Model comparison

Claude Opus 4.6 vs GLM 5.2

Pricing, context window and real answers (August 2026)

Claude Opus 4.6 (Anthropic) and GLM 5.2 (Z.ai), compared as you can actually call them on FastMetal. Both are served from the same OpenAI-compatible endpoint and API key; switching is a change to the model string.

Specs and pricing

anthropic logoClaude Opus 4.6z-ai logoGLM 5.2
ProviderAnthropicZ.ai
Input (per 1M tokens)¥850¥250.18
Output (per 1M tokens)¥4,200¥786.28
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥2,950¥643
Context window1,000,000 tokens1,048,576 tokens
Release date2/4/20266/16/2026
Input modalitiestext, imagetext
Arena · overall#5 · ELO 1,497#33 · ELO 1,472
Arena · Japanese#16 · ELO 1,482#26 · ELO 1,458
Arena · coding#5 · ELO 1,546#48 · ELO 1,508

Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.

Which should you pick?

  • On price, GLM 5.2: ¥786.28 per 1M output tokens, 81% less than Claude Opus 4.6.
  • On the Overall arena board, Claude Opus 4.6 ranks higher (#5; GLM 5.2 is #33).
  • On the Japanese arena board, Claude Opus 4.6 ranks higher (#16; GLM 5.2 is #26).
  • On the Coding arena board, Claude Opus 4.6 ranks higher (#5; GLM 5.2 is #48).
  • For long documents, GLM 5.2: a 1,048,576-token context window against 1,000,000 for Claude Opus 4.6.
  • If in doubt, try both on the same key. Switching is a change to the model string, and each is billed at its own rate.

Real answers to the same prompts

Exactly what the FastMetal gateway returned, side by side. Not benchmark scores: actual output.

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'

Count the number of 'r's in 'strawberry'. Explain your reasoning step by step.

Claude Opus 4.6

I need to count the number of 'r's in the word 'strawberry'. Let me go through it letter by letter. **s** - not an r **t** - not an r **r** - this is an r ✓ (count: 1) **a** - not an r **w** - not an r **b** - not an r **e** - not an r **r** - this is an r ✓ (count: 2) **r** - this is an r ✓ (count: 3) **y** - not an r There are **3** r's in 'strawberry'.
3.2s158 output tokens

GLM 5.2

To count the number of 'r's in the word 'strawberry', let's look at the word letter by letter: 1. **s** - no 'r' 2. **t** - no 'r' 3. **r** - this is the 1st 'r' 4. **a** - no 'r' 5. **w** - no 'r' 6. **b** - no 'r' 7. **e** - no 'r' 8. **r** - this is the 2nd 'r' 9. **r** - this is the 3rd 'r' 10. **y** - no 'r' Total count: 3 There are **3** 'r's in the word 'strawberry'.
2.6s439 output tokens

Debug This Error

I'm getting the following error in my Node.js application: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map') at UserList (/app/components/UserList.js:12:25) at renderWithHooks (/app/node_modules/rea…

Claude Opus 4.6

# Understanding the Error The error `Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')` means that **`users` is `undefined`** when the component renders. You're trying to call `.map()` on a value that doesn't exist yet. This typically happens when: - The parent component doesn't pass the `users` prop - The data is being fetched asynchronously and hasn't loaded yet - The prop name is misspelled ## Solutions ### 1. Add a Default Parameter Value (Simplest Fix) ```javascript function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` ### 2. Add a Guard with Optional Chaining ```javascript function UserList({…
10.5s599 output tokens

GLM 5.2

The error `TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')` happens because the `users` prop being passed to your `UserList` component is currently `undefined`. When JavaScript tries to call `.map()` on `undefined`, it throws this error. Here are the best ways to fix this: ### Fix 1: Provide a default value (Recommended) You can provide a default empty array `[]` when destructuring the props. This ensures that even if `users` is not passed down, the `.map()` function will still have an array to iterate over (resulting in an empty list rather than a crash). ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</…
8.3s1006 output tokens

Code Review

Please review the following Python function and suggest improvements for readability, performance, and best practices: def get_data(url, retries=3): import requests import time for i in range(retries):…

Claude Opus 4.6

# Code Review: `get_data` Function ## Original Issues Identified 1. **Imports inside function** – reduces clarity and adds per-call overhead 2. **Bare `except`** – catches everything including `KeyboardInterrupt` and `SystemExit` 3. **`== True` comparison** – non-Pythonic 4. **Manual list building** – could use a list comprehension 5. **No logging** – failures happen silently 6. **No response validation** – assumes JSON is always a list of dicts with specific keys 7. **Magic numbers** – `timeout=10`, `sleep(2)` unexplained 8. **Vague function/variable names** – `r`, `data`, `get_data` --- ## Improved Version ```python import logging import time from typing import Any import requests fr…
19.9s1223 output tokens

GLM 5.2

Here is a review of your Python function, broken down by readability, performance, and best practices, followed by a refactored version of the code. ### 1. Best Practices * **Move imports to the top:** Importing modules inside a function is generally discouraged. While Python caches imports, putting `import requests` and `import time` at the top of your file is the standard convention and improves readability. * **Avoid bare `except:` blocks:** Using a bare `except:` catches everything, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and `SystemExit`. This makes it hard to interrupt your program if it gets stuck in a loop. You should catch specific exceptions, such as `requests.exceptions.RequestException` (…
10.9s2061 output tokens

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Claude Opus 4.6 or GLM 5.2?
Per 1M output tokens, Claude Opus 4.6 is ¥4,200 and GLM 5.2 is ¥786.28 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so GLM 5.2 is cheaper.
How do the context windows of Claude Opus 4.6 and GLM 5.2 compare?
Claude Opus 4.6 takes 1,000,000 tokens; GLM 5.2 takes 1,048,576.
Which ranks higher, Claude Opus 4.6 or GLM 5.2?
Claude Opus 4.6 ranks higher on the public arena (Claude Opus 4.6 #16, GLM 5.2 #26). Ranks move as the leaderboard updates.
Can I use Claude Opus 4.6 and GLM 5.2 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "anthropic-claude-opus-4-6" or "glm-5.2" as the model. Each is billed at its own rate from the same prepaid balance.

Try both on one API key

Create an account and add credit to call Claude Opus 4.6 and GLM 5.2 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

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