Use ZCode's Five-Day GLM-5.3 Trial

New Z.ai and BigModel users can test GLM-5.3 in ZCode without configuring an API key or adding a payment method. Create an account, install ZCode, and sign in.

ZCode’s official connection guide now publishes the exact trial terms: new Z.ai and BigModel users receive five days of trial quota, split into 3 million GLM-5.3 tokens per day and 5 million GLM-5.3-Flash tokens per day. The quota refreshes daily during those five days, then expires. It is not an evergreen daily allowance.

1. Create a Z.ai account

Go to Z.ai and create an account. If you already have one, use that account for ZCode.

2. Download ZCode

Open the official ZCode download page and choose the version for macOS, Windows, or Linux. Install it, then open the app.

Choose Z.ai as the provider and sign in with the account you just created. Open the provider settings and make sure:

Z.ai says Enabled;
the connection mode is Start Plan;
Today’s balance shows your available GLM-5.3 and GLM-5.3-Flash trial quota.

ZCode provider settings showing Z.ai enabled, a Start Plan, and today's GLM-5.3 and GLM-5-Turbo credit balances — This earlier Start Plan screen showed the provider panel before ZCode documented the current trial split. On August 27, 2026, the official guide specified 3 million GLM-5.3 and 5 million GLM-5.3-Flash tokens per day for a new user’s first five days. Use the live panel for your remaining balance.

Verify the trial

Open a project in ZCode, choose GLM-5.3, and ask it to help with a clear task. For example:

Read this project and explain how to run it locally. Do not change any files yet.

The setup passes if the task returns a response, the provider remains Z.ai, and Today’s balance decreases. Then ask for one small file change, inspect the diff, and run the relevant check before accepting it.

Fix common problems

Problem	Check
No trial balance appears	Confirm the account is new and that Z.ai is enabled in provider settings.
The model is unavailable	Check the live provider panel and ZCode’s current model list.
Credits disappear faster than expected	Review which model is selected and wait for the next daily refresh during the five-day window.
A generated change is wrong	Reject the diff, narrow the task, and ask ZCode to explain the affected files before editing again.

One thing to remember

The trial is for new users and lasts five days. Unused daily quota does not become an ongoing allowance, model availability can change, and the live provider panel in your account is the source of truth for remaining balance.