API cost decision in 10 seconds

🔥GLM 5.3 Flash vs NewXing4.0 29B A4B (free)

Pick Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) for lower cost; pick GLM 5.3 Flash only if the larger context window matters more.

Page updated: 2026-10-16T21:07:49Z Data confirmed: 2026-10-16T21:07:49Z Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) for lower cost; pick GLM 5.3 Flash only if the larger context window matters more.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is estimated at $0 vs $0.38 for GLM 5.3 Flash, saving $0.38 (100% lower).

Cost-first pickXing4.0 29B A4B (free)

Context-first pickGLM 5.3 Flash

Sample savings$0.38100%

10x traffic gap$3.82

GLM 5.3 Flash has more context, but Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) saves $0.38 on the standard workload. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $3.82. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shape	Token mix	Better pick	GLM 5.3 Flash	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)
Input-heavy / RAG	5M input + 500K output	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	$0.43	$0
Balanced workload	1M input + 1M output	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	$0.75	$0
Output-heavy chatbot	1M input + 5M output	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	$3.71	$0

Cheaper input Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) $0.0119 vs $0 / 1M

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for input tokens while GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.01 per 1M tokens.

Cheaper output Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) $0.7394 vs $0 / 1M

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for output tokens while GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.74 per 1M tokens.

Larger context GLM 5.3 Flash 1.05M vs 262.14K

GLM 5.3 Flash has 786.43K more context (4x larger).

Sample workload Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) $0.38 vs $0

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $0.38.

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.

Monthly input tokens Monthly output tokens

GLM 5.3 Flash Calculating… Estimated API cost

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) Calculating… Estimated API cost

Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

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

Verdict

Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) has the lower input price; Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) has the lower output price; GLM 5.3 Flash offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.38 for GLM 5.3 Flash and $0 for Xing4.0 29B A4B (free).

Best Fit

Choose GLM 5.3 Flash when you care most about larger context window.

Choose Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Decision Notes

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is estimated at $0 vs $0.38 for GLM 5.3 Flash, saving $0.38 (100% lower).
Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for the standard workload while the other model is estimated at $0.38.
Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for input tokens while GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.01 per 1M tokens.
Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is free for output tokens while GLM 5.3 Flash costs $0.74 per 1M tokens.
GLM 5.3 Flash has 786.43K more context (4x larger).

Head-to-Head Specs

Feature	🔥GLM 5.3 Flash (Z.ai)	NewXing4.0 29B A4B (free) (XingChen)
Input Price prompt tokens per 1M	$0.0119	$0
Completion Price per 1M tokens	$0.7394	$0
Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output	$0.38	$0
Context Window	1.05M	262.14K
Release Date	2026-08-26	2026-10-16
Popularity	#3

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use case	Better pick	Why
Budget-constrained production	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Xing4.0 29B A4B (free) is estimated at $0 vs $0.38 for GLM 5.3 Flash, saving $0.38 (100% lower).
High-volume input processing	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbots	Xing4.0 29B A4B (free)	Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document work	GLM 5.3 Flash	A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps

GLM 5.2 (free) can replace GLM 5.3 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
GLM 4.5 Air (free) can replace GLM 5.3 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) can replace GLM 5.3 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.14.
GLM 4 32B can replace GLM 5.3 Flash when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.15.

Larger context near this budget

Llama 4 Scout offers 1.31M context with $0.25 sample workload cost.
MiMo-V2.6-Flash offers 1.05M context with $0.28 sample workload cost.
GPT-6 Luna offers 1.05M context with $0.35 sample workload cost.
GPT-6 Luna Pro offers 1.05M context with $0.35 sample workload cost.

Popular competitors

DeepSeek V4.1 Flash · DeepSeek · #1
Step 5 Preview · StepFun · #2
MiMo-V2.6-Flash · Xiaomi · #4
Hy4 preview · Tencent · #5

Cheaper alternatives

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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

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Z.ai catalog

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XingChen catalog

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