Wait — why trust this over the listicles?
Every "best Claude Code alternative" page is an affiliate funnel that always lands on the
thing it gets paid for. This shows the math, names the trade-offs, and tells you when GLM is the
wrong pick. Prices + the LMArena ranking were each checked against the vendor's own page on 2026-06-26.
Can I use GLM in Cursor / Copilot?
Cursor: partially — add GLM as a custom OpenAI-compatible model in settings (not a clean
drop-in like Claude Code/Cline). Copilot: no — it's locked to its own model menu; run a CLI pointed
at GLM instead.
Is my code safe with GLM?
z.ai's international service is a Singapore entity that says it processes data in Singapore
and doesn't store API content. So it's a governance / model-origin question (parent company Zhipu is
Chinese), not "more or less secure." For regulated work, pick "No China-origin models" and we'll steer you US.
What does this cost me / how do you make money?
Nothing — no signup, no key, runs in your browser. If GLM is your pick and you use our referral
you get 5% off and we may earn z.ai credits. That's it, and we still tell you when GLM isn't right.