Real data comparison
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free)
On quality, DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 leads (53.2 vs 52.6). On price, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) is cheaper ($1.83 vs $1.98 per 1M). In real production usage, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) is used more (rank #6 vs #7 of 312). Across 5 real task categories where both models have classified traffic, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) handles more of the traffic in 3 of them.
- DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423
- Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free)
Head-to-head by real task
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 leads 2 of 5 shared task categories by real classified traffic share; Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) leads 3. Not a benchmark score - this is what developers actually route to each model for, per OpenRouter's task classification.
| Task | DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 | Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) |
|---|---|---|
| Shell Execution | 8.1% | 2.9% |
| Security Audit | 2.6% | 4.1% |
| Debugging | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| Workflow Execution | 2.5% | 3.4% |
| SQL & Database | 3.5% | 3.0% |
Usage share over time
- DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423
- Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free)
Frequently asked questions
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free): which is better quality?
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 scores higher on Artificial Analysis's Intelligence Index (53.2 vs 52.6).
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free): which is cheaper?
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) is cheaper at $1.83/1M vs $1.98/1M.
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free): which is used more?
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) has higher real OpenRouter usage share (rank #6 vs #7 of 312).
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Pro 0423 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free): which wins more real-world task categories?
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (free) handles more traffic in 3 of 5 shared task categories where both models have classified OpenRouter usage.
Source: OpenRouter (openrouter.ai/rankings), as of August 28, 2026.
Benchmark scores: Artificial Analysis (artificialanalysis.ai) via OpenRouter (openrouter.ai/rankings).
Methodology: www.smophy.ai/benchmark/methodology
Token counts originate from each provider's own tokenizer and are not directly comparable across providers.