DeepSeek V4 Flash vs Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash
GLM 5.3 Flash adds vision and video input, while DeepSeek V4 Flash is text-only but slightly cheaper and still very large-context.
Quick verdict
Use GLM 5.3 Flash when you need low-cost multimodal processing at more than 1M tokens. Use DeepSeek V4 Flash for pure-text batch work where cost and large context matter more than modality.
Side-by-side comparison
| Field | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | Z.ai |
| Context window | 1.31M tokens | 1.31M tokens |
| Input / 1M | $0.065 | $0.075 |
| Output / 1M | $0.180 | $0.250 |
| Modalities | Text | Text, Vision, Video |
| Best for | Budget, Long Context | Budget, Long Context, Multimodal |
Cost estimates
| Workload | Input | Output | DeepSeek V4 Flash | Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick test | 20,000 | 5,000 | $0.002 | $0.003 |
| Product chat month | 500,000 | 125,000 | $0.055 | $0.069 |
| Document batch | 5,000,000 | 1,000,000 | $0.505 | $0.625 |
Estimates use list input/output prices and exclude cache discounts, provider surcharges and tool fees.
Choose DeepSeek V4 Flash if
- ✓Your workload is text-only
- ✓You want the lowest possible input and output cost
- ✓You process long documents, logs or transcripts in batches
Choose Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash if
- ✓You need image or video input
- ✓You want one large-context model for mixed media extraction
- ✓Your benchmark shows GLM handles your document structure better
FAQ
Is DeepSeek V4 Flash cheaper than Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash?
DeepSeek V4 Flash costs $0.065 input and $0.180 output per 1M tokens. Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.075 input and $0.250 output per 1M tokens.
Which model has the larger context window?
DeepSeek V4 Flash offers 1.31M tokens; Z.ai GLM 5.3 Flash offers 1.31M tokens. Provider-specific limits can vary by route.
Which one should I choose?
Use GLM 5.3 Flash when you need low-cost multimodal processing at more than 1M tokens. Use DeepSeek V4 Flash for pure-text batch work where cost and large context matter more than modality.
Pricing and context data are based on a 2026-09-05 snapshot. Provider limits and pricing can change; verify on OpenRouter before production.