kitio.aiZ.ai API vs Cognitivess
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Z.ai API starts at See pricing page and Cognitivess starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- GLM flagship and Flash models
- OpenAI-compatible API
- GLM Coding Plans
- Vision models
- Tool calling
- 1M-token context model
- OpenAI and Anthropic compatible API
- Function calling
- Prompt caching
- CLI for coding agents
| Feature | Z.ai API | Cognitivess |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Pay-per-token API and coding plans for Zhipu's GLM models | Cognitivess-1 model API with 1M context and OpenAI-compatible endpoints |
| Category | Models & APIs | Models & APIs |
| Pricing model | Paid | Paid |
| Starting price | See pricing page | See pricing page |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Made by | Z.ai (formerly Zhipu AI) | Cognitivess AI |
| Based in | China | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Z.ai API starts at See pricing page and Cognitivess starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Cognitivess-1 input
$0.48 / 1M tokens
- Pay as you go
- Cheaper cached reads
Cognitivess-1 output
$1.68 / 1M tokens
- Up to 131K output tokens
- Streaming supported
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Z.ai API
- Low cost for strong coding models
- Fixed-price coding plans
- Open weights released
- Less known outside developer circles
- Data processed in China
- Docs can lag releases
Cognitivess
- Drop-in for existing SDKs
- Low per-token prices
- Very long context window
- Little public benchmark data
- Default rate limit of 30 requests a minute
- Small, lesser-known provider
Which one should you choose?
Choose Z.ai API if you want:
- Low cost for strong coding models
- Fixed-price coding plans
- Open weights released
Watch out: less known outside developer circles.
Choose Cognitivess if you want:
- Drop-in for existing SDKs
- Low per-token prices
- Very long context window
Watch out: little public benchmark data.
Z.ai API vs Cognitivess FAQ
What is the difference between Z.ai API and Cognitivess?
Z.ai API: Pay-per-token API and coding plans for Zhipu's GLM models. Cognitivess: Cognitivess-1 model API with 1M context and OpenAI-compatible endpoints. Both are models & apis tools.
Is Z.ai API or Cognitivess cheaper?
Z.ai API starts at See pricing page and Cognitivess starts at See pricing page. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Z.ai API and Cognitivess have free plans?
Z.ai API: No. Cognitivess: No.
Who makes Z.ai API?
Z.ai API is made by Z.ai (formerly Zhipu AI), based in China.
Who makes Cognitivess?
Cognitivess is made by Cognitivess AI.
Which should I choose, Z.ai API or Cognitivess?
Choose Z.ai API if you value low cost for strong coding models and fixed-price coding plans. Choose Cognitivess if you value drop-in for existing sdks and low per-token prices.