# Z.ai Chat

> Free GLM-powered AI chatbot and agent from Zhipu AI for writing, coding and research

- Category: [AI Assistants](https://finderatlas.com/categories/ai-assistants)
- Pricing: Freemium
- Website: https://chat.z.ai
- Platforms: Web, API
- API: available
- Made by: Z.ai (Zhipu AI), founded 2019, Beijing, China
- Last updated: 2026-10-19
- FinderAtlas page: https://finderatlas.com/tools/z-ai

## Overview

Z.ai Chat (chat.z.ai) is the web chatbot and agent interface for the GLM family of large language models built by Z.ai, the international brand of Beijing-based Zhipu AI. The page is currently powered by GLM-5.3-Flash and is free to use in a browser. It covers general conversation, writing, coding help, document and image understanding, and agent-style tasks such as building slides.

## Key features

- GLM Chat
- Agent Capabilities
- Vision Understanding
- Coding Assistance
- GLM Coding Plan
- Web Search and Web Reader MCP
- Z.ai API Platform
- Open-Weights Models

## Pricing

- **Chat (Free)** ($0): Web chat with GLM models at chat.z.ai
- **GLM Coding Lite** ($18/month): Lightweight coding workloads
- **GLM Coding Pro** ($80/month): Professional coding workloads
- **GLM Coding Max** ($168/month): High-volume coding workloads

## Best for

- Trying GLM models at no cost, drafting and summarizing text, coding questions, low-cost API experimentation

## Who uses it

- Students
- Developers
- Researchers
- Content Creators
- Marketers

## 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.

## 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.

## Not recommended for

- Users who need a native mobile app, organizations with strict data-residency requirements outside China

## Integrations

- Claude Code
- Codex
- Cline
- Kilo Code
- OpenCode
- ZCode
- OpenClaw

## FinderAtlas editorial scores (out of 10)

- Ease of Use: 8/10
- Feature Depth: 7.8/10
- Value for Money: 8.8/10
- Performance & Speed: 8/10
- Documentation & Support: 7.5/10

## Alternatives

- [Qwen](https://finderatlas.com/tools/qwen): Alibaba's free AI assistant and open-weight model family, on web, mobile and API ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/qwen-vs-z-ai))
- [DeepSeek](https://finderatlas.com/tools/deepseek): Free AI chat app and low-cost API running DeepSeek's open-weights V4 models ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/deepseek-vs-z-ai))
- [Msty](https://finderatlas.com/tools/msty): Private AI workspace for chatting with local and online models, with your data under your control ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/msty-vs-z-ai))
- [Perplexity](https://finderatlas.com/tools/perplexity): AI answer engine that searches the live web and cites its sources ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/perplexity-vs-z-ai))
- [Grok](https://finderatlas.com/tools/grok): xAI's AI assistant with live X and web search, image and voice tools ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/grok-vs-z-ai))
- [Google Gemini](https://finderatlas.com/tools/gemini): Google's AI assistant for chat, research, image and video creation, and Workspace apps ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/gemini-vs-z-ai))
- [Poe](https://finderatlas.com/tools/poe): Chat with many AI models, image tools and custom bots through one account ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/poe-vs-z-ai))
- [Kimi](https://finderatlas.com/tools/kimi): Chat, research and agent assistant from Moonshot AI, built on its Kimi K3 model ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/kimi-vs-z-ai))

## Recent updates

- 2026-08-01: Latest flagship model, now used across chat and the Coding Plan
- 2026-07-01: GLM Coding Plan moved to a credits system on July 30, 2026
- 2026-06-01: Released as a coding-focused model
- 2026-01-01: Parent company debuted on the HKEX under 2513

## FAQ

**Is Z.ai Chat free?**

Yes, chat.z.ai can be used in the browser at no cost. Paid options are the GLM Coding Plan (from $18 per month) and the pay-as-you-go API.

**What model does Z.ai Chat use?**

The site is currently powered by GLM-5.3-Flash. The wider platform also offers GLM-5.3, GLM-5.2 and earlier GLM models through the API.

**What is the GLM Coding Plan?**

It is a subscription that lets you use GLM models inside coding agents such as Claude Code, Cline and OpenCode, with usage measured in credits that refresh every 5 hours and weekly.

**Does Z.ai have a mobile app?**

Not for the chat product that we could verify. The chat works in a mobile browser. Z.ai also publishes an AutoGLM iOS app, which is a separate product.

**Who makes Z.ai?**

Z.ai is the international brand of Zhipu AI (Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology), founded in 2019 in Beijing and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under 2513.