Mercury 2.5 Preview is cheaper than Claude 2 at $0.04/M vs $11.02/M input tokens.
Catch the falling object. Paddle at the bottom, score at the top, one file.
Which answer wins?
Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.
Claude 2: Here is a 7-ingredient recipe for a sweet dish I'll call "Cinnamon Apple Surprise": Cinnamon Apple Surprise Ingredients: 3 apples, cored and sliced 1⁄4 cup brown sugar 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1⁄4 tsp nutmeg 2 tbsp butter, melted 1 refrigerated pie crust Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F.
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.
One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.
Claude 2: Here is a 1-month beginner health and longevity plan focused on diet, exercise, and sleep: Diet: Eliminate sugary drinks and limit sweets. Replace with water and fruits. Eat more veggies. Aim for 1-2 cups with each meal. Focus on dark leafy greens, broccoli, carrots. Increase fiber intake.
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.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $11.02/M tokens | $0.04/M tokens |
| Output price | $32.68/M tokens | $0.15/M tokens |
| Context window | 100K tokens | 260K tokens |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | No | No |
| Released | Jun 2023 | Aug 2026 |
| At 10M a month | $110 | $0.40 |
Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.
No hosts listed on OpenRouter.
Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 12 Oct 2026.
Claude 2 is developed by Anthropic while Mercury 2.5 Preview is developed by Inception. Claude 2 has a 100K token context window vs Mercury 2.5 Preview's 260K. You can compare their actual outputs across 5 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.
It depends on your use case. Claude 2 and Mercury 2.5 Preview each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 5 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.
Claude 2 costs $11.02/M input tokens and Mercury 2.5 Preview costs $0.04/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 Preview is $10.98/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.
This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Claude 2 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.