Kimi vs Z.ai (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
Z.ai
From $10/mo against from $19/mo
Free plan
Tie
Both have one
Higher rating
Kimi
4.3 against 4.2
Same job?
Yes
Both are Chatbots tools

Side by side

Compared on	Kimi	Z.ai
Our rating	4.3Better	4.2
Starts at	$19/mo	$10/moBetter
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Category	Chatbots	Chatbots
Plans	From $19/mo	From $10/mo
Key features	Unusually long context window for processing lengthy documents Kimi K2 model release noted for strong coding and agentic performance Open-weight model availability Free web chat access Competitive performance at lower reported cost	Built on Zhipu AI's GLM model family One of China's more established AI labs, founded in 2019 Free chat interface Multiple model generations developed since founding General chat and reasoning capabilities
Pros	Long context window handles lengthy documents other models struggle with K2 model drew genuine attention for coding and agentic capability Open-weight availability allows independent deployment	Backed by one of China's longer-established AI research labs Completely free to use Multiple generations of model development behind the current product
Cons	Less mature consumer feature set than longer-established Western competitors Data handling practices warrant independent research given its origin English-language documentation and community support are thinner than Chinese-language resources	Less international brand recognition than some newer competitors Data handling practices warrant independent research given its origin English-language documentation and community support are thinner than Chinese-language resources
Company	Moonshot AI, founded 2023	Zhipu AI, founded 2019

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260629. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Kimi better than Z.ai?

In our reviews Kimi scores 4.3 and Z.ai scores 4.2. The better pick depends on the job. Kimi: Moonshot AI's long-context model, with a 2025 coding breakout. Z.ai: Zhipu AI's free chat interface for its GLM model family.

Which is cheaper, Kimi or Z.ai?

Z.ai has the lower starting price: from $19/mo for Kimi and from $10/mo for Z.ai.

Do Kimi and Z.ai have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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