Can I run GLM 4.6 or Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct cheaper on another provider?

Some models are available on inference providers like Together AI, Groq, and Fireworks AI at lower prices. Check each model's pricing page for the full provider comparison.

What is the context window difference between GLM 4.6 and Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct?

GLM 4.6 has a larger context window at 202K tokens vs 131K. This matters for long documents, large codebases, and extended conversation histories.

Compare

GLM 4.6 vs Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

Pricing is only the shared seller matrix below. Best rates and catalog map are separate sections, so no chart is embedded in pricing. Open the calculator for the same workload on each side.

Z Ai

Model

GLM 4.6

Tool calling

Best $0.400 in · $1.75 out

Context window 203K

Pricing

MetaLlama 3.1

Model

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

Tool calling

Best $0.020 in · $0.030 out

Context window 131K

Pricing

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct is cheaper across the board — 96% cheaper on input and 98% cheaper on output.

Estimate cost

Pricing matrix

Shared sellers only. Each row is a host that lists both models. Dollar amounts are per 1M tokens. Lowest in each pair of columns is emphasized.

Provider	GLM 4.6 in	GLM 4.6 out	Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct in	Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct out
Baseten	$0.600	$2.20	N/A	N/A
DeepInfra	N/A	N/A	$0.020	$0.030
Novita	$0.550	$2.20	N/A	N/A
Openrouter	$0.400	$1.75	N/A	N/A
Together AI	$0.600	$2.20	$0.180	$0.180
Vercel Ai Gateway	$0.450	$1.80	N/A	N/A
Z Ai	$0.600	$2.20	N/A	N/A

Best listed rates (this pair)

Same "best row in current pricing" logic as model pages: a compact view of the lowest input and output we show for each side. This is not the seller matrix.

Catalog map · Z Ai · Meta

Each chart uses real catalog rows that include both list input and list output ($/1M). Larger green dots are the models on this comparison page; accent dots are other active models from that provider.

Z Ai · input vs output

Scatter chart: X = input $/M, Y = output $/M. This page's models are labeled on the green dots; hover others for detail.

ListedoutputUSD/1M

One dot per catalog row that has both list prices. Green dots are labeled with the models on this page; hover any dot for name and prices. Upper-right means higher cost on both axes ($/1M).

Meta · input vs output

ListedoutputUSD/1M

One dot per catalog row that has both list prices. Green dots are labeled with the models on this page; hover any dot for name and prices. Upper-right means higher cost on both axes ($/1M).

Specifications

Each column header is the full model name. Tint marks the favorable value where we compute a winner.

Spec

GLM 4.6

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

Context window: 202,800 tokens; 131,072 tokens
Max output tokens: 131,000 tokens; 131,072 tokens
Vision: No; No
Function calling: Yes; Yes
Streaming: No; No
Release date: Sep 2025; N/A

Cost calculator

Same requests, input tokens, and output tokens for both columns. Pick the provider row that matches how you buy.

GLM 4.6

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

Requests / day

Input tokens

Output tokens

GLM 4.6

Monthly

$383

Annual

$4.7K

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

Monthly

$11

Annual

$128

Save $372/month with Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct

When to pick which

Short takeaways: no cards, just the points. Validate with your own workloads.

Long-context tasks
Use GLM 4.6. Its 202K context window handles large codebases and documents better than 131K.
High-volume text generation
Use Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct. Output tokens are 98% cheaper, which compounds significantly at scale.
Long output (reports, code files)
Use Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct. Its 131K max output limit reduces the need to split requests.

Frequently asked questions

Meta Llama 3 1 8b Instruct is cheaper on both input and output tokens.

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