Real data comparison
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) vs Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch)
On quality, Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch) leads (44.8 vs 39.5). On price, DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) is cheaper ($0.52 vs $0.88 per 1M). In real production usage, DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) is used more (rank #3 vs #20 of 373). Across 11 real task categories where both models have classified traffic, DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) handles more of the traffic in 11 of them.
- DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch)
- Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch)
Head-to-head by real task
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) leads 11 of 11 shared task categories by real classified traffic share; Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch) leads 0. Not a benchmark score - this is what developers actually route to each model for, per OpenRouter's task classification.
| Task | DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) | Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch) |
|---|---|---|
| DevOps & Config | 48.1% | 4.8% |
| Code Generation | 32.8% | 1.9% |
| Shell Execution | 31.4% | 4.4% |
| Repo Scanning | 28.2% | 2.4% |
| Security Audit | 32.1% | 10.9% |
| Debugging | 24.5% | 3.3% |
| File I/O | 19.8% | 1.9% |
| SQL & Database | 17.2% | 1.5% |
| Code Review | 17.0% | 3.2% |
| DevOps | 13.3% | 2.6% |
| Tool Dispatch | 11.2% | 2.0% |
Usage share over time
- DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch)
- Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch)
Frequently asked questions
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) vs Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch): which is better quality?
Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch) scores higher on Artificial Analysis's Intelligence Index (44.8 vs 39.5).
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) vs Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch): which is cheaper?
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) is cheaper at $0.52/1M vs $0.88/1M.
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) vs Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch): which is used more?
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) has higher real OpenRouter usage share (rank #3 vs #20 of 373).
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) vs Z.ai: GLM 5.3 (batch): which wins more real-world task categories?
DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash (batch) handles more traffic in 11 of 11 shared task categories where both models have classified OpenRouter usage.
Source: OpenRouter (openrouter.ai/rankings), as of October 9, 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.