xAI vs Zhipu AI
Which Agents AI tool is better in 2026?
xAI
AI designed to understand the universe
Zhipu AI
Chinese foundation model lab behind ChatGLM and GLM-4.
Side-by-side
xAI is the more established option (raised $56B), but Zhipu AI is cheaper to start.
| Metric | xAI | Zhipu AI |
|---|---|---|
| Taglinei | AI designed to understand the universe | Chinese foundation model lab behind ChatGLM and GLM-4. |
| Foundedi | 2023 | 2019🏆 |
| HQi | Palo Alto, US | Beijing, CN |
| Employeesi | 500-1000🏆 | 201-500 |
| Neuron scorei | 90🏆 | 86 |
| Total fundingi | $56B🏆 | $2.0B |
| Latest roundi | Series E · Jan 2026 | IPO · Jan 2026 |
| Valuationi | $230B🏆 | $6.6B |
| Cheapest paid plani | Pricing not disclosed | —🏆 |
| Free plani | ✗ | ✓ Free Tier |
| Free triali | ✗ | ✓ |
| Top tier pricei | Pricing not disclosed | — |
| Pricing summaryi | Paid | 1 published plans |
| Categoriesi |
Capability matrix
Developer-facing capabilities and access signals for xAI and Zhipu AI.
| Capability | xAI | Zhipu AI |
|---|---|---|
| MCP support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Public API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✗ | ✗ |
| OAuth 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
| SDK languages | — | 2 (Python, Go) |
| Free plan | ✗ | ✓ |
| Free trial | ✗ | ✓ |
| Verified | ✓ | ✗ |
| Active deal | ✓ | ✓ |
🟢 Strengths of xAI
- Has raised more capital ($56B vs $2.0B)
- Higher Neuron score (90 vs 86)
- Newer company (2023)
- Verified profile
🔵 Strengths of Zhipu AI
- Offers a free plan
- 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 AI Agents tools ship core features, so the cost delta often decides it for small teams and solo operators.
Choose xAI if you want the most established option — it has raised $56B, 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
xAI Grok API — free tier on signup
xAI offers a free tier for the Grok API so developers can prototype with Grok-4 and Grok-Code before adding billing.
Terms: Rate-limited.
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
xAI vs Zhipu AI — which is better?
It depends on your priority. xAI has raised more capital and is the more established option; Zhipu AI is cheaper to start. See the side-by-side table above.
Is xAI cheaper than Zhipu AI?
No — Zhipu AI's cheapest paid plan is Free, while xAI's is Paid.
Do xAI and Zhipu AI offer free plans?
xAI: Paid only. Zhipu AI: Yes, has a free plan.
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