MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)
Based on weekly OpenRouter usage tracked by AI Tier List, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) ranks #6 overall — ahead of MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 at #13. Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) is cheaper on input tokens at $0.70/1M vs $3/1M for MoonshotAI: Kimi K3. MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 offers the larger context window at 1M tokens.
MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 vs Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch): which should you use?
Choose MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 if…
- Bigger context window — 1M vs 512K tokens.
- It accepts image, video input, which Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) does not.
- It is the newer model — released Jul 2026 against Jun 2026.
Choose Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) if…
- It sees more real traffic — #6 overall on OpenRouter's weekly ranking, against #13 for MoonshotAI: Kimi K3.
- Cheaper to read — $0.70 vs $3 per 1M input tokens, which is what dominates long-prompt and RAG workloads.
- Cheaper to write — $2.20 vs $15 per 1M output tokens, the line item that decides generation-heavy costs.
Spec Comparison
| Spec | MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 | Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) |
|---|---|---|
| Author | moonshotai | z-ai |
| Input price (per 1M tokens) | $3 | $0.70 |
| Output price (per 1M tokens) | $15 | $2.20 |
| Context window | 1M | 512K |
| Input modalities | text, image, video | text |
| Output modalities | text | text |
| AA Intelligence | 59.7 | — |
| AA Coding | 76.2 | — |
| AA Agentic | 54.3 | — |
| Released | Jul 2026 | Jun 2026 |
What MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 and Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) actually cost to run
On a read-heavy job — 1M tokens in, 100K out — MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 costs $4.50 and Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) costs $0.92.
Flip the shape — 100K in, 1M out — and it becomes $15 for MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 versus $2.27 for Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch).
Both figures are the published per-token rates multiplied out; caching and batch discounts are not included.
Usage Rank by Task
| Task | MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 | Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | #13 | #6 |
| Memory Extraction | — | #7 |
| Multi-step Planning | #10 | #5 |
| Tool Dispatch | — | #5 |
| Web Search | — | #6 |
| Agent Workflows | — | #4 |
| Debugging | — | #2 |
| DevOps Config | — | #3 |
| File Read/Write | — | #5 |
| Frontend UI | — | #3 |
| Code Implementation | — | #2 |
| Repo Analysis | #10 | #7 |
| Code Review & Security | #7 | #1 |
| Shell Execution | — | #5 |
| SQL & Database | — | #3 |
About MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 and Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)
MoonshotAI: Kimi K3
Built by moonshotai · released Jul 2026 · 1M-token context
Kimi K3 is a 2.8T parameter open-weight multimodal reasoning model from Moonshot AI. It is suited for complex coding, knowledge work, and long-horizon agentic workflows, and is particularly strong at...
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)
Built by z-ai · released Jun 2026 · 512K-token context
GLM 5.2 is a large-scale reasoning model from Z.ai. It supports text input and output with a 1M-token context window, and is suited for long-horizon agent workflows, project-level software engineering,...
Related comparisons
- MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 vs DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731
- MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 vs Tencent: Hy3
- MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 vs OpenAI: GPT-5.6 Luna (batch)
- Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) vs DeepSeek: DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731
- Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) vs Tencent: Hy3
- Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) vs OpenAI: GPT-5.6 Luna (batch)
Get notified when MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 or Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) moves
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FAQ
Which is better, MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 or Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)?
Based on weekly OpenRouter usage tracked by AI Tier List, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) ranks #6 overall — ahead of MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 at #13. Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) is cheaper on input tokens at $0.70/1M vs $3/1M for MoonshotAI: Kimi K3. MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 offers the larger context window at 1M tokens.
Which is cheaper, MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 or Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)?
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) is cheaper at $0.70 per 1M input tokens. Output pricing: MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 $15, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) $2.20.
Which is better for coding, MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 or Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch)?
Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch). Best coding-task usage rank this week: MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 #7, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) #1.
Is Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) still ahead of MoonshotAI: Kimi K3 right now?
Yes. For the week of 2026-08-10, Z.ai: GLM 5.2 (batch) ranks #6 overall on OpenRouter usage against #13 for MoonshotAI: Kimi K3. Ranks refresh weekly, and the verdict on this page flips if they cross.
Usage ranks are weekly data aggregated by OpenRouter. Prices are USD per 1M tokens.