The quick take
Z.AI provides direct API access to the GLM model family, including text, vision, image, video, audio, and tool-enabled models through REST and OpenAI-compatible interfaces.
Z.AI GLM API is a compelling choice for teams that prioritize openai-compatible chat api, reasoning and coding models, vision and document understanding. Validate the current limits against your expected production volume before committing.
Key features
Pricing & free tier
Free GLM Flash models are available; paid models use token-based pricing. Pricing shown here is directional and should be confirmed on the provider’s website.
Developer fit
Supported interfaces include Python, JavaScript, Java, REST. The right fit depends on your team’s operational needs, volume, compliance requirements, and preference for managed versus self-hosted infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
Does z ai have a free API?
Z.AI offers selected GLM Flash models without token charges, subject to current availability and rate limits. Other text, vision, image, video, and audio models use paid token or media pricing.
Does GLM have an API?
Yes. Z.AI exposes GLM models through REST and OpenAI-compatible interfaces for chat, reasoning, coding, vision, media generation, tool calling, and related workloads.
How much does the Z.AI API cost per month?
There is no single required monthly price for usage-based access. Costs depend on the model and the number of input, cached-input, output, or media units consumed; selected Flash models are free.