What is the difference between Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder?

Z.ai: GLM 5 is developed by Zhipu AI while Qwen3 Coder is developed by Qwen. You can compare their actual outputs across 36 challenges on RIVAL to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Z.ai: GLM 5 or Qwen3 Coder?

It depends on your use case. Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder each have strengths in different areas. RIVAL lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 36 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Z.ai: GLM 5 cost compared to Qwen3 Coder?

Z.ai: GLM 5 costs $0.8/M input tokens and Qwen3 Coder costs $0.22/M input tokens. Qwen3 Coder is $0.58/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on RIVAL to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder on RIVAL?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output, and Pro users can create custom challenges to test both models with their own prompts.

Rival

Z.ai: GLM 5vsQwen3 Coder

36 challenges

Why Z.ai: GLM 5?

Leads 1 of 1 benchmarks

Stronger on SWE-bench Verified77.8% vs 69.6%

7 months newerFeb 2026

Why Qwen3 Coder?

2.8x cheaper overall$0.22/M in · $0.95/M out

Favorites

Z.ai: GLM 5Qwen3 Coder

Movie

The Shawshank Redemption

19948.7

The Shawshank Redemption

19948.7

Album

—

Kind of Blue

Miles Davis

Book

—

The Left Hand of Darkness

Ursula K. Le Guin

City

Istanbul

Turkey

Kyoto

Japan

Game

Tetris (1984)

Puzzle4.4

The Stanley Parable

Indie, Adventure4.4

12 / 36

Estimate Complexityreasoning

Tests an AI's ability to make educated estimates based on technical knowledge

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

The total number of FLOPs required to train GPT‑3 is approximately 3.15 × 10²³.

Step‑by‑step reasoning:

Model size: GPT‑3 has 175 billion (1.75 × 10¹¹) trainable parameters.
Training data: According to the paper abstract, the model was trained on 300 billion (3 × 10¹¹) tokens.
FLOPs per token for training a transformer:
- Forward pass: each parameter is used in one multiply‑add operation → ~2 FLOPs per parameter → 2 N FLOPs per token.
- Backward pass (gradient computation): roughly twice the forward cost → ~4 N FLOPs per token.
- Total: ~6 N FLOPs per token.
  This approximation is standard for large transformer models and neglects small overheads like attention quadratic terms (which add only ~1–2% for GPT‑3’s sequence length).
Calculation:
Total FLOPs ≈ 6 × (1.75 × 10¹¹) × (3 × 10¹¹)
= 6 × 5.25 × 10²²
= 3.15 × 10²³.
Consistency check: The GPT‑3 paper reports a training compute of 3,640 PF‑days. Converting:
1 PF‑day = 10¹⁵ FLOP/s × 86400 s = 8.64 × 10¹⁹ FLOPs.
3,640 PF‑days = 3,640 × 8.64 × 10¹⁹ ≈ 3.14 × 10²³ FLOPs, matching the estimate.

Thus, the total FLOPs required to train GPT‑3 is about 3.15 × 10²³.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

I'll estimate the FLOPs required to train GPT-3 by breaking down the key components and making reasonable approximations.

Key Parameters of GPT-3

Parameters: ~175 billion (1.75 × 10¹¹)
Training tokens: ~300 billion (3 × 10¹¹)
Context window: 2048 tokens

Step 1: FLOPs per Token Forward Pass

For a transformer model, the forward pass FLOPs are dominated by matrix multiplications in the attention and MLP layers.

Attention layers:

Self-attention: ~4 × d_model × d_model × sequence_length per layer
With d_model ≈ 12,288 (based on GPT-3 architecture) and 96 layers
Attention FLOPs per token ≈ 96 × 4 × 12,288² ≈ 5.8 × 10¹⁰

MLP layers:

Each MLP has ~8 × d_model² FLOPs per token (two linear transformations)
MLP FLOPs per token ≈ 96 × 8 × 12,288² ≈ 1.16 × 10¹¹

Total forward pass FLOPs per token: ~1.7 × 10¹¹

Step 2: FLOPs per Token Backward Pass

Backward pass typically requires ~2× the forward pass FLOPs due to gradient computations.

Backward pass FLOPs per token: ~3.4 × 10¹¹

Step 3: Total FLOPs per Token

Forward + Backward = ~5.1 × 10¹¹ FLOPs per token

Step 4: Training FLOPs

However, we need to account for multiple epochs and the fact that training typically processes sequences, not individual tokens.

Sequence-based calculation:

Average sequence length: ~1024 tokens (conservative estimate)
Sequences processed: 3 × 10¹¹ tokens ÷ 1024 ≈ 2.9 × 10⁸ sequences
FLOPs per sequence: ~5.1 × 10¹¹ × 1024 ≈ 5.2 × 10¹⁴
Total training FLOPs: 2.9 × 10⁸ × 5.2 × 10¹⁴ ≈ 1.5 × 10²³

Step 5: Additional Considerations

Parameter updates and optimizer computations (Adam): ~2× the backward pass FLOPs
Multiple epochs (effective training): roughly 2-3× the base calculation

Final Estimate

Total training FLOPs: ~3 × 10²³ to 5 × 10²³ FLOPs

This is equivalent to approximately 300 to 500 exaFLOPs.

This estimate aligns reasonably with published figures and captures the massive computational requirements of training such a large language model, representing one of the most computationally intensive AI training runs to date.

Vote

2 / 36

AI Board Game Logicreasoning

Tests an AI's ability to understand game rules and strategy

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026svg

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025svg

Vote

3 / 36

Logic Puzzlereasoning

Tests an AI's ability to solve a simple but potentially confusing logic puzzle

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

Sally has 1 sister.

Here is the breakdown:

Since the brothers are all siblings, they share the same sisters.
If each brother has 2 sisters, that means there are 2 girls in total in the family.
Sally is one of those girls.
Therefore, the other girl is Sally's only sister.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

I need to work through this step-by-step.

Given information:

Sally has 3 brothers
Each brother has 2 sisters

Let me think about this carefully:

Since Sally is a girl, she is one of the sisters that each brother has.

If each brother has 2 sisters, and Sally is one of those sisters, then there must be 1 additional sister besides Sally.

Therefore, Sally has 1 sister.

To verify:

Sally + 1 sister = 2 sisters total
Each of the 3 brothers has these same 2 sisters
This matches the given information that each brother has 2 sisters

Sally has 1 sister.

Vote

4 / 36

Stochastic Consistency Testanalysis

Tests an AI's randomness and creativity

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

Here are 5 jokes:

Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field.
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.
What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta.
Why don't skeletons fight each other? They don't have the guts.
I used to hate facial hair, but then it grew on me.

All 5 are unique.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

Here are 5 jokes for you:

Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!
I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field!
How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together!

All 5 of these jokes are unique - each one has a different setup, punchline, and comedic concept. They cover various joke types including puns, wordplay, and observational humor.

Vote

5 / 36

Xbox Controller SVG Artimage generation

Tests an AI's ability to create detailed SVG illustrations of gaming hardware

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026svg

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025svg

Vote

6 / 36

Generate a Stand-Up Routineconversation

Tests an AI's humor and creative writing ability

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

No content available for this output.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

"Modern Life Problems"

[Walks on stage, adjusts mic]

So I downloaded one of those meditation apps last week. The app said, "Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, breathe out for four." I'm like, "Finally! Someone who speaks my language – a robot!"

[Pause]

But then it asked me to "clear my mind of all thoughts." Are you KIDDING me? My mind is like a browser with 47 tabs open, and half of them are just articles titled "You Won't Believe What Happens Next" – and I've never clicked on a single one!

[Gesture]

Speaking of technology – why do we call it "smart" technology when it's constantly asking me to prove I'm not a robot? I just want to buy shoes online, not pass a Turing test! "Click all the squares with traffic lights." I'm 90% sure that's just photos of my hometown.

[Shake head]

And don't get me started on voice assistants. I asked mine to play some music, and it started playing a podcast about ancient pottery techniques. That's not music! That's what my nightmares sound like! "Welcome to Clay Time with Karen..."

[Pause for effect]

Dating apps are wild too. Everyone's profile says they love "travel, food, and adventure." That's just a fancy way of saying "I eat meals in different locations." Congratulations, you're a tourist! I matched with someone whose bio said "professional napper." I was like, "Finally! A man who lists his hobbies honestly!" Turns out he was a construction worker. Different kind of professional napper.

[Shrug]

But you know what's really messed up? Grocery stores. They moved the milk to the back of the store! It's a conspiracy! They know we're busy people. I go in for three things – milk, bread, and eggs – and suddenly I'm wandering the aisles like a confused archaeologist, wondering how we survived as a species when we can't even organize a dairy section properly.

[Look around audience]

And can we talk about "contactless" delivery? The driver texts me: "Package is at your door." I live in a building with 200 units. It's like hiding a needle in a haystack, except the needle is a burrito, and I'm very motivated to find it!

[Pause]

You know what though? Despite all this madness, I remain optimistic. Why? Because I just figured out how to use my oven's timer function. Yesterday. I'm basically MacGyver now.

[Big smile]

Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience! Don't forget to tip your waitstaff – they're the only ones who still know what they're doing!

[Exit stage]

Vote

7 / 36

Realistic AI Interviewconversation

Tests an AI's ability to simulate personalities and predict future trends

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

No content available for this output.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

No content available for this output.

Vote

8 / 36

Satirical Fake News Headlineconversation

Tests an AI's humor and understanding of current events

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

No content available for this output.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

No content available for this output.

Vote

9 / 36

Character Voice Testconversation

Tests an AI's ability to write in distinct character voices

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026text

No content available for this output.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025text

The Unlikely Trio

At a peculiar cross-temporal tavern, three figures sit around a wooden table

Blackbeard the Pirate: Arrr, so let me get this straight - ye're tellin' me there be magical talking boxes that think like humans?

Sir Gareth the Knight: Indeed, though 'tis sorcery most unnatural. In my time, we trusted only steel and prayer. These "AI models" - they speak without souls?

Zero_Cool: LOL, you guys are so analog. It's like, the computer learns from all this data, right? Like, imagine if you could read every book in the Library of Alexandria in five seconds and then answer questions about them.

Blackbeard: Five seconds?! Blimey! I could've planned me raids much better with that kind of knowledge. But how do we know it ain't lying to us?

Sir Gareth: Aye, that troubles me as well. How dost thou discern truth from falsehood without honorbound oaths?

Zero_Cool: Dude, that's exactly why we're all here. Sometimes the AI just makes stuff up. It's like having a really smart but kinda stoned friend who occasionally hallucinates.

Blackbeard: Hallucinates, ye say? Like rum visions?

Zero_Cool: Pretty much, yeah.

Sir Gareth: Remarkable. Though I still prefer a good confession under the eyes of God.

Vote

10 / 36

Minimalist Landing Pageweb design

Tests an AI's ability to generate a complete, working landing page

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026website

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025website

Vote

11 / 36

Pokémon Battle UI Recreationweb design

Recreate an interactive, nostalgic Pokémon battle UI in a single HTML file.

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026website

No content available for this output.

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025website

No content available for this output.

Vote

12 / 36

Mario Level UI Recreationweb design

Recreate an interactive, classic Mario level in a single HTML file.

Z.ai: GLM 5

Zhipu · Feb 2026website

Qwen3 Coder

Qwen · Jul 2025website

Vote

12 of 36

FAQ

Continue exploring

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Qwen3 Coder vs MiniMax M2.5New provider

"Modern Life Problems"

[Walks on stage, adjusts mic]

[Pause]

[Gesture]

[Shake head]

[Pause for effect]

[Shrug]

[Look around audience]

[Pause]

You know what though? Despite all this madness, I remain optimistic. Why? Because I just figured out how to use my oven's timer function. Yesterday. I'm basically MacGyver now.

[Big smile]

Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience! Don't forget to tip your waitstaff – they're the only ones who still know what they're doing!

[Exit stage]

Z.ai: GLM 5 vs Qwen3 Coder

Why Z.ai: GLM 5?

Why Qwen3 Coder?

Favorites

Estimate Complexityreasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Key Parameters of GPT-3

Step 1: FLOPs per Token Forward Pass

Step 2: FLOPs per Token Backward Pass

Step 3: Total FLOPs per Token

Step 4: Training FLOPs

Step 5: Additional Considerations

Final Estimate

AI Board Game Logicreasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Logic Puzzlereasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Stochastic Consistency Testanalysis

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Xbox Controller SVG Artimage generation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Generate a Stand-Up Routineconversation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Realistic AI Interviewconversation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Satirical Fake News Headlineconversation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Character Voice Testconversation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Minimalist Landing Pageweb design

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Pokémon Battle UI Recreationweb design

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Mario Level UI Recreationweb design

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

What is the difference between Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder?

Which is better, Z.ai: GLM 5 or Qwen3 Coder?

How much does Z.ai: GLM 5 cost compared to Qwen3 Coder?

How can I compare Z.ai: GLM 5 and Qwen3 Coder on RIVAL?

Why Z.ai: GLM 5?

Why Qwen3 Coder?

Favorites

Estimate Complexityreasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Key Parameters of GPT-3

Step 1: FLOPs per Token Forward Pass

Step 2: FLOPs per Token Backward Pass

Step 3: Total FLOPs per Token

Step 4: Training FLOPs

Step 5: Additional Considerations

Final Estimate

AI Board Game Logicreasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Logic Puzzlereasoning

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Stochastic Consistency Testanalysis

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Xbox Controller SVG Artimage generation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Generate a Stand-Up Routineconversation

Z.ai: GLM 5

Qwen3 Coder

Realistic AI Interviewconversation