Using Claude Code with z.ai’s GLM 4.6

“GLM Coding Plan — built for devs: 3× usage, 1/7 cost” It’s actually working for me pretty decent without any limits (November 2025)

Install Claude Code

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Install zai config for Claude

curl -O "https://cdn.bigmodel.cn/install/claude_code_zai_env.sh" && bash ./claude_code_zai_env.sh

This will ask you for your zai API key and add it to ~/.claude/settings.json

{
    "env": {
        "ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN": "your_zai_api_key",
        "ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL": "https://api.z.ai/api/anthropic",
        "API_TIMEOUT_MS": "3000000"
    }
}

Setup 4.6 by adding these to the ~/.claude.settings “env” block:

"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_HAIKU_MODEL": "glm-4.5-air",
"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_SONNET_MODEL": "glm-4.6",
"ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_OPUS_MODEL": "glm-4.6"

Optional, but very handy, add the two zai MCP servers for search and vision

claude mcp add -s user zai-mcp-server --env Z_AI_API_KEY=your_api_key Z_AI_MODE=ZAI -- npx -y "@z_ai/mcp-server"
claude mcp add -s user -t http web-search-prime https://api.z.ai/api/mcp/web_search_prime/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer your_api_key"

There we go!

I’m using the “GLM Coding Pro-Quarterly Plan”, haven’t run into hard limits yet. Do get some slowdowns now and then, ymmv. Refferal link (with 10% off): https://z.ai/subscribe?ic=H8GEDJSBCH