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MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs GLM 5.3 Flash: API Pricing, Limits & Cost Delta

Side-by-side 2026 engineering comparison between MiniMax MiniMax M3.1 Flash and Z.ai / GLM GLM 5.3 Flash—covering uncached input, cached prefix reads, output rates, max completion tokens, and live 30-day workload savings.

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Interactive Workload Cost Delta Simulator

30-Day Spend Delta: MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs GLM 5.3 Flash
MiniMax M3.1 Flash (30-day)
$24.30/mo
GLM 5.3 Flash (30-day)
$6.08/mo
Monthly cost delta & winner
GLM 5.3 Flash saves $18.22/mo (75% lower)
MiniMax M3.1 Flash full pricing sheet → GLM 5.3 Flash full pricing sheet → Size 429 rate limits for MiniMax M3.1 Flash →

Side-by-Side Unit Price & Capability Matrix

MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs GLM 5.3 Flash verified 2026 pricing and technical specification diff
Dimension MiniMax M3.1 Flash GLM 5.3 Flash
Provider & Release DateMiniMax (2026-10-19)Z.ai / GLM (2026-08-26)
Primary Workload TierCoding & AgentCoding & Agent
Uncached Input ($ / 1M tokens)$0.15$0.04
Cached Prompt Read ($ / 1M tokens)$0.015$0.03
Output Completion ($ / 1M tokens)$0.6$0.078
50% Async Batch APINot listedNot listed
Context Window (tokens)1,048,5761,048,576
Max Output Tokens524,288131,072
Function / Tool CallingSupportedSupported
Strict JSON Schema OutputsSupportedSupported
Reasoning Token ModeSupportedSupported
Accepted Input Modalitiestext, image, videotext, image, video

Decision Rubric: When to Pick MiniMax M3.1 Flash vs GLM 5.3 Flash

When to choose MiniMax M3.1 Flash (MiniMax)

Select MiniMax M3.1 Flash when your workload prioritizes its Coding & Agent profile ($0.15/1M input, $0.015/1M cached read, $0.6/1M output) with up to 1,048,576 context tokens and 524,288 max output tokens (real-time synchronous execution).

MiniMax M3.1 Flash full pricing sheet →

When to choose GLM 5.3 Flash (Z.ai / GLM)

Select GLM 5.3 Flash when your workload prioritizes its Coding & Agent profile ($0.04/1M input, $0.03/1M cached read, $0.078/1M output) with up to 1,048,576 context tokens and 131,072 max output tokens (real-time synchronous execution).

GLM 5.3 Flash full pricing sheet →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is MiniMax M3.1 Flash cheaper than GLM 5.3 Flash for production API workloads?

On standard uncached rates, MiniMax M3.1 Flash bills $0.15/1M input and $0.6/1M output versus GLM 5.3 Flash at $0.04/1M input and $0.078/1M output. On a typical 1,000 calls/day workload (4,000 input tokens at 50% cache hit + 800 output tokens), GLM 5.3 Flash saves $18.22/month (75% lower).

How do MiniMax M3.1 Flash and GLM 5.3 Flash compare on context window and max output tokens?

MiniMax M3.1 Flash offers a 1,048,576-token context window with 524,288 max output tokens (text, image, video), while GLM 5.3 Flash provides a 1,048,576-token context window with 131,072 max output tokens (text, image, video).

Can I switch between MiniMax M3.1 Flash and GLM 5.3 Flash with strict JSON Schema tool calling?

Both models can be evaluated locally in DevToken: MiniMax M3.1 Flash (tools: Supported, strict JSON Schema: Supported) vs GLM 5.3 Flash (tools: Supported, strict JSON Schema: Supported). Always verify rate-limit headroom in the 429 Calculator before cutover.