GLM-5.3-Flash vs GPT-6 Sol
Which one, when
glm-5.3-flash is the cheaper of the two by a wide margin, at $0.15 input and $0.5 output per million tokens against $2 and $10 for gpt-6-sol, roughly 13x and 20x less, and it also accepts video input alongside text and images, with a 163840-token max output versus 128000. Pick gpt-6-sol when you need its slightly larger 1050000-token context, a 2026-04 knowledge cutoff, or the ability to turn thinking off, which glm-5.3-flash does not allow. For high-volume text, image or video work where reasoning is always welcome, glm-5.3-flash is the economical default.
Benchmarks
Vendor-published: Alibaba (Qwen) Anthropic DeepSeek Google Moonshot OpenAI Tencent Z.ai
Pricing
| GLM-5.3-Flash | GPT-6 Sol | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input / 1M tokens | $0.15 | $2 | 0.075× |
| Output / 1M tokens | $0.5 | $10 | 0.05× |
| Cache read / 1M tokens | $0.03 | $0.2 | 0.15× |
| Cache write | - | no separate charge | - |
Rates from the live catalog at build time; each model page carries the current card.
Where they sit - input price per 1M tokens across all 74 chat models on this billing unit (log scale)
Capabilities
| GLM-5.3-Flash | GPT-6 Sol | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool use | yes | yes |
| Thinking control | always on | configurable |
| Structured output | yes | yes |
| Prompt caching | implicit (automatic) | implicit (automatic) |
| Cache lifetime | not published | 5-10m, up to 1h |
| Minimum cached prefix | not published | 1024 tokens |
Specs
| GLM-5.3-Flash | GPT-6 Sol | |
|---|---|---|
| Input modalities | text image video | text image |
| Output modalities | text | text |
| Released | - | 2026-09-22 |
| Knowledge cutoff | - | 2026-04 |
| Context window | 1M | 1.1M |
| Max output | 164K | 128K |
| Thinking parameter | reasoning_effort | reasoning.effort |
| Accepted values | reasoning_effort
| reasoning.effort
|
| Default | max | medium |
Specs are transcribed from each vendor’s documentation; a row a vendor does not publish is left out rather than inferred. Full sources: GLM-5.3-Flash · GPT-6 Sol
One prompt, both models - measured through the gateway
GLM-5.3-Flash passed · 3 sentences
Enabling reasoning means the model now generates thousands of invisible "thinking" tokens before each visible answer, and we're billed for those hidden tokens at full output rates—our most expensive tier. Since output tokens cost 3–5x more than input tokens, that hidden thinking volume compounds across every request, which is why the bill doubled rather than edged up. If the spend concerns you, the fix is straightforward: route only complex queries to reasoning models and keep simple tasks on standard ones, which can reclaim a meaningful share of that cost without losing accuracy where it matters.
out 742 tok (+626 thinking) latency 23.2 s
GPT-6 Sol passed · 3 sentences
Enabling reasoning made the model generate extra internal tokens to work through each request, and those tokens are billed even though users don’t see them. If request volume stayed roughly the same, more billed tokens per request could explain why the bill doubled. We should check the usage breakdown to confirm, then lower reasoning effort or limit it to tasks that need it.
out 188 tok (+111 thinking) latency 5.0 s
Instruction following (exactly three sentences - countable), audience shaping (CFO register), and the hidden-thinking billing gap the token meters below expose.
GLM-5.3-Flash passed · 8/8 cases
```python def longest_run(xs): if not xs: return 0 best = cur = 1 for i in range(1, len(xs)): if xs[i] == xs[i - 1]: cur += 1 best = max(best, cur) else: cur = 1 return best ``` **The bug:** `cur` is supposed to hold the length of the current run, but it's seeded with `0` and reset to `0` on a mismatch instead of `1` — and since the loop starts at index 1, the first element of every run never passes through the `==` branch and so never gets counted at all. That means `cur` actually holds *run length minus 1* for every run, so every run is underreported by one: a single-element input never enters the loop and returns 0 instead of 1, and a run of length n returns n − 1 (e.g., `[3, 3, 3]` returns 2). […]
out 2462 tok (+2138 thinking) latency 29.1 s
GPT-6 Sol passed · 8/8 cases
```python def longest_run(xs): if not xs: return 0 best = cur = 1 for i in range(1, len(xs)): if xs[i] == xs[i - 1]: cur += 1 else: cur = 1 best = max(best, cur) return best ``` The original `cur` counted matching *adjacent pairs*, not items, so every run was one too short—including a single-element input, which returned 0. Starting each run at 1 counts its first item, and updating `best` on every iteration ensures a run that reaches the last index is included.
out 206 tok (+59 thinking) latency 5.9 s
Whether the fix is actually correct (runnable), explanation density, and token efficiency on a bounded task.
GLM-5.3-Flash passed · 5/5 fields, guidance "Withheld pending the Q4 close"
```json { "company": "Meridian Robotics", "quarter": "September quarter", "revenue_usd_m": 412, "growth_pct": 11, "guidance": "Withheld pending the Q4 close" } ``` Notes on judgment calls: revenue of 412 is on a constant-currency basis as stated; growth of "eleven and change" is approximated as 11 since no precise figure is given.
out 717 tok (+616 thinking) latency 9.1 s
GPT-6 Sol passed · 5/5 fields, guidance "Withheld pending the Q4 close"
{"company":"Meridian Robotics","quarter":"September quarter","revenue_usd_m":null,"growth_pct":null,"guidance":"Withheld pending the Q4 close"}
out 227 tok (+185 thinking) latency 5.2 s
Schema obedience (no invented fields), hallucination pressure (guidance is explicitly withheld), and structured-output path differences.
GLM-5.3-Flash passed · 120 words, 0 banned, 1 question
Introducing Cross-Provider Prompt Cache, the newest feature in our API gateway. Today, teams send identical prompts to multiple LLM providers and pay full price each time. Why duplicate that work and cost? With Cross-Provider Prompt Cache, your gateway stores prompt-response pairs and serves repeated requests from cache, regardless of which provider handles the call. The result: lower latency, reduced spend, and consistent outputs across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and self-hosted models. Configure cache policies per route, set TTLs, and invalidate entries instantly through the dashboard or API. Built-in analytics show hit rates and savings in real time. Enable the cache with a single flag, no code changes required. Available today on all paid plans. Contact sales for enterprise volume pricing details.
out 2095 tok (+1937 thinking) latency 20.2 s
GPT-6 Sol passed · 120 words, 0 banned, 1 question
Today, we’re introducing cross-provider prompt caching for our API gateway, helping teams reuse repeated prompt content when routing requests among supported AI providers. The gateway identifies eligible prompt prefixes, stores cache references, and applies them to subsequent requests where provider capabilities allow. Why send the same context again if it can be reused? With fewer duplicate input tokens, applications can reduce costs and improve latency without changing how developers call the gateway. Configure caching by route, monitor hit rates and savings in your dashboard, and keep existing provider fallback rules in place. Availability and cache behavior vary by provider, so the gateway reports eligibility and usage for each request. Get started today with our documentation and test your existing workloads.
out 586 tok (+443 thinking) latency 7.7 s
Constraint obedience (word budget, banned-word list, the single question), style fingerprint, and length control.
Switch between them with one line
Both ids are in every tab below - the highlighted pair of lines is the only edit. Same endpoint, same key, same request shape.
from openai import OpenAI
client = OpenAI(
base_url="https://synthorai.io/v1",
api_key="sk-syn-...",
)
resp = client.chat.completions.create(
model="glm-5.3-flash",
# model="gpt-6-sol", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Summarize this diff"}],
reasoning_effort="medium",
)
print(resp.choices[0].message.content)import OpenAI from "openai";
const client = new OpenAI({
baseURL: "https://synthorai.io/v1",
apiKey: "sk-syn-...",
});
const resp = await client.chat.completions.create({
model: "glm-5.3-flash",
// model: "gpt-6-sol", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
messages: [{ role: "user", content: "Summarize this diff" }],
reasoning_effort: "medium",
});
console.log(resp.choices[0].message.content);curl https://synthorai.io/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk-syn-..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"model": "glm-5.3-flash",
# "model": "gpt-6-sol", # uncomment this line, comment the one above
"messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "Hello"}],
"reasoning_effort": "medium"
}'package main
import (
"context"
"fmt"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3"
"github.com/openai/openai-go/v3/option"
)
func main() {
client := openai.NewClient(
option.WithBaseURL("https://synthorai.io/v1"),
option.WithAPIKey("sk-syn-..."),
)
resp, _ := client.Chat.Completions.New(context.TODO(), openai.ChatCompletionNewParams{
Model: "glm-5.3-flash",
// Model: "gpt-6-sol", // uncomment this line, comment the one above
Messages: []openai.ChatCompletionMessageParamUnion{
openai.UserMessage("Summarize this diff"),
},
ReasoningEffort: openai.ReasoningEffortMedium,
})
fmt.Println(resp.Choices[0].Message.Content)
}import com.openai.client.OpenAIClient;
import com.openai.client.okhttp.OpenAIOkHttpClient;
import com.openai.models.chat.completions.*;
import com.openai.models.ReasoningEffort;
OpenAIClient client = OpenAIOkHttpClient.builder()
.baseUrl("https://synthorai.io/v1")
.apiKey("sk-syn-...")
.build();
ChatCompletion resp = client.chat().completions().create(
ChatCompletionCreateParams.builder()
.model("glm-5.3-flash")
// .model("gpt-6-sol") // uncomment this line, comment the one above
.addUserMessage("Summarize this diff")
.reasoningEffort(ReasoningEffort.MEDIUM)
.build());
System.out.println(resp.choices().get(0).message().content().orElse(""));FAQ
Which is cheaper, GLM-5.3-Flash or GPT-6 Sol?
GLM-5.3-Flash is cheaper on input / 1m tokens ($0.15 vs $2, 13× apart). Other rows may point the other way - the table above carries the full card, and real cost depends on your mix.
Can I A/B test GLM-5.3-Flash against GPT-6 Sol without two integrations?
Yes. Both are served through the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint with one API key - switching is a one-line model-string change, so you can route a fraction of traffic to each and compare bills directly.
Do GLM-5.3-Flash and GPT-6 Sol support prompt caching?
Yes - both bill cached reads below their input rate, so warm-prefix workloads cost less than the list rates suggest. The exact cache-read rows are in the pricing table above.