---
title: "GLM 5 API pricing"
canonical: https://uplinkswitch.ai/models/glm-5
generated: 2026-10-25T14:48:19.933Z
source: https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1/catalog
base_url: https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1
---

# GLM 5 API pricing

GLM 5 API at $3.80/M input and $10.20/M output tokens. Works with the OpenAI SDK.

## Price per million tokens (USD)

| Tokens | Z.ai list price | UplinkSwitch | Under list |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Input | — | $3.80 | — |
| Cached input | — | $0.80 | — |
| Output | — | $10.20 | — |

## Model

- Model id: `glm-5`
- Formats: OpenAI SDK
- Base URL: https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1
- Daily real-model check: Steady since Oct 20 (https://uplinkswitch.ai/proof#glm-5)

## GLM 5 API key

1. Create a key in the console at uplinkswitch.ai/console. Credit is prepaid from $10 with no subscription, and the key works at once.
2. Point your SDK or tool at https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1, for example with OPENAI_BASE_URL, and send the key as the bearer token.
3. Send glm-5 as the model. The same key calls every other model in the catalog.

## Request

### Python · OpenAI SDK

```python
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1",
    api_key="sk-uplink-live-...",
)

completion = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="glm-5",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Summarize this in one line."}],
)
print(completion.choices[0].message.content)
```

### TypeScript · OpenAI SDK

```typescript
import OpenAI from 'openai';

const client = new OpenAI({
  baseURL: 'https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1',
  apiKey: 'sk-uplink-live-...',
});

const completion = await client.chat.completions.create({
  model: 'glm-5',
  messages: [{ role: 'user', content: 'Summarize this in one line.' }],
});
console.log(completion.choices[0].message.content);
```

### curl

```bash
curl https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "authorization: Bearer sk-uplink-live-..." \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -d '{"model":"glm-5","messages":[{"role":"user","content":"Hello"}]}'
```

## Questions

### What is GLM 5?

GLM 5 is a model from Z.ai. Through UplinkSwitch it answers the OpenAI SDK on one key as glm-5.

### How much does the GLM 5 API cost?

$3.80 per million input tokens and $10.20 per million output tokens, with cached input at $0.80.

### Is GLM 5 free?

It is pay as you go: prepaid credit from $10, with no subscription or monthly fee, billed per token. A 1,000-token prompt with a 500-token reply costs about $0.0089.

### What is the GLM 5 model id?

glm-5. Send it as the model through the OpenAI SDK with base URL https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1.

### How do I get a GLM 5 API key?

Create one in the console at uplinkswitch.ai/console: prepaid credit from $10, no subscription, and the key is live at once. The same key calls GLM 5 and every other model in the catalog; send it as the bearer token with base URL https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1.

### Is it the real GLM 5?

Every day each model gets the same test prompt, and the results are public on /proof. GLM 5's latest result: Steady since Oct 20.

### Is there a GLM 5 API?

Yes: glm-5 on the OpenAI format at https://api.uplinkswitch.com/v1, $3.80 input and $10.20 output per million tokens. No weights to download and no GPU of your own; the key also runs every other model in the catalog.

### How many parameters does GLM 5 have?

744B total, 40B active per token, per zai-org/GLM-5.

### What is GLM 5's context window?

202,752 tokens in its config, per zai-org/GLM-5.

### Is GLM 5 open source?

Its weights are open on Hugging Face (zai-org/GLM-5); the license is MIT.

### What does GLM 5 cost per 100 messages?

$1.27 for 100 chat turns of 2,000 input and 500 output tokens each, at $3.80 input and $10.20 output per million tokens, from prepaid credit with no subscription.

### GLM 5 or GLM 4.5 Air?

GLM-5 is the large 2026 flagship; GLM-4.5 Air is the compact 106B model from July 2025. GLM 5 is $3.80 / $10.20 per million tokens in / out, $12.70 for 1,000 chat turns; GLM 4.5 Air is $0.56 / $3.44 per million tokens in / out, $2.84 for 1,000 chat turns. Both run on the same key, so send the same prompt to each.

## Related

- GLM API pricing: https://uplinkswitch.ai/pricing/glm
- Cursor setup: https://uplinkswitch.ai/guides/cursor
- Cline setup: https://uplinkswitch.ai/guides/cline
- Roo Code setup: https://uplinkswitch.ai/guides/roo-code
- Kilo Code setup: https://uplinkswitch.ai/guides/kilo-code
- SDKs setup: https://uplinkswitch.ai/guides/sdks
- Every model and price: https://uplinkswitch.ai/llms-full.txt
- Machine catalog: https://uplinkswitch.ai/ai-catalog.json