# Kimi vs Z.ai Chat

> Kimi: Chat, research and agent assistant from Moonshot AI, built on its Kimi K3 model
> Z.ai Chat: Free GLM-powered AI chatbot and agent from Zhipu AI for writing, coding and research

- Kimi profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/kimi
- Z.ai Chat profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/z-ai
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/kimi-vs-z-ai
- Last reviewed: October 2026

## Verdict

Kimi and Z.ai Chat are both AI Assistants tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only Kimi is available on macOS and iOS.

### Choose Kimi if

- You want a tool built for Long-form research, generating slide decks and documents, parallel agent tasks, coding assistance with Kimi Code.
- International USD plans start at $19/month and include Kimi Code and Agent Swarm.
- Broad agent toolset: deep research, slides, documents, spreadsheets, website building and scheduled tasks.

### Choose Z.ai Chat if

- You want a tool built for trying GLM models at no cost, drafting and summarizing text, coding questions, low-cost API experimentation.
- Free web chat with recent GLM models and no subscription needed.
- Low per-token API prices, such as $0.15 input and $0.50 output per 1M tokens for GLM-5.3-Flash.

## Pricing

| | Kimi | Z.ai Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | Kimi | Z.ai Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kimi K3 Assistant | Yes | Not listed |
| Agent Swarm | Yes | Not listed |
| Deep Research | Yes | Not listed |
| Presentations and Documents | Yes | Not listed |
| App and Website Builder | Yes | Not listed |
| Scheduled Tasks and Projects | Yes | Not listed |
| Kimi Code | Yes | Not listed |
| Plugins | Yes | Not listed |
| Goal Mode | Yes | Not listed |
| GLM Chat | Not listed | Yes |
| Agent Capabilities | Not listed | Yes |
| Vision Understanding | Not listed | Yes |
| Coding Assistance | Not listed | Yes |
| GLM Coding Plan | Not listed | Yes |
| Web Search and Web Reader MCP | Not listed | Yes |
| Z.ai API Platform | Not listed | Yes |
| Open-Weights Models | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | Kimi | Z.ai Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | No | No |
| macOS | Yes | No |
| iOS | Yes | No |
| Android | No | No |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |

## Kimi strengths

- International USD plans start at $19/month and include Kimi Code and Agent Swarm.
- Broad agent toolset: deep research, slides, documents, spreadsheets, website building and scheduled tasks.
- A separate pay-per-token API with a 1M-token context window on K3.
- Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 5.3K ratings on the US App Store.
- Earlier K2-family models were reported to have downloadable weights, which suits self-hosting teams.

## Kimi limitations

- Free-tier limits are not clearly published on the help pages.
- Plan structure is changing: legacy plan names (Moderato, Allegretto, Allegro, Vivace) coexist with Plus, Pro, Max and Ultra, which can confuse buyers.
- Credits do not roll over, and one shared pool covers chat, agents and Kimi Code.
- The site interface and several help pages default to Chinese; I found no confirmed Android or Windows client.

## Z.ai Chat strengths

- Free web chat with recent GLM models and no subscription needed.
- Low per-token API prices, such as $0.15 input and $0.50 output per 1M tokens for GLM-5.3-Flash.
- Many GLM models are open-weights, so they can be self-hosted.
- The Coding Plan works with 20+ existing coding agent tools rather than locking users into one editor.
- Vision, search and reader tools are included in Coding Plan tiers.

## Z.ai Chat limitations

- No confirmed official native iOS or Android app for the chat.
- Coding Plan terms have changed several times (legacy plans replaced by credits on July 30, 2026), which makes usage harder to predict.
- Service is operated by a China-based company, which may be a concern for data-residency-sensitive users.
- Free chat usage limits are not publicly documented.

## FAQ

**Is Kimi better than Z.ai Chat?**

It depends on your workflow. Kimi is built for Long-form research, generating slide decks and documents, parallel agent tasks, coding assistance with Kimi Code. Z.ai Chat is built for trying GLM models at no cost, drafting and summarizing text, coding questions, low-cost API experimentation.

**What are the key feature differences between Kimi and Z.ai Chat?**

Kimi: Chat, research and agent assistant from Moonshot AI, built on its Kimi K3 model. Z.ai Chat: Free GLM-powered AI chatbot and agent from Zhipu AI for writing, coding and research.

**Does Kimi or Z.ai Chat have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. Kimi is freemium and Z.ai Chat is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, Kimi or Z.ai Chat?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.