Mercury 2.5 Preview 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?
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 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.
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 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.
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 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…
Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.
Claude 3 Haiku: The film industry is likely to undergo significant transformations by 2035 due to the advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Here are some predictions on how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation: Deepfakes: Deepfake technology will become…
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.
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 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.
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 Preview: Dish Title: Lithospheric Tides Conceptual Narrative This dish explores the geological convergence of the deep ocean and the subterranean earth. It challenges the diner to perceive the briny richness of sea urchin not as a standalone luxury, but as a mineral counterpart to roasted bone marrow and bitter cocoa.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Preview: Year-by-Year Model (FY2026–FY2030) Metric FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue $972m $1,040m $1,102m $1,158m $1,215m EBITDA $136m $156m $176m $191m $207m Cash Interest (Term) $43.2m $41.1m $37.6m $33.4m $28.2m Cash Interest (Mezz) $21.6m $21.6m $21.6m $21.6m $21.6m Cash Taxes (25%) $17.8m $23.3m $29.3m $34.7m…
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 Preview: Disclaimer: I am an AI assistant, not a medical professional. The following plan is for informational purposes only. Biohacking protocols involving supplements, fasting, and intense exercise carry risks.
A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.
Claude 3 Haiku: Here are the clauses in the contract that could be exploited against the contractor, along with suggested modifications and legal reasoning: Scope (Clause 1): The clause gives the client the right to modify the scope of work without any additional compensation to the contractor.
Mercury 2.5 Preview: Disclaimer: I am an AI assistant and cannot provide legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney before signing any contract. Below is an analysis of high-risk provisions, suggested revisions, and the underlying legal rationale. Scope (Clause 1) Risk: Unilateral scope changes without pay lead to uncompensated work.
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| 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 | Aug 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 13 Oct 2026.
Claude 3 Haiku is developed by Anthropic while Mercury 2.5 Preview is developed by Inception. Claude 3 Haiku has a 200K token context window vs Mercury 2.5 Preview'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 Preview 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 Preview costs $0.04/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 Preview 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 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.