GLM vs MiniMax vs DeepSeek
Three business models for roughly the same class of model: a credit subscription, a multimodal quota, and no subscription at all.
Updated August 28, 2026 · Independent comparison — GLM Coding Plan, MiniMax Coding Plan, DeepSeek API are separate products.
GLM Coding Plan
Z.ai's GLM-5.3 subscription for coding tools
The GLM Coding Plan is Z.ai's subscription for driving coding agents with GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash. It sells in three tiers (Lite, Pro, Max) that differ only in credit allowance, not in model access, and it is explicitly restricted to coding tools — the key is not a general-purpose API key. Credits refresh on a 5-hour rolling window and a weekly window, and off-peak usage (outside Mon-Fri 14:00-18:00 UTC+8) burns credits at half rate. Z.ai relaunched the tier pricing on 2026-07-31, so list prices differ noticeably between its CNY and USD storefronts.
MiniMax Coding Plan
MiniMax's M3 Token Plan subscription
The MiniMax Coding Plan is the coding-facing half of MiniMax's Token Plan, built around MiniMax-M3 and its million-token context. It is a shared multimodal quota: the same subscription pool covers text, image and speech, with video capped per day on the upper tiers. Quota runs on a 5-hour rolling window plus a weekly window, it publishes a recommended concurrent-agent count per tier, and unused quota does not roll over. When the quota window closes you can either wait or let prepaid credits cover the overflow.
DeepSeek API
DeepSeek's raw pay-per-token API
The DeepSeek API is the unadorned version of this market: no subscription, no quota window, just a prepaid balance drawn down per token across DeepSeek V4 Pro, V4 Flash and the experimental vision Flash. It offers a full 1M context with up to 384K output tokens, exposes OpenAI-, Anthropic- and Responses-compatible endpoints, and prices off-peak hours at half rate. Concurrency is generous (500 for Pro, 2,500 for Flash). The catch is getting money in: the console is China-first and international cards are frequently declined.
Bottom line
Three business models for roughly the same class of model: a credit subscription, a multimodal quota, and no subscription at all. Choose GLM Coding Plan if you want a fixed bill with published credit quotas; choose MiniMax Coding Plan if m3's million-token context is the reason you are choosing; choose DeepSeek API if you want no subscription at all — pay only for tokens used.
Pricing
| Feature | GLM Coding Plan | MiniMax Coding Plan | DeepSeek API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price/mo | Lite $18 · Pro $72-80 · Max $160-168/mo | Plus $20-22 · Max $50-55 · Ultra $120-132/mo | No monthly fee — prepaid per token |
| Intro promo | ~20-30% off on the CNY store and on quarterly/yearly terms | Annual billing gives two months free | New-account credit grant is commonly reported; confirm in console |
| Billing shape | Credits on 5-hour + weekly windows | Shared multimodal quota, 5-hour + weekly windows | Per-token |
Models & Context
| Feature | GLM Coding Plan | MiniMax Coding Plan | DeepSeek API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Models included | GLM-5.3, GLM-5.3-Flash (older GLM auto-routes up) | MiniMax M3, M2.7, plus image and speech; video on Max/Ultra | DeepSeek V4 Pro, V4 Flash, V4 Flash Vision (experimental) |
| Catalogue size | 2 models (one lab) | M3 + M2.7 and non-text models | 3 models (one lab) |
| Context window | Per model; no plan-level max published | M3 offers a 1M-token context | 1M context, up to 384K output tokens |
Limits & Overage
| Feature | GLM Coding Plan | MiniMax Coding Plan | DeepSeek API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limits (5h / weekly / monthly) | 2,000 / 12,000 / 28,000 credits per 5 hrs; 10,000 / 60,000 / 140,000 weekly | 5-hour + weekly windows; token caps not fully published | None — concurrency caps of 500 (Pro) / 2,500 (Flash) |
| What happens past the cap | Hard 429 until the window resets (errors 1308/1310/1316/1317) | Subscription key stops; prepaid credits can cover overflow | Hard stop at zero balance; no overage invoice |
| Parallel-agent friendly | Not published | 3-4 / 4-5 / 6-7 agents by tier | Yes, up to the concurrency cap |
Access & Friction
| Feature | GLM Coding Plan | MiniMax Coding Plan | DeepSeek API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host agents & IDEs supported | Claude Code, Cline, Roo Code, Kilo Code, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Crush, Goose, Cursor, ZCode | MiniMax Code desktop/web, OpenClaw, anything taking the subscription key | Any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible agent |
| Gives you an API key | Coding Plan key — tool-restricted, not a general API key | Subscription key (separate from the pay-as-you-go API key) | Raw platform key — fully BYOK-able anywhere |
| BYOK-able elsewhere | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Payment / region friction | Cards internationally; Alipay/WeChat on the CN store; no app-backend use | Cards internationally; WeChat and corporate transfer on the CN platform | China-first console; international cards are frequently declined |
Verdict at a glance
| Feature | GLM Coding Plan | MiniMax Coding Plan | DeepSeek API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Cheapest official GLM-5.3 pass for supported agents | M3 agents plus image and speech on one quota | Cheapest official V4 tokens, if you can fund the account |
The Verdict
Choose GLM Coding Plan if...
- ✓You want a fixed bill with published credit quotas
- ✓You want GLM-5.3 across nine named third-party agents
- ✓Off-peak work at half credits fits your schedule
- ✓International card checkout that reliably works matters
Choose MiniMax Coding Plan if...
- ✓M3's million-token context is the reason you are choosing
- ✓You want image and speech on the same subscription
- ✓You want published concurrency (3-4 to 6-7 agents by tier)
- ✓You want prepaid credits to absorb overflow instead of a hard stop
Choose DeepSeek API if...
- ✓You want no subscription at all — pay only for tokens used
- ✓You want the largest output ceiling here: 1M context with 384K output
- ✓You need real concurrency: 500 parallel requests on Pro, 2,500 on Flash
- ✓You want a raw key with no tool restrictions or backend clauses
- ✓You can fund a China-first account — international cards are frequently declined
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between GLM Coding Plan, MiniMax Coding Plan and DeepSeek API?
The GLM Coding Plan is Z.ai's subscription for driving coding agents with GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash. The MiniMax Coding Plan is the coding-facing half of MiniMax's Token Plan, built around MiniMax-M3 and its million-token context. The DeepSeek API is the unadorned version of this market: no subscription, no quota window, just a prepaid balance drawn down per token across DeepSeek V4 Pro, V4 Flash and the experimental vision Flash.
How much do GLM Coding Plan, MiniMax Coding Plan and DeepSeek API cost?
GLM Coding Plan: Lite $18 · Pro $72-80 · Max $160-168/mo. MiniMax Coding Plan: Plus $20-22 · Max $50-55 · Ultra $120-132/mo. DeepSeek API: No monthly fee — prepaid per token. See the pricing table above for full plan details.
Which of GLM Coding Plan, MiniMax Coding Plan and DeepSeek API should I pick?
Choose GLM Coding Plan if you want a fixed bill with published credit quotas. Choose MiniMax Coding Plan if m3's million-token context is the reason you are choosing. Choose DeepSeek API if you want no subscription at all — pay only for tokens used.
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