GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3 at a glance

GLM 5.3 from Z.ai and Kimi K3 from Moonshot AI are both in the Text Generation category, available through the EmpirioLabs API.

Key differences

• GLM 5.3 is the newer release (Aug 14, 2026); Kimi K3 was released on Jul 15, 2026.
• Both models have a context window of 1M tokens.
• Input types only Kimi K3 accepts: Image, Video.
• Capabilities listed only for Kimi K3: multimodal, agentic coding.
• GLM 5.3 lists the lower rate for Input (per 1M prompt tokens) and Output (per 1M generated tokens).

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: specs

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: API pricing

Live rates from the EmpirioLabs catalog for both models. Each rate card always matches what the API charges.

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: API parameters

Request parameters each model lists on EmpirioLabs, with the allowed values or range where one applies. A dash marks a parameter the model does not list.

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: limits and notes

Kimi K3

Supports text, image, and video inputs with a 1M token context, function calling, JSON schema structured output, and built-in web search at $0.015 per invoked call. Thinking is always on; reasoning depth is tunable with the reasoning_effort control (max is recommended) and reasoning tokens are billed as output tokens. Temperature and other sampling settings are fixed by the model service. Multi-step function calling through the API must replay the assistant message with its reasoning_content field intact.

How to call GLM 5.3 and Kimi K3

GLM 5.3 serves the OpenAI-compatible Chat Completions API. Point any OpenAI SDK at https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1 with your EmpirioLabs API key and use the model id glm-5-3. Both models are called through the same endpoint. Set model to glm-5-3 or kimi-k3. Get an API key from the EmpirioLabs dashboard.

curl https://api.empiriolabs.ai/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EMPIRIOLABS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "glm-5-3",
    "messages": [
      {"role": "user", "content": "Write a haiku about the ocean."}
    ]
  }'

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: tests and guides

Prompt tests and comparison runs that cover both models.

Guides Kimi K3 vs GLM 5.3 vs Qwen3.8 Max vs DeepSeek V4 Pro: self-playing Flappy Bird and Missile Command We gave Kimi K3, GLM 5.3, Qwen3.8 Max 0902 and DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 the same two coding prompts at max reasoning, one... Guides Kimi K3 vs GLM 5.3 vs Qwen3.8 Max vs DeepSeek V4 Pro: an aquarium, a paper plane and a tiny planet We gave Kimi K3, GLM 5.3, Qwen3.8 Max 0902 and DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 the same three coding prompts at max reasoning, one... Guides Kimi K3 vs GLM 5.3 vs Qwen3.8 Max vs DeepSeek V4 Pro: four one-shot coding tests We gave Kimi K3, GLM 5.3, Qwen3.8 Max and DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 the same four coding prompts at max reasoning, one shot...

GLM 5.3 vs Kimi K3: common questions

What is the difference between GLM 5.3 and Kimi K3?

GLM 5.3 is the newer release (Aug 14, 2026); Kimi K3 was released on Jul 15, 2026. Both models have a context window of 1M tokens. Input types only Kimi K3 accepts: Image, Video. The specs, rate cards, and parameters on this page come from the live EmpirioLabs catalog.

Which is newer, GLM 5.3 or Kimi K3?

GLM 5.3 is the newer release (Aug 14, 2026); Kimi K3 was released on Jul 15, 2026.

Which has the lower rate, GLM 5.3 or Kimi K3?

GLM 5.3 lists the lower rate for Input (per 1M prompt tokens) and Output (per 1M generated tokens). Both live rate cards are on this page and always match what the API charges.

Can I switch between GLM 5.3 and Kimi K3 without rebuilding my integration?

Yes. Both models use POST /v1/chat/completions with the same EmpirioLabs API key, so most integrations switch by changing the model value. Check the parameters table on this page first if you rely on a model-specific parameter.

Can I try GLM 5.3 and Kimi K3 in the browser before integrating?

Yes. Open each model in the EmpirioLabs playground and run the same prompt on both, with the parameters the API exposes.