Gemini 3 Flash vs GLM-5 Turbo
Complete pricing and performance comparison between Google's Gemini 3 Flash and Zhipu's GLM-5 Turbo.
Quick Verdict
Cheaper
Gemini 3 Flash
2.4x cheaper input, 1.3x cheaper output
Larger Context
Gemini 3 Flash
1.0M vs 200K
Pricing Comparison
| Spec | Gemini 3 Flash | GLM-5 Turbo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | Zhipu | ||
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.5 | $1.2 | Gemini 3 Flash is 58% more expensive |
| Output / 1M tokens | $3 | $4 | Gemini 3 Flash is 25% more expensive |
| Context Window | 1.0M | 200K | 5x difference |
| Max Output | 66K | 128K |
Performance Benchmarks
| Metric | Gemini 3 Flash | GLM-5 Turbo | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality Index | 35 | -- | N/A |
| Output Speed | 184 tok/s | -- | N/A |
| Value (Quality/$) | 70.0 | -- | 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 | Gemini 3 Flash | GLM-5 Turbo | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
Single request 1K in / 300 out | $0.0014 | $0.0024 | Same |
10 requests 10K in / 3K out | $0.014 | $0.024 | Gemini 3 Flash saves $0.0100 |
100 requests 100K in / 30K out | $0.140 | $0.240 | Gemini 3 Flash saves $0.100 |
1,000 requests 1M in / 300K out | $1.40 | $2.40 | Gemini 3 Flash saves $1.00 |
10,000 requests 10M in / 3M out | $14.00 | $24.00 | Gemini 3 Flash saves $10.00 |
1M requests/mo 1B in / 300M out | $1400.00 | $2400.00 | Gemini 3 Flash saves $1000.00 |
Pros & Cons
Gemini 3 Flash Strengths
- +Cheaper input tokens
- +Cheaper output tokens
- +Larger context window (1.0M vs 200K)
GLM-5 Turbo Strengths
- +Higher max output tokens
When to Use Each Model
Choose Gemini 3 Flash for
- →Budget-conscious projects where cost is the primary factor
- →Long documents, large codebases, or multi-turn conversations
Choose GLM-5 Turbo for
- →Generating long-form content or detailed code
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, Gemini 3 Flash or GLM-5 Turbo?
For input tokens, Gemini 3 Flash is 2.4x cheaper at $0.5/1M tokens. For output tokens, Gemini 3 Flash is 1.3x cheaper at $3/1M tokens. At typical usage (1M input + 300K output), Gemini 3 Flash costs $1.40 vs GLM-5 Turbo at $2.40.
What's the context window difference?
Gemini 3 Flash supports 1.0M context (1,048,576 tokens), while GLM-5 Turbo supports 200K (200,000 tokens). Gemini 3 Flash can handle 5x more context in a single request.
Which model has better benchmarks?
When should I choose Gemini 3 Flash over GLM-5 Turbo?
Choose Gemini 3 Flash when you need: Cheaper input tokens, Cheaper output tokens, Larger context window (1.0M vs 200K). Choose GLM-5 Turbo when you need: Higher max output tokens.
How much would 10,000 API requests cost?
At 1K input + 300 output tokens per request (typical chat): Gemini 3 Flash = $14.00, GLM-5 Turbo = $24.00. At 10K input + 1K output per request (longer conversations): Gemini 3 Flash = $80.00, GLM-5 Turbo = $160.00.