting to the higher-Elo side (GLM-5.3). |
Coding-plan live; open weights promised after a two-week safety review. Newest Zhipu row.
Jul 21 workhorse that inherited $0.75/$3.75 through year-end. Keep the row; 3.7 is the newer sibling.
Strong Chinese/English coding. 5.3 is the new row; 5.2 stays so the delta is visible.
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Verified Head-to-Head Telemetry