---
title: "DeepSeek-R1 vs GLM-130B"
type: "comparison"
canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1-vs-zai-org-glm-130b"
tools: ["deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1", "zai-org-glm-130b"]
---

# DeepSeek-R1 vs GLM-130B

*GraphCanon updated Jul 12, 2026*

## Verdict

Pick DeepSeek-R1 when license: DeepSeek-R1 is MIT, GLM-130B is Apache-2.0; pick GLM-130B when license: GLM-130B is Apache-2.0, DeepSeek-R1 is MIT.

[DeepSeek-R1](https://github.com/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1) reports 92k GitHub stars, 12k forks, and 45 open issues, last pushed Jun 27, 2025. [GLM-130B](https://github.com/zai-org/GLM-130B) has 7.7k stars, 601 forks, and 124 open issues, last pushed Jul 25, 2023. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [DeepSeek-R1's repository](https://github.com/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1) and [GLM-130B's repository](https://github.com/zai-org/GLM-130B).

| | [DeepSeek-R1](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1.md) | [GLM-130B](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tagline | Repository contains distilled LLM models derived from Qwen and LLaMA series for various commercial uses. | GLM-130B: An Open Bilingual Pre-Trained Model (ICLR 2023) |
| Stars | 91,991 | 7,656 |
| Forks | 11,711 | 601 |
| Open issues | 45 | 124 |
| Language | - | Python |
| Adopt for | DeepSeek-R1 provides a set of distilled LLMs from Qwen and LLaMA series that support commercial use. | - |
| Persona | - | - |
| Runtime | - | - |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Categories | LLM Frameworks, Model Training | Model Training |

## Trust and health

_Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._

| | [DeepSeek-R1](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1.md) | [GLM-130B](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Days since push | 379d | 1082d |
| Open issues (now) | 45 | 124 |
| Security scan | No lockfile | No criticals |
| Full report | [trust report](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b/trust.md) |

## Decision facts: DeepSeek-R1

- **Pricing:** freemium - The repository allows for commercial use under the MIT License or respective original licenses with no explicit monetary costs outlined in the repository.
- **Requirements:** Min 4 GB RAM; This is a rough estimate based on common model requirements. Specific models within DeepSeek-R1 may have different resource needs.
- **Adopt for:** DeepSeek-R1 provides a set of distilled LLMs from Qwen and LLaMA series that support commercial use.

## Choose when

### Choose DeepSeek-R1 if…

- License: DeepSeek-R1 is MIT, GLM-130B is Apache-2.0.
- Pricing: The repository allows for commercial use under the MIT License or respective original licenses with no explicit monetary costs outlined in the repository..
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; This is a rough estimate based on common model requirements. Specific models within DeepSeek-R1 may have different resource needs..
- Tags unique to DeepSeek-R1: commercial use, derived models, distilled models, mit license.
- Also covers LLM Frameworks.
- When you need to work with pre-trained models derived specifically from the Qwen-2.5 and Llama3.x series, benefiting from their unique characteristics.

### Choose GLM-130B if…

- License: GLM-130B is Apache-2.0, DeepSeek-R1 is MIT.
- Tags unique to GLM-130B: python.

## When NOT to use DeepSeek-R1

- Avoid if you need foundational models rather than distilled versions, as DeepSeek-R1 specializes in providing smaller, more efficient models suitable for resource-constrained environments.
- If your project is tightly regulated or requires models from a different lineage, as DeepSeek-R1 exclusively provides derivatives of Qwen and LLaMA series.

## When NOT to use GLM-130B

- Last GitHub push was 1083 days ago (dormant maintenance, Jul 25, 2023). Validate activity before betting a new project on GLM-130B.
- Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between DeepSeek-R1 and GLM-130B?

DeepSeek-R1: Repository contains distilled LLM models derived from Qwen and LLaMA series for various commercial uses.. GLM-130B: GLM-130B: An Open Bilingual Pre-Trained Model (ICLR 2023). See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.

### When should I choose DeepSeek-R1 over GLM-130B?

Choose DeepSeek-R1 over GLM-130B when License: DeepSeek-R1 is MIT, GLM-130B is Apache-2.0; Pricing: The repository allows for commercial use under the MIT License or respective original licenses with no explicit monetary costs outlined in the repository.; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; This is a rough estimate based on common model requirements. Specific models within DeepSeek-R1 may have different resource needs.; Tags unique to DeepSeek-R1: commercial use, derived models, distilled models, mit license; Also covers LLM Frameworks; When you need to work with pre-trained models derived specifically from the Qwen-2.5 and Llama3.x series, benefiting from their unique characteristics.

### When should I choose GLM-130B over DeepSeek-R1?

Choose GLM-130B over DeepSeek-R1 when License: GLM-130B is Apache-2.0, DeepSeek-R1 is MIT; Tags unique to GLM-130B: python.

### When should I avoid DeepSeek-R1?

Avoid if you need foundational models rather than distilled versions, as DeepSeek-R1 specializes in providing smaller, more efficient models suitable for resource-constrained environments. If your project is tightly regulated or requires models from a different lineage, as DeepSeek-R1 exclusively provides derivatives of Qwen and LLaMA series.

### When should I avoid GLM-130B?

Last GitHub push was 1083 days ago (dormant maintenance, Jul 25, 2023). Validate activity before betting a new project on GLM-130B. Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge.

### Is DeepSeek-R1 or GLM-130B more popular on GitHub?

DeepSeek-R1 has more GitHub stars (91,991 vs 7,656). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.

### Are DeepSeek-R1 and GLM-130B open source?

Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (DeepSeek-R1: MIT, GLM-130B: Apache-2.0).

### Where can I find alternatives to DeepSeek-R1 or GLM-130B?

GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [DeepSeek-R1 alternatives](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1/alternatives) and [GLM-130B alternatives](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b/alternatives) ([DeepSeek-R1 markdown twin](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1/alternatives.md), [GLM-130B markdown twin](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.

### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?

Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1-vs-zai-org-glm-130b.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.

### Which is better maintained, DeepSeek-R1 or GLM-130B?

DeepSeek-R1: Dormant. GLM-130B: Dormant. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.

### Where are the full trust reports for DeepSeek-R1 and GLM-130B?

GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [DeepSeek-R1 trust report](/tools/deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1/trust); [GLM-130B trust report](/tools/zai-org-glm-130b/trust).

---

**Machine-readable endpoints**

- JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=deepseek-ai-deepseek-r1)
- LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt)
- Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt)

_GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_