Anthropic vs Zhipu AI
Which Foundation Models AI tool is better in 2026?
Anthropic
AI safety lab building Claude — a helpful, harmless, honest AI assistant.
Zhipu AI
Chinese foundation model lab behind ChatGLM and GLM-4.
Side-by-side
Anthropic is the more established option (raised $132.6B), but Zhipu AI is cheaper to start.
| Metric | Anthropic | Zhipu AI |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | AI safety lab building Claude — a helpful, harmless, honest AI assistant. | Chinese foundation model lab behind ChatGLM and GLM-4. |
| Foundedi | 2021 | 2019🏆 |
| HQi | San Francisco, US | Beijing, CN |
| Employeesi | 501-1000🏆 | 201-500 |
| Neuron scorei | 98🏆 | 63 |
| Total fundingi | $132.6B🏆 | $2.0B |
| Latest roundi | Series H · May 2026 | IPO · Jan 2026 |
| Valuationi | $965B🏆 | $6.6B |
| Cheapest paid plani | Pro · $20/mo | —🏆 |
| Free plani | ✓ Free | ✓ Free Tier |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✓ |
| Top tier pricei | Team · $30/mo | — |
| Pricing summaryi | 4 published plans | 1 published plans |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for Anthropic and Zhipu AI.
| Capability | Anthropic | Zhipu AI |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✓ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✓ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | 5 (python, typescript, java, kotlin…) | 2 (Python, Go) |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✓ |
| Verified | ✗ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✓ | ✓ |
🟢 Strengths of Anthropic
- Has raised more capital ($132.6B vs $2.0B)
- Higher Neuron score (98 vs 63)
- Newer company (2021)
🔵 Strengths of Zhipu AI
- Offers a free trial
- More mature (2019)
Which should you choose?
Choose Zhipu AI if price matters most — it starts at Free, which is friendlier for teams watching burn. Both Foundation Models tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose Anthropic if you want the most established option — it has raised $132.6B, suggesting more runway for enterprise features, support, and long-term roadmap. For mission-critical workflows or larger teams, that stability often outweighs a lower monthly price.
💸 Deals
$5 in free Claude API credits on signup
New developers get $5 in free Claude API credits after verifying a phone number — try Claude Sonnet, Opus, and Haiku before paying.
Terms: New API accounts only. Requires phone verification.
Zhipu GLM API — free signup credits
New Zhipu BigModel API accounts get free starter credits to evaluate GLM-4 and CogView image models.
Terms: New accounts only.
Frequently asked questions
Anthropic vs Zhipu AI — which is better?
It depends on your priority. Anthropic has raised more capital and is the more established option; Zhipu AI is cheaper to start. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Anthropic cheaper than Zhipu AI?
No — Zhipu AI's cheapest paid plan is Free, while Anthropic's is Pro · $20/mo.
Do Anthropic and Zhipu AI offer free plans?
Anthropic: Yes, has a free plan. Zhipu AI: Yes, has a free plan.
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