Sure. But OpenAI is the same price. Why would I pay $18/month for z.ai when OpenAI is $20/month?

CJefferson 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

One big advantage I’ve found — people get attached to models (including me). With open models if you find one that works perfectly for you but the next version doesn’t, you can run the old one forever (or someone will for you)

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itake 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

But… the models will fall behind. As libraries and languages and tool calling updates or the world knowledge changes, the models decay.

Personally, I don’t like the change, but it’s just how technology works so I’d rather move with the flow than try to stick my foot down and freeze time.

	▲	OtomotO 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		No problem, "AI" will just write its own frameworks and libs then!

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taytus 5 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

This is a good point I never thought of. I appreciate it.

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0xbadcafebee 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

One reason might be request limits. OpenAI's ChatGPT Plus w/Codex ($20/month) provides a worst-case 5-hour-request-limit of 15 for GPT-5.5, 20 for GPT-5.4, 60 for GPT-5.4-Mini. Whereas Z.ai Lite ($18/month) provides a worst-case of ~80 for GLM 5.2 (off-peak; on-peak is 2am-6am New York time). So Z.ai can provide higher limits for a cheaper price. (https://codeberg.org/mutablecc/calculate-ai-cost/src/branch/...)

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notatoad 3 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

the pricing page doesn't seem to call it out anymore, but the claim on z.ai coding plan used to be 3x the usage of the equivalent-price claude plan. whether that's accurate i don't know, but just based on api pricing GLM is way cheaper.

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fulafel 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48618455

	▲	pkulak 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I pay month to month.