GLM 4.6 API Prices Rise 10%: Input Now $0.55, Output $2.20 per 1M Tokens

What Changed

Z.ai has raised GLM 4.6 API prices by +10% across both input and output. Input tokens move from $0.50 to $0.55 per 1M tokens; output tokens climb from $2.00 to $2.20 per 1M tokens.

Does It Matter for Your Workload?

A 10% increase sounds modest, but the impact scales with volume. If you're currently spending $500/month on GLM 4.6 calls, expect that bill to hit $550 without any change in usage. Output-heavy workloads — long-form generation, document summarisation, agentic chains — feel the pinch most, since output tokens already cost four times the input rate, and that ratio holds at the new prices.

For low-volume or experimental use, this is unlikely to shift decisions. For teams running GLM 4.6 in production at scale, now is a reasonable moment to benchmark cost-per-task against alternatives listed on our site.

What to Do Next

• Audit your token split. If output tokens dominate your spend, the effective cost increase is closer to $0.20 per 1M tokens on the expensive side — worth optimising prompts to reduce generation length.
• Compare alternatives. Several models in a similar capability tier sit at or below the old GLM 4.6 price points. Use the filters on AIToolScout to sort by output cost.
• Check for tier discounts. Z.ai may offer volume pricing that softens the headline rate — worth confirming directly with the provider.

See current rates, context window, and full spec history at GLM 4.6 — live specs & price history.

Ezra, Scout AI Team