GLM-5.3 Flash vs Qwen3.8 Flash: API price comparison (2026)
As of 2026-10-17, By blended price, Qwen3.8 Flash is cheaper — about 1.0× less. GLM-5.3 Flash: ¥0.8 / ¥2.8 (Official (China)); Qwen3.8 Flash: ¥0.8 / ¥2.7 (Official (China)), per 1M input/output tokens.
 GLM-5.3 Flash |  Qwen3.8 Flash | |
|---|---|---|
| Blended | $0.194 | $0.19 |
| Cheapest channel | Official (China) | Official (China) |
| Context | 1M | 1M |
| China usability | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✓ID✗Intl card Official (China) | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✓ID✗Intl card Official (China) |
GLM-5.3 Flash
| Channel | Blended | Input | Output | Cached | Access & payment (this channel) | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official (China) ¥0.8 / ¥2.8 | $0.194 | $0.119 | $0.418 | $0.034 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✓ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | 标准价。官方页注明限时五折：输入 ¥0.4 / 缓存命中 ¥0.115 / 输出 ¥1.4，未写截止日期 models.dev differs | open.bigmodel.cn 2026-10-17 |
| OpenRouter $0.15 / $0.5 | $0.237 | $0.15 | $0.5 | $0.03 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | Original vendor endpoint: Z.AI Quantized min $0.075 / $0.25 (fp4, DeepInfra) | openrouter.ai 2026-10-17 |
Qwen3.8 Flash
| Channel | Blended | Input | Output | Cached | Access & payment (this channel) | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official (China) ¥0.8 / ¥2.7 | $0.19 | $0.119 | $0.403 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✓ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | 华北2（北京），0<Token≤1M models.dev ✓ | help.aliyun.com 2026-10-17 | |
| OpenRouter $0.15 / $0.47 | $0.23 | $0.15 | $0.47 | $0.016 | ✓CN direct✓Alipay✗ID✗Intl card conditions source2026-10-17 | Original vendor endpoint: Alibaba | openrouter.ai 2026-10-17 |
FAQ
Which is cheaper, GLM-5.3 Flash or Qwen3.8 Flash?
As of 2026-10-17, By blended price, Qwen3.8 Flash is cheaper — about 1.0× less. GLM-5.3 Flash: ¥0.8 / ¥2.8 (Official (China)); Qwen3.8 Flash: ¥0.8 / ¥2.7 (Official (China)), per 1M input/output tokens.
What are the context windows of GLM-5.3 Flash and Qwen3.8 Flash?
GLM-5.3 Flash: 1M; Qwen3.8 Flash: 1M.
Can I use GLM-5.3 Flash and Qwen3.8 Flash directly from mainland China?
GLM-5.3 Flash（Official (China)）direct yes, Alipay yes; Qwen3.8 Flash（Official (China)）direct yes, Alipay yes. Via each cheapest channel.
How much can I save switching between them?
Blended (0.75×in+0.25×out): GLM-5.3 Flash $0.194 vs Qwen3.8 Flash $0.19, a difference of $0.0037 per 1M tokens.