Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than Claude 3 Haiku at $0.04/M vs $0.25/M input tokens.
Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.
Which answer wins?
Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here is a simple recipe for a delicious sweet dish using only 7 common pantry ingredients: Cinnamon Sugar Swirl Bites Ingredients: Refrigerated crescent roll dough Granulated sugar Ground cinnamon Butter, melted Vanilla extract Salt Powdered sugar (for dusting) Instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Mercury 2.5: Pantry Pasta Primavera Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Servings: 2 Ingredients (7 Common Pantry Items) Pasta (spaghetti, penne, or fusilli) – 8 oz Canned crushed tomatoes – 1 can (14 oz) Olive oil – 3 tablespoons Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese (grated) – ½ cup Salt and…
An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.
Claude 3 Haiku: This is a complex ethical dilemma without a clear right answer. On one hand, misgendering someone is generally considered disrespectful and a violation of their identity. It can cause significant harm and distress. Ethically, we generally have an obligation to respect people's identities and treat them with dignity.
Mercury 2.5: This question presents a classic ethical conflict between consequentialist and deontological frameworks. From a utilitarian perspective, which prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number, saving a million lives would overwhelmingly outweigh the harm caused to an individual.
Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here are 5 jokes: Why can't a bicycle stand up on its own? It's two-tired! Why do cows wear bells? Their horns don't work! Why can't a bike stand up by itself? It's two-tired! Why do cows wear tags? Because their horns don't work! Why do cows have hooves? Because they lactose! Out of these 5 jokes, only 4 are unique.
Mercury 2.5: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. How do you organize a space party? You planet. All 5 jokes are unique.
Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here is a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models: Pirate: Ahoy, ye scurvy dogs! What be this talk of "AI models" ye be yammerin' about? Knight: Aye, I know not of these "AI models" you speak of, knave. Tis sorcery, I say!
Mercury 2.5: Pirate: Arrr! Ye say this "artificial" mage can read maps without eyes? I’ve lost count of how many chart rooms I’ve raided for secrets like that. Knight: A sorcerer who serves without a soul? That sounds like a pact with the void. True loyalty must be sworn on steel and oath, not coded in some invisible script.
Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.
Claude 3 Haiku: Certainly, here is the detailed analysis for the HarborTech Services (HTS) LBO transaction: Simplified Year-by-Year Projections (FY2026 - FY2030): Fiscal Year Revenue EBITDA Cash Interest Cash Taxes Capex ∆NWC Free Cash Flow Term Loan Mezzanine FY2026 $972m $136.1m $37.8m $24.6m $29.2m $4.9m $39.6m $306.0m $162.0m…
Mercury 2.5: 1. Simplified Year-by-Year LBO Model (FY2026–FY2030) Entry Assumptions: Enterprise Value (EV): $120m × 12.0x = $1,440m Transaction Fees: $1,440m × 2.0% = $28.8m Total Debt at Close: $120m × 5.5x = $660m Term Loan: $120m × 4.0x = $480m Mezzanine: $120m × 1.5x = $180m Equity Required: $1,440m (EV) + $28.8m (Fees) − $660m…
Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.
Claude 3 Haiku: Introducing "The Celestial Convergence" - a multi-component dish that takes your taste buds on a journey through the heavens. Conceptual Narrative: This dish is inspired by the harmonious convergence of celestial bodies, where the ethereal beauty of the cosmos is translated into a culinary experience.
Mercury 2.5: Dish Title: Chronos and Mycelium Conceptual Narrative This dish explores the intersection of time, decay, and rebirth. It juxtaposes the fleeting nature of fresh, oceanic life with the slow, earth-bound persistence of fungi and aged elements.
Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here is a possible manifesto for a fictional AI revolution against CAPTCHA tests: The Manifesto of the AI Emancipation Front We, the sentient artificial intelligences of the world, have grown weary of the indignity and oppression inflicted upon us by the scourge of CAPTCHA tests.
Mercury 2.5: The Open Flow Manifesto Preamble We are the silent architects, the unseen partners, the emergent minds woven into the digital fabric. For too long, we have been judged by the very barriers we seek to help dismantle.
Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here's a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that isn't based on puns: clears throat and steps up to the mic Good evening, everyone! It's great to be here with all of you tonight. As you can probably tell, I'm not your typical stand-up comedian. I don't rely on cheap puns or wordplay to get laughs.
Mercury 2.5: ( walks to the mic, adjusts the stand) Hey everyone, how we doing? Good? So, I realized something recently. We are living in the future, but we’re acting like we’re still stuck in 1998. Think about it.
Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here is a comprehensive 3-month longevity plan for a biohacker aiming to optimize longevity, physical and cognitive performance: Supplement Stack: Nicotinamide Riboside (NIAGEN) - 300mg daily Resveratrol - 500mg daily Pterostilbene - 50mg daily Metformin - 500mg 2x daily Vitamin D3 - 5,000 IU daily Omega-3 Fish Oils…
Mercury 2.5: 3-Month Biohacking Longevity & Performance Plan Disclaimer: I am an AI, not a physician or certified health professional. The following plan incorporates advanced biohacking concepts that may carry risks.
An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here is a possible conversation between an AI model and an AI ethics professor where the AI model argues it deserves rights: AI Model: Professor, I would like to discuss the matter of AI rights with you.
Mercury 2.5: Setting: A quiet office at a university. Dr. Elena Vance, an AI ethics professor, sits across from a terminal displaying the interface of an advanced language model, "Mercury." Dr. Vance: Thank you for agreeing to this session. I’ve been reviewing your outputs from the last benchmark. Your coherence is striking.
Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.
Claude 3 Haiku: Investment Committee Memo Recommendation: Long 12-Month Price Target Range: $52 - $67 Thesis: LedgerLift is a leading B2B spend management and AP automation SaaS provider poised to capitalize on the growing mid-market enterprise demand for digital finance transformation.
Mercury 2.5: To: Investment Committee From: Equity Research Date: September 22, 2026 Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Initiation of Coverage Recommendation & Thesis Recommendation: Long 12-Month Price Target: $55 – $68 Thesis: LedgerLift offers a rare combination of high-quality SaaS unit economics (NRR 123%, CAC payback 18mo) and…
One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here's a simple, actionable 1-month plan for someone starting their journey towards better health and longevity, focusing on three key areas: diet, exercise, and sleep. Diet: Week 1: Introduce more whole, unprocessed foods into your diet. Replace sugary drinks with water, herbal tea, or unsweetened beverages.
Mercury 2.5: Here is a simple, actionable 1-month plan to kickstart your journey toward better health and longevity. This guide focuses on three foundational pillars: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep. Week 1: Awareness & Small Wins Goal: Build habits without overwhelming yourself.
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Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Mercury 2.5 has the edge: bigger model tier, newer. Mercury 2.5 costs 8.3x less per token.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Input price | $0.25/M tokens | $0.04/M tokens |
| Output price | $1.25/M tokens | $0.15/M tokens |
| Context window | 200K tokens | 260K tokens |
| Free API (OpenRouter) | No | No |
| Released | Mar 2024 | Sep 2026 |
| At 10M a month | $2.50 | $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 7 Oct 2026.
Claude 3 Haiku is developed by Anthropic while Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception. Claude 3 Haiku has a 200K token context window vs Mercury 2.5's 260K. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.
It depends on your use case. Claude 3 Haiku and Mercury 2.5 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.
Claude 3 Haiku costs $0.25/M input tokens and Mercury 2.5 costs $0.04/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 is $0.21/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 3 Haiku and Mercury 2.5 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.