---
title: "GLM-5.3 API pricing: ⁨$1.40⁩ in, ⁨$4.40⁩ out · DotsAgent"
description: "GLM-5.3 by Z.ai (Zhipu): price per million input, cached and output tokens, context window, agent features and what a real agent task costs on it."
url: https://dotsagent.io/models/glm-5-3
---

[Z.ai (Zhipu)](https://dotsagent.io/providers/zhipu)

· Flagship

# GLM-5.3 API pricing and specs

Z.ai's flagship, the same base model as GLM-5.2 with better post-training, and thinking that cannot be turned off.

Input

$1.40

Cached input

$0.26

Output

$4.40

US dollars per million tokens, standard tier, short-prompt rate

Cached-input storage is free for a limited time. Requests with thinking disabled now fail, so remove that flag when migrating from GLM-5.2.

## Spec sheet

- **API model string**: `glm-5.3`
- **Provider**: [Z.ai (Zhipu)](https://dotsagent.io/providers/zhipu)
- **Context**: 1M tokens
- **Max output**: —
- **Released**: August 14, 2026
- **Batch API**: No batch discount listed
- **Documented agent features**: Tool callingAdjustable reasoning

## What a task costs

Four reference workloads priced at this model's list rates, with caching applied after the first call. Your numbers will differ; the calculator lets you change every assumption.

| Workload | Per task | Per 1,000 tasks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Support bot 4 calls, short tool lookups | $0.035 | $35 |
| Coding agent 30 calls, files and test output | $1.63 | $1,631 |
| Browser agent 25 calls, screenshots and page text | $1.05 | $1,052 |
| Research agent 15 calls, long search results | $0.926 | $926 |

[Change the assumptions](https://dotsagent.io/cost#model=glm-5-3)

## Other Z.ai (Zhipu) models

- [GLM-5.3-Flash](https://dotsagent.io/models/glm-5-3-flash): $0.15 / $0.50

## Similar cost elsewhere

Models from other providers whose cost on the 30-step coding workload is closest to this one.

- [Qwen3.8-Max](https://dotsagent.io/models/qwen3-8-max): $1.63 per coding task

- [GPT-6.1 Sol](https://dotsagent.io/models/gpt-6-1-sol): $1.69 per coding task

- [Gemini 3.5 Flash](https://dotsagent.io/models/gemini-3-5-flash): $1.54 per coding task

- [Claude Sonnet 5.5](https://dotsagent.io/models/claude-sonnet-5-5): $1.98 per coding task

## Sources

1. [docs.z.ai](https://docs.z.ai/guides/overview/pricing)/guides/overview/pricing
2. [z.ai](https://z.ai/blog/glm-5.3)/blog/glm-5.3
3. [docs.z.ai](https://docs.z.ai/guides/overview/overview)/guides/overview/overview

Independent reference for people who build AI agents. Not affiliated with any vendor named here.

© 2026 DotsAgent · Facts checked October 1, 2026