GLM 5.2 vs MiniMax M3
Pricing, context window and real answers (August 2026)
GLM 5.2 (Z.ai) and MiniMax M3 (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
 GLM 5.2 |  MiniMax M3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Z.ai | MiniMax |
| 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 window | 1,048,576 tokens | 1,048,576 tokens |
| Release date | 6/16/2026 | 5/31/2026 |
| Input modalities | text | text, image, video |
| Arena · overall | #31 · ELO 1,469 | #68 · ELO 1,444 |
| Arena · Japanese | #13 · ELO 1,472 | #49 · ELO 1,414 |
| Arena · coding | #46 · ELO 1,506 | #59 · ELO 1,498 |
Prices are FastMetal's yen rates before tax. Arena ranks are as of the latest leaderboard scrape.
Which should you pick?
- On price, MiniMax M3: ¥214.44 per 1M output tokens, 73% less than GLM 5.2.
- On the Overall arena board, GLM 5.2 ranks higher (#31; MiniMax M3 is #68).
- On the Japanese arena board, GLM 5.2 ranks higher (#13; MiniMax M3 is #49).
- On the Coding arena board, GLM 5.2 ranks higher (#46; MiniMax M3 is #59).
- 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 5.2
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
MiniMax M3
# Counting 'r's in "strawberry"
Let me go through the word letter by letter:
**s** - t - **r** - a - w - b - e - **r** - **r** - y
| Position | Letter | Is it 'r'? |
|----------|--------|------------|
| 1 | s | No |
| 2 | t | No |
| 3 | **r** | ✓ (1st) |
| 4 | a | No |
| 5 | w | No |
| 6 | b | No |
| 7 | e | No |
| 8 | **r** | ✓ (2nd) |
| 9 | **r** | ✓ (3rd) |
| 10 | y | No |
## Answer: **3**
The word "strawberry" contains **three 'r's** — one at position 3, and two consecutive 'r's at positions 8 and 9.
25.6s455 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 5.2
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
MiniMax M3
# Error Analysis
The error `Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'map')` tells you that **`users` is `undefined`** when your component runs. JavaScript can't call `.map()` on `undefined`, so it throws this error.
The component itself is fine syntactically — the problem is that the `users` prop isn't being passed, or hasn't loaded yet.
## Common Causes
**1. The prop isn't passed at all:**
```jsx
<UserList /> // No users prop → users is undefined
```
**2. Data is still loading (async fetch):**
```jsx
const [users, setUsers] = useState(); // undefined initially
```
**3. API returns undefined:**
```jsx
const { data } = await fetch('/api/users').then(r => r.json());
setUsers(data);…
32.8s710 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 5.2
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
MiniMax M3
## Code Review
This function works for the happy path, but it has several issues around error handling, retries, and readability. Here's a breakdown.
### 🐛 Bugs & Correctness Issues
| # | Issue | Why It Matters |
|---|-------|----------------|
| 1 | `except:` with no exception type | Swallows `KeyboardInterrupt`, `SystemExit`, and *everything else* (typos, `MemoryError`). You lose visibility into real failures. |
| 2 | Retries on every non‑200, including `4xx` | A `404` or `401` will never succeed by retrying — it just wastes time and rate-limit budget. |
| 3 | `if item["active"] == True` | Both linters (PEP 8 E712) and Python idiom prefer `if item["active"]:`. |
| 4 | `item["active"]` (…
33.4s3977 output tokens
Frequently asked questions
- Which is cheaper, GLM 5.2 or MiniMax M3?
- Per 1M output tokens, GLM 5.2 is ¥786.28 and MiniMax M3 is ¥214.44 on FastMetal (yen, before tax), so MiniMax M3 is cheaper.
- How do the context windows of GLM 5.2 and MiniMax M3 compare?
- GLM 5.2 takes 1,048,576 tokens; MiniMax M3 takes 1,048,576.
- Which ranks higher, GLM 5.2 or MiniMax M3?
- GLM 5.2 ranks higher on the public arena (GLM 5.2 #13, MiniMax M3 #49). Ranks move as the leaderboard updates.
- Can I use GLM 5.2 and MiniMax M3 with the same API key?
- Yes. On FastMetal's OpenAI-compatible endpoint, switch by passing "glm-5.2" or "minimax-m3" 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 5.2 and MiniMax M3 from the browser chat and the API. No monthly fee.