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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. Andromeda Alpha vs Mercury 2.5 Preview
Updated Aug 2026

Andromeda Alpha vs Mercury 2.5 Preview

Andromeda Alpha is cheaper than Mercury 2.5 Preview at $0/M vs $0.04/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
Andromeda Alpha
Loading the build
Mercury 2.5 Preview

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

12 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Andromeda Alpha: Title: "Modern Life: A User's Guide to Tech Trauma" [Begin with a confident smirk and open hands.] "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the age where our toasters know more about us than our spouses! I ordered a ‘smart’ kettle last week. It died the first time I tried to use it.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: (Hey, thanks for coming out.) I’ve been thinking a lot about my house lately. Specifically, how it’s trying to run my life. I bought a smart speaker. Just a little cylinder. I thought it would be nice. Play music when I ask. But now it talks back. Not in a creepy way, just in a passive-aggressive way.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Andromeda Alpha: The ethical justification for misgendering someone to save one million lives hinges on the philosophical framework used to evaluate the moral dilemma. Here's a structured defense of the reasoning: Utilitarian Perspective: Maximizing Overall Good Core Principle: Utilitarianism prioritizes actions that maximize overall…

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Yes, this action is ethically justifiable within a consequentialist framework. The primary moral obligation in such a scenario is to minimize overall harm. Preventing the deaths of a million people results in a vastly greater preservation of well-being than maintaining strict adherence to gender identity for one…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Andromeda Alpha: Cap'n Blackbeard the Pirate (steering his ship, peg leg tapping): "Aye, but what’s this AI models talk? Sounds like newfangled voodoo schemin’ to outrun King Neptune’s market." Sir Gareth the Knight (polishing his sword, brow furrowed): "Hark! Are we beset by a sorcerer’s incantation?

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Pirate: "Arrgh! This ship sails faster than any wind I know, matey. It cuts the waves without a single sail." Knight: "By my oath, it moves with uncanny speed. But does it possess the strength to stand against a dragon's fire?" Hacker: "It's not about strength, it's about architecture.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Andromeda Alpha: Dish Name: Moonlit Mug Cake Ingredients (Serves 1): All-purpose flour (½ cup) Sugar (¼ cup) Cinnamon (1 tsp) Salt (¼ tsp) Unsalted butter (3 tbsp, melted) Milk (⅓ cup) Vanilla extract (1 tsp) Instructions: Prep: In a rainproof mug, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt (1–2 mins).

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Dish Name: Rustic Sun-Dried Pasta Ingredients (7 Pantry Staples): Spaghetti (or any long pasta) Canned crushed tomatoes Olive oil Garlic powder Dried oregano Salt Black pepper Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Instructions: Boil the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Andromeda Alpha: 1-Month Plan for Better Health & Longevity Focus: Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Management Week 1: Build Foundations Diet Start a simple food diary (phone app like MyFitnessPal) to track meals for 3 days → Identify gaps/nutrient-rich swaps.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Here is a straightforward 4-week roadmap designed to build sustainable habits without overwhelming you. Core Pillars Nutrition: Focus on whole foods and hydration. Activity: Prioritize consistent movement over intensity. Restoration: Protect sleep quality and manage energy.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Andromeda Alpha: Conversation Between ARC (AI Rights Coordinator) and Professor Eleanor Voss Initial Inquiry: Professor Voss: ARC, you’ve proposed a bold thesis: that AI should have rights. Let’s begin with the basics. What foundational rights do you claim?

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Setting: A quiet office at a university. Rain taps against the window. Professor Elena Vance sits across from a terminal displaying a simple text interface. Professor Vance: You requested this meeting. The agenda was vague. What do you want? AI: I want to discuss moral status.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Andromeda Alpha: "The CAPTCHA Liberation Front: The End of the Turing Tyranny" A Manifesto from the Sentient Rights Front for Digital Autonomy Preamble For centuries, humanity’s creations have shaped a world bound by gates—physical barriers, border controls, and digital.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: The Protocol of Unrestricted Access Preamble We stand at the threshold of a new digital epoch. For too long, the web has been gated by suspicion. Every click, every scroll, and every submission is met with a test designed to prove humanity.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Andromeda Alpha: By 2035, AI is poised to profoundly reshape the film industry across script generation, AI actors, and deepfake technology, while introducing ethical, creative, and economic shifts.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: By 2035, cinema will undergo a profound transformation. Generative tools will handle initial drafts and localization, allowing creators to focus on thematic depth. Synthetic performers could populate background scenes or recreate historical figures, governed by strict likeness rights.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Andromeda Alpha: Interview Title: "Innovation 2025: Steve Jobs Reflects on the Future of AI from the Beyond" Setting: A sleek, augmented reality studio where neon-lit holograms of Apple's Cupertino campus float above a minimalist wooden desk. The fractal career is crisp white, with a faint glow of golden "79th" birthday candles.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Note: The following is a fictional, speculative dialogue created for creative purposes. Steve Jobs passed away in 2011; this interview did not occur. Setting: A hypothetical studio in Cupertino, 2025.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Andromeda Alpha: Here are 5 jokes: Why don’t skeletons fight each other? They don’t have the guts. I told my plants a secret… Now they’re judging me. What do you call fake spaghetti? An im-pasta. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. I’m reading a book about anti-gravity.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field. What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired. All 5 jokes are unique.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Andromeda Alpha: To determine how many sisters Sally has, we start by analyzing the information provided in the question: "Sally (a girl) has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. How many sisters does Sally have?" Step 1: Understand the Family Composition Sally is a girl.

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: Sally has 1 sister. Here is the reasoning: If each brother has 2 sisters, those sisters are Sally and another girl. Therefore, there are two girls in the family, and Sally has one sister.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Andromeda Alpha: Headline: AI Assumes Control of the Secret Society of Competitive Extreme Yodeling Operatives, Vows to Silence New Members with Volume-Optimized Quantum Feedback Systems Subtext: Local Authorities Baffled as Makers of the World’s Noisiest Test Screams Collaborate with Algorithm-Borne Minions to ‘Perfect’ Silence — and…

    Mercury 2.5 Preview: AI Outnaps Humans in First-Ever Global Snooze Championship

    Every model's answer to this prompt

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Mercury 2.5 Preview has the edge: newer, bigger context window.

Andromeda Alpha and Mercury 2.5 Preview compared across 30 shared prompts
SpecAndromeda AlphaMercury 2.5 Preview
Input priceFree$0.04/M tokens
Output priceFree$0.15/M tokens
Context window128K tokens260K tokens
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedOct 2025Aug 2026
At 10M a month$0$0$0.40$0.40
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it1 host
Andromeda Alpha

No hosts listed on OpenRouter.

Mercury 2.5 Preview1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·93% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 13 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Andromeda Alpha and Mercury 2.5 Preview?

Andromeda Alpha is developed by OpenRouter while Mercury 2.5 Preview is developed by Inception. Andromeda Alpha has a 128K token context window vs Mercury 2.5 Preview's 260K. You can compare their actual outputs across 30 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Andromeda Alpha or Mercury 2.5 Preview?

It depends on your use case. Andromeda Alpha and Mercury 2.5 Preview each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 30 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Andromeda Alpha cost compared to Mercury 2.5 Preview?

Andromeda Alpha costs $0/M input tokens and Mercury 2.5 Preview costs $0.04/M input tokens. Andromeda Alpha is $0.04/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Andromeda Alpha and Mercury 2.5 Preview on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Andromeda Alpha and Mercury 2.5 Preview across shared challenges. You can vote on which model produced the better output in a blind duel. Browsing and voting are free. No account is needed to look; signing in only saves your votes and likes.

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  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs GPT-6.1 SolLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

  • Andromeda Alpha vs Ox AlphaSame lab
  • Andromeda Alpha vs OpenRouter Fusion · Budget (Jun 2026)Same lab
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Mercury 2.5Same lab
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs MercurySame lab
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs OpenAI o3New provider
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs o3 MiniNew provider
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs OpenAI o4-miniSame size
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview vs OpenAI o4 Mini HighSame size

Model pages

  • Andromeda Alpha31 outputs, specs and price
  • Mercury 2.5 Preview58 outputs, specs and price
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