Model comparison

GLM 5.1 vs Grok 4.7

Pricing, context window and real answers (September 2026)

GLM 5.1 (Z.ai) and Grok 4.7 (xAI), 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

z-ai logoGLM 5.1x-ai logoGrok 4.7
ProviderZ.aixAI
Input (per 1M tokens)¥250.18¥276.2
Output (per 1M tokens)¥786.28¥828.6
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥643¥691
Context window204,800 tokens500,000 tokens
Release date4/7/20269/21/2026
Input modalitiestexttext, image, file
Throughput (p50)
Arena · overall#47 · ELO 1,466Unranked
Arena · Japanese#46 · ELO 1,434Unranked
Arena · coding#45 · ELO 1,513Unranked

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

Which should you pick?

  • On price, GLM 5.1: ¥786.28 per 1M output tokens, 5% less than Grok 4.7.
  • For long documents, Grok 4.7: a 500,000-token context window against 204,800 for GLM 5.1.
  • 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.

GLM 5.1

There are **3** 'r's in the word "strawberry". Here is the step-by-step reasoning: 1. Let's break down the word "strawberry" letter by letter: s - t - r - a - w - b - e - r - r - y 2. Now, let's check each letter one by one to see if it is an 'r': - **s**: not an 'r' - **t**: not an 'r' - **r**: this is the 1st 'r' - **a**: not an 'r' - **w**: not an 'r' - **b**: not an 'r' - **e**: not an 'r' - **r**: this is the 2nd 'r' - **r**: this is the 3rd 'r' - **y**: not an 'r' 3. Counting them up, there are three 'r's in total (in the 3rd, 8th, and 9th positions).
7.3s565 output tokens

Grok 4.7

The word "strawberry" consists of the letters S-T-R-A-W-B-E-R-R-Y. - The 3rd letter is R. - The 8th letter is R. - The 9th letter is R. This gives a total of 3 R's.
4.7s299 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…

GLM 5.1

### What is causing the error? The error `TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')` means you are trying to call the `.map()` method on a variable that is `undefined`. In your code, the variable is `users`. When the `UserList` component renders, the `users` prop is `undefined`, so `undefined.map()` throws an error. ### Why is `users` undefined? This usually happens for one of two reasons: 1. **You forgot to pass the prop:** The parent component rendering `<UserList />` is not passing the `users` attribute (e.g., `<UserList />` instead of `<UserList users={myUsers} />`). 2. **Async Data Fetching:** You are fetching the users from an API. On the initial render, befor…
45.0s1680 output tokens

Grok 4.7

The error happens because `users` is `undefined` when `UserList` renders, so calling `.map` on it fails. That usually means the parent rendered `<UserList />` (or `<UserList users={undefined} />`) before data was loaded, or the prop name doesn’t match. **Fix it in the component** so it tolerates a missing list: ```jsx function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` Or guard the call: ```jsx function UserList({ users }) { return ( <ul> {(users ?? []).map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` **Also check the parent** so you pass an array once data exists: `…
12.8s393 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):…

GLM 5.1

Here is a review of your function, broken down by areas for improvement, followed by a refactored version of the code. ### Key Areas for Improvement 1. **Imports Inside the Function:** Placing `import` statements inside a function is generally discouraged in Python. It slows down the function execution every time it is called, and it violates PEP 8 (the Python style guide). Imports should always be at the top of the module. 2. **Bare `except` Clause:** Using a bare `except:` catches *everything*, including `KeyboardInterrupt` and `SystemExit`, which makes it hard to terminate a hanging program. You should catch specific exceptions (like `requests.exceptions.RequestException`). 3. *…
70.3s2854 output tokens

Grok 4.7

## Review The function works for the happy path, but it hides failures, retries the wrong errors, and is harder to read and debug than it needs to be. ### Issues 1. **Imports inside the function** — move them to module level unless you have a strong reason (circular imports, optional dependency). 2. **Bare `except`** — swallows `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and programming bugs. Catch specific exceptions. 3. **Retries non-retryable failures** — 4xx (except maybe 429) will not succeed on retry. Network errors and 5xx are the usual candidates. 4. **Sleeps after the last attempt** — wastes up to 2 seconds before returning `[]`. 5. **Unused loop variable** and vague names (`r`, `i`). 6.…
22.3s1525 output tokens

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Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GLM 5.1 or Grok 4.7?
Per 1M output tokens, GLM 5.1 is ¥786.28 and Grok 4.7 is ¥828.6 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so GLM 5.1 is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GLM 5.1 and Grok 4.7 compare?
GLM 5.1 takes 204,800 tokens; Grok 4.7 takes 500,000.
Can I use GLM 5.1 and Grok 4.7 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "glm-5.1" or "grok-4.7" 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 GLM 5.1 and Grok 4.7 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

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