Model comparison

GLM 5.1 vs MiniMax M2.7

Pricing, context window and real answers (August 2026)

GLM 5.1 (Z.ai) and MiniMax M2.7 (MiniMax), 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 5.1minimax logoMiniMax M2.7
ProviderZ.aiMiniMax
Input (per 1M tokens)¥250.18¥53.61
Output (per 1M tokens)¥786.28¥214.44
Typical cost (1,000 in + 500 out tokens × 1,000 calls)¥643¥161
Context window204,800 tokens204,800 tokens
Release date4/7/20263/18/2026
Input modalitiestexttext
Arena · overall#41 · ELO 1,466#121 · ELO 1,417
Arena · Japanese#49 · ELO 1,430#166 · ELO 1,278
Arena · coding#36 · ELO 1,514#94 · ELO 1,481

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

Which should you pick?

  • On price, MiniMax M2.7: ¥214.44 per 1M output tokens, 73% less than GLM 5.1.
  • On the Overall arena board, GLM 5.1 ranks higher (#41; MiniMax M2.7 is #121).
  • On the Japanese arena board, GLM 5.1 ranks higher (#49; MiniMax M2.7 is #166).
  • On the Coding arena board, GLM 5.1 ranks higher (#36; MiniMax M2.7 is #94).
  • 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

MiniMax M2.7

**Step‑by‑step counting** 1. Write the word **strawberry** as a sequence of its letters: `s‑t‑r‑a‑w‑b‑e‑r‑r‑y` 2. Go through each letter and check whether it is the letter **r** (case‑insensitive). | Position | Letter | Is it “r”? | |----------|--------|------------| | 1 | s | No | | 2 | t | No | | 3 | **r** | Yes → count = 1 | | 4 | a | No | | 5 | w | No | | 6 | b | No | | 7 | e | No | | 8 | **r** | Yes → count = 2 | | 9 | **r** | Yes → count = 3 | | 10 | y | No | 3. After checking all ten positions, the total number of times the letter **…
11.1s475 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

MiniMax M2.7

# Fixing the "Cannot read properties of undefined" Error ## The Problem The error occurs because `users` is `undefined` when the component renders. The `.map()` method can't be called on `undefined`. This typically happens when: - The parent component doesn't pass the `users` prop - The data is still loading/fetching - The initial state is `undefined` instead of an empty array --- ## Solutions ### 1. Add a Default Parameter (Recommended) ```javascript function UserList({ users = [] }) { return ( <ul> {users.map(user => <li key={user.id}>{user.name}</li>)} </ul> ); } ``` ### 2. Use Optional Chaining ```javascript function UserList({ users }) { return ( <ul>…
14.2s695 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

MiniMax M2.7

# Code Review: `get_data` Function ## Issues Identified ### 1. **Critical Issues** ```python # ❌ Bare except clause - catches everything including KeyboardInterrupt except: time.sleep(2) ``` ```python # ❌ Comparing to True - redundant comparison if item["active"] == True: ``` ```python # ❌ No JSON error handling - r.json() can raise ValueError data = r.json() ``` ### 2. **Code Quality Issues** | Issue | Location | Problem | |-------|----------|---------| | Imports inside function | Line 2-3 | Should be at module level | | Magic numbers | `timeout=10`, `sleep(2)` | Not descriptive | | No docstring | Function | No documentation | | No type hints | Function signature | Missing type safet…
31.7s1690 output tokens

Compare on more prompts →

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, GLM 5.1 or MiniMax M2.7?
Per 1M output tokens, GLM 5.1 is ¥786.28 and MiniMax M2.7 is ¥214.44 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so MiniMax M2.7 is cheaper.
How do the context windows of GLM 5.1 and MiniMax M2.7 compare?
GLM 5.1 takes 204,800 tokens; MiniMax M2.7 takes 204,800.
Which ranks higher, GLM 5.1 or MiniMax M2.7?
GLM 5.1 ranks higher on the public arena (GLM 5.1 #49, MiniMax M2.7 #166). Ranks move as the leaderboard updates.
Can I use GLM 5.1 and MiniMax M2.7 with the same API key?
Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "glm-5.1" or "minimax-m2.7" 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 MiniMax M2.7 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.

More comparisons with GLM 5.1

More comparisons with MiniMax M2.7