DeepSeek R1 vs GLM-5 Turbo
Complete pricing and performance comparison between DeepSeek's DeepSeek R1 and Zhipu's GLM-5 Turbo.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
GLM-5 Turbo
1.1x cheaper input, 1.4x cheaper output
Larger Context
GLM-5 Turbo
200K vs 128K
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5 Turbo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | Zhipu | |
| Input / 1M tokens | $1.35 | $1.2 | GLM-5 Turbo is 11% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $5.4 | $4 | GLM-5 Turbo is 26% more expensive |
| Context Window | 128K | 200K | 2x difference |
| Max Output | 33K | 128K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5 Turbo | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 27 | -- | N/A |
| Value (Quality/$) | 20.1 | -- | Higher = better value |
Benchmark data from Artificial Analysis. Quality Index is a composite score across reasoning, coding, and knowledge tasks.
Cost at Scale
Estimated cost at different usage levels (3:1 input-to-output token ratio, typical for chat).
| Usage | DeepSeek R1 | GLM-5 Turbo | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0030 | $0.0024 | Same |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.030 | $0.024 | GLM-5 Turbo saves $0.0057 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.297 | $0.240 | GLM-5 Turbo saves $0.057 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $2.97 | $2.40 | GLM-5 Turbo saves $0.570 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $29.70 | $24.00 | GLM-5 Turbo saves $5.70 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $2970.00 | $2400.00 | GLM-5 Turbo saves $570.00 |
Pros & Cons
DeepSeek R1 Strengths
Part of the DeepSeek ecosystem
GLM-5 Turbo Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Larger context window (200K vs 128K)
- +Higher max output tokens
When to Use Each Model
Choose DeepSeek R1 for
- →Projects already integrated with DeepSeek's ecosystem
Choose GLM-5 Turbo for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, DeepSeek R1 or GLM-5 Turbo?
For input tokens, GLM-5 Turbo is 1.1x cheaper at $1.2/1M tokens. For output tokens, GLM-5 Turbo is 1.4x cheaper at $4/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), DeepSeek R1 costs $2.97 vs GLM-5 Turbo at $2.40.
What's the context window difference?
DeepSeek R1 supports 128K context (128,000 tokens), while GLM-5 Turbo supports 200K (200,000 tokens). GLM-5 Turbo can handle 2x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
When should I choose DeepSeek R1 over GLM-5 Turbo?
Choose DeepSeek R1 when you need: a DeepSeek ecosystem model. Choose GLM-5 Turbo when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Larger context window (200K vs 128K), Higher max output tokens.
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): DeepSeek R1 = $29.70, GLM-5 Turbo = $24.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): DeepSeek R1 = $189.00, GLM-5 Turbo = $160.00.