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Kimi K2.6 vs GLM-5.1

Detailed pricing comparison and cost analysis.

Updated September 2026

Cost Simulator

Kimi K2.6 Cost
$1.75
GLM-5.1 Cost
$2.28
Kimi K2.6 is 23% cheaper
FeatureKimi K2.6GLM-5.1
ProviderMoonshot AIZhipu AI
Input Price (1M)$0.95$1.40
Output Price (1M)$4.00$4.40
Context Window262,1441,000,000

Verdict

Kimi K2.6 costs $0.95 per 1M input tokens and $4.00 per 1M output tokens. GLM-5.1 costs $1.40 per 1M input tokens and $4.40 per 1M output tokens. Kimi K2.6 is 32% cheaper on input tokens than GLM-5.1. For output tokens, Kimi K2.6 is the more affordable option at $4.00/1M vs $4.40.

On context window, GLM-5.1 supports 1,000,000 tokens — meaning it can fit more conversation history, documents, or code in a single request. This matters for RAG pipelines, long document analysis, and agentic workflows where context builds up over many turns.

When to choose Kimi K2.6

  • ✓ You need the lowest input token cost ($ 0.95/1M)
  • ✓ Your workload is output-heavy — Kimi K2.6 generates text cheaper
  • ✓ You are already integrated with Moonshot AI

When to choose GLM-5.1

  • ✓ You need a larger context window (1,000,000 tokens)
  • ✓ You are already integrated with Zhipu AI

Use the calculator above to simulate your specific workload and find the exact break-even point. For most applications, the cheapest model is the one that minimises your total monthly bill given your input-to-output token ratio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kimi K2.6 cheaper than GLM-5.1?

Kimi K2.6 is cheaper on input tokens at $0.95/1M vs $1.40/1M for GLM-5.1 — a 32% saving.

What is the context window of Kimi K2.6 vs GLM-5.1?

Kimi K2.6 has a 262,144-token context window. GLM-5.1 has a 1,000,000-token context window. GLM-5.1 supports the larger context, suitable for longer documents and agentic workflows.

Which model is better: Kimi K2.6 or GLM-5.1?

The best choice depends on your use case. For cost efficiency on input tokens, Kimi K2.6 is the cheaper option. For maximum context length, GLM-5.1 supports 1,000,000 tokens. Use the comparison table above to find the right fit for your workload.