Nova 2 Lite is $0.13 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30.2% lower; 1.43x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
GLM 4.6 vs Nova 2 Lite
Pick GLM 4.6 for lower cost; pick Nova 2 Lite only if the larger context window matters more.
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Data confirmed:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
Pick GLM 4.6 for lower cost; pick Nova 2 Lite only if the larger context window matters more.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4.6 is estimated at $1.3 vs $1.55 for Nova 2 Lite, saving $0.25 (16.1% lower).
Cost-first pickGLM 4.6
Context-first pickNova 2 Lite
Sample savings$0.2516.1%
10x traffic gap$2.5
Nova 2 Lite has more context, but GLM 4.6 saves $0.25 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $2.5. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
Cost winner changes by workload shape: input-heavy / RAG favors Nova 2 Lite, balanced workload favors GLM 4.6, and output-heavy chatbot favors GLM 4.6.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | GLM 4.6 | Nova 2 Lite |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | Nova 2 Lite | $3.02 | $2.75 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | GLM 4.6 | $2.17 | $2.8 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | GLM 4.6 | $9.13 | $12.8 |
GLM 4.6 is $0.76 cheaper per 1M output tokens (30.4% lower; 1.44x difference).
Nova 2 Lite has 797.25K more context (4.93x larger).
GLM 4.6 is $0.25 cheaper on the standard workload (16.1% lower).
Estimate your workload cost
Your Workload Cost
This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.
Quick Decision
Nova 2 Lite has the lower input price; GLM 4.6 has the lower output price; Nova 2 Lite offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GLM 4.6 is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $1.3 for GLM 4.6 and $1.55 for Nova 2 Lite.
Choose GLM 4.6 when you care most about lower output-token price.
Choose Nova 2 Lite when you care most about lower input-token price, and larger context window.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4.6 is estimated at $1.3 vs $1.55 for Nova 2 Lite, saving $0.25 (16.1% lower).
- GLM 4.6 is $0.25 cheaper on the standard workload (16.1% lower).
- Nova 2 Lite is $0.13 cheaper per 1M input tokens (30.2% lower; 1.43x difference).
- GLM 4.6 is $0.76 cheaper per 1M output tokens (30.4% lower; 1.44x difference).
- Nova 2 Lite has 797.25K more context (4.93x larger).
| Feature | GLM 4.6 (Z.ai) | Nova 2 Lite (Amazon) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.43 | $0.3 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $1.74 | $2.5 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $1.3 | $1.55 |
| Context Window | 202.75K | 1M |
| Release Date | ||
| Popularity | #63 | #149 |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | GLM 4.6 | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 4.6 is estimated at $1.3 vs $1.55 for Nova 2 Lite, saving $0.25 (16.1% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | Nova 2 Lite | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | GLM 4.6 | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | Nova 2 Lite | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- GLM 4.5 Air (free) can replace GLM 4.6 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- GLM 4 32B can replace GLM 4.6 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.15.
- GLM 4.7 Flash can replace GLM 4.6 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.26.
- GLM 4.5 Air can replace GLM 4.6 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.55.
- Llama 4 Scout offers 10M context with $0.23 sample workload cost.
- Owl Alpha offers 1.05M context with $0 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash offers 1.05M context with $0.2 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Pro offers 1.05M context with $0.87 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4 Flash · DeepSeek · #1
- Hy3 preview · Tencent · #2
- Claude Opus 4.7 · Anthropic · #3
- Claude Sonnet 4.6 · Anthropic · #4
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