GLM-5.3 vs DeepSeek V4 Pro
Which one to choose
Pick GLM-5.3 for long coding projects, agents that carry a task through to delivery, and code review for security flaws. Pick DeepSeek V4 Pro for math, STEM reasoning and broad knowledge questions, for JSON output, and when you want to switch thinking on or off per request. Both read text only, so neither handles screenshots; the deciding factor is project-delivery coding against reasoning-heavy problem solving.
Pricing comparison
| GLM-5.3 | DeepSeek V4 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Model maker | Zhipu AI | DeepSeek |
| Delivery availability | Available | Available |
| Context window | 1M | 1M |
| Max output | 128K | 384K |
| Official price | Input$1.40per 1M tokensOutput$4.40per 1M tokens | Input$0.66per 1M tokensOutput$1.98per 1M tokens |
| TokenLab price | — | — |
| Model performance |
|
|
| Capabilities | CodeJSON modePrompt CacheReasoningTool use | JSON modePrompt CacheTool use |
Choose GLM-5.3 when
- You hand an agent a whole project and expect it to plan, build and finish across many steps.
- You want the model to review code for security vulnerabilities.
- Your coding tool already speaks Anthropic's Messages format and you want to point it at a Zhipu model.
Choose DeepSeek V4 Pro when
- Your workload is math, STEM problems or questions that depend on broad world knowledge.
- You want one model that runs with thinking for hard prompts and without it for routine ones.
- You need JSON output and a Responses-style interface for Codex-like coding agents.
How they differ
| Aspect | GLM-5.3 | DeepSeek V4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Zhipu describes a flagship for long-horizon coding, agents and complex project delivery, with a large improvement over GLM-5.2 on its own coding benchmark. | DeepSeek aims at agentic coding, math, STEM reasoning and broad world knowledge, to rival closed frontier models. |
| Thinking mode | A reasoning model; the release notes describe it as a coding and agent specialist rather than a mode switch. | Offers thinking and non-thinking modes, and thinking runs at low, high or max effort. |
| Security work | Zhipu reports emerging cybersecurity ability, including white-box code review that found many real vulnerabilities. | No security-specific claim from DeepSeek; its strengths are reasoning and knowledge. |
| Structured output | Supports tool use and JSON output. | Supports tool calls and JSON output, and passes reasoning text back each turn in tool conversations. |
| Weights | Zhipu's own pages in this comparison do not describe the model's weights; treat it as an API model. | Open weights, so teams that also self-host can test the same family first. |
Summary
- GLM-5.3: Input $1.40 / Output $4.40 per 1M tokens; DeepSeek V4 Pro: Input $0.66 / Output $1.98 per 1M tokens. Rates depend on the billing unit, specification, and usage. Compare matching conditions in the model's detailed pricing; a single rate does not determine the total cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro supports 3.0x more output tokens
FAQ
Which is better for coding, GLM-5.3 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
GLM-5.3 is the more coding-focused of the two, built for long projects. DeepSeek V4 Pro is also strong at agentic coding and adds math and STEM depth. Pick GLM-5.3 for project delivery and DeepSeek V4 Pro for reasoning-heavy debugging.
Do either of them accept images?
No. Both read text only. For image input, put a vision-capable model in front of either one, or choose a multimodal model for that part of the work.
Can I turn thinking off?
On DeepSeek V4 Pro, yes, because it has a non-thinking mode. GLM-5.3 is a reasoning model, and Zhipu's notes describe no off switch for thinking.
Can they be used together?
Yes. One pattern is DeepSeek V4 Pro to work out a hard algorithm or proof and GLM-5.3 to implement and review it across the project.
Which is cheaper, GLM-5.3 or DeepSeek V4 Pro?
GLM-5.3: Input $1.40 / Output $4.40 per 1M tokens; DeepSeek V4 Pro: Input $0.66 / Output $1.98 per 1M tokens. Rates depend on the billing unit, specification, and usage. Compare matching conditions in the model's detailed pricing; a single rate does not determine the total cost.
What are the key differences between GLM-5.3 and DeepSeek V4 Pro?
GLM-5.3: Code, Reasoning
Sources
Reviewed Oct 2, 2026