| Signal | Step 3.5 Flash (free) | Delta | GLM 4.5 Air |
|---|---|---|---|
Capabilities | 50 | -17 | |
Pricing | 30 | +29 | |
Context window size | 86 | +5 | |
Recency | 100 | +12 | |
Output Capacity | 90 | +7 | |
| Overall Result | 4 wins | of 5 | 1 wins |
7
days higher
8
days
15
days higher
StepFun
Zhipu AI
Step 3.5 Flash (free) saves you $55.50/month
That's $666.00/year compared to GLM 4.5 Air at your current usage level of 100K calls/month.
| Metric | Step 3.5 Flash (free) | GLM 4.5 Air | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 78 | 78 | GLM 4.5 Air |
| Rank | #91 | #89 | GLM 4.5 Air |
| Quality Rank | #91 | #89 | GLM 4.5 Air |
| Adoption Rank | #91 | #89 | GLM 4.5 Air |
| Parameters | -- | -- | -- |
| Context Window | 256K | 131K | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
| Pricing | Free | $0.13/$0.85/M | -- |
| Signal Scores | |||
| Capabilities | 50 | 67 | GLM 4.5 Air |
| Pricing | 30 | 1 | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
| Context window size | 86 | 81 | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
| Recency | 100 | 88 | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
| Output Capacity | 90 | 83 | Step 3.5 Flash (free) |
Our composite score (0–100) combines six weighted signals: benchmark performance (25%), pricing efficiency (25%), context window size (15%), model recency (15%), output capacity (10%), and capability versatility (10%). Here's what the scores mean for these two models:
Scores 78/100 (rank #91), placing it in the top 69% of all 290 models tracked.
Scores 78/100 (rank #89), placing it in the top 70% of all 290 models tracked.
With only a 0-point gap, these models are in the same performance tier. The practical difference in output quality is minimal - your choice should depend on pricing, latency requirements, and specific feature needs.
Compare the cost per quality point to find the best value for your specific workload.
Both models have comparable response speeds. For most applications, the latency difference is negligible.
When latency matters most: Interactive chatbots, IDE code completion, real-time translation, and user-facing applications where response time directly impacts experience. For batch processing, background summarization, or offline analysis, latency is less critical.
Code generation & review
Higher benchmark score (0/100) indicates stronger performance on coding tasks like generating functions, debugging, and refactoring
Customer support chatbot
Faster response time (speed score 0/100) is critical for user-facing chat. Step 3.5 Flash (free) also offers lower per-token costs for high-volume support
Long document analysis
Larger context window (256K tokens) can process longer documents, contracts, and research papers in a single pass
Batch data extraction
Lower output pricing ($0.00/M) reduces costs when processing thousands of records daily
Creative writing & content
Higher overall composite score (78/100) correlates with better nuance, coherence, and style in long-form content
Step 3.5 Flash (free) and GLM 4.5 Air are extremely close in overall performance (only 0.20000000000000284 points apart). Your best choice depends entirely on which specific strengths matter most for your use case.
Best for Quality
Step 3.5 Flash (free)
Marginally better benchmark scores; both are excellent
Best for Cost
Step 3.5 Flash (free)
100% lower pricing; better value at scale
Best for Reliability
Step 3.5 Flash (free)
Higher uptime and faster response speeds
Best for Prototyping
Step 3.5 Flash (free)
Stronger community support and better developer experience
Best for Production
Step 3.5 Flash (free)
Wider enterprise adoption and proven at scale
by StepFun
| Capability | Step 3.5 Flash (free) | GLM 4.5 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Vision (Image Input) | ||
| Function Calling | ||
| Streaming | ||
| JSON Modediffers | ||
| Reasoning | ||
| Web Search | ||
| Image Output |
StepFun
Zhipu AI
Step 3.5 Flash (free) saves you $1.25/month
That's 100% cheaper than GLM 4.5 Air at 1,000 tokens/request and 100 requests/day.
Assumes 60% input / 40% output token ratio per request. Actual costs may vary based on your usage pattern.
| Parameter | Step 3.5 Flash (free) | GLM 4.5 Air |
|---|---|---|
| Context Window | 256K | 131K |
| Max Output Tokens | 256,000 | 98,304 |
| Open Source | Yes | Yes |
| Created | Jan 29, 2026 | Jul 25, 2025 |
GLM 4.5 Air scores 78/100 (rank #89) compared to Step 3.5 Flash (free)'s 78/100 (rank #91), giving it a 0-point advantage. GLM 4.5 Air is the stronger overall choice, though Step 3.5 Flash (free) may excel in specific areas like cost efficiency.
Step 3.5 Flash (free) is ranked #91 and GLM 4.5 Air is ranked #89 out of 290+ AI models. Rankings use a composite score combining benchmark performance (25%), pricing (25%), context window (15%), recency (15%), output capacity (10%), and versatility (10%). Scores update hourly.
Step 3.5 Flash (free) is cheaper at $0.00/M output tokens vs GLM 4.5 Air's $0.85/M output tokens - 850.0x more expensive. Input token pricing: Step 3.5 Flash (free) at $0.00/M vs GLM 4.5 Air at $0.13/M.
Step 3.5 Flash (free) has a larger context window of 256,000 tokens compared to GLM 4.5 Air's 131,072 tokens. A larger context window means the model can process longer documents and conversations.