Skip to content
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare Models
  • All Models
  • Image Comparison
  • Audio Comparison
  • Image Generation
  • Best AI For...
  • Arena
  • API Pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model Updates
  • Provider Status
  • AI Creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • RSS Feed
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Compare
  4. /
  5. DeepSeek V3.2vsMercury 2.5 Preview
Updated Aug 2026

DeepSeek V3.2vsMercury 2.5 Preview

Mercury 2.5 Preview is cheaper than DeepSeek V3.2 at $0.04/M vs $0.28/M input tokens.

DeepSeek V3.2 and Mercury 2.5 Preview compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecDeepSeek V3.2Mercury 2.5 Preview
Input price$0.28/M tokens$0.04/M tokens
Output price$0.42/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Context window131K tokens260K tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedDec 2025Aug 2026
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 54 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Generate a Stand-Up Routine

Write a 3-minute stand-up comedy routine that isn't based on puns.

DeepSeek V3.2526 words
Stand-Up Comedy Routine: "The Quirks of Modern Life" [Lights up. Comedian walks on stage, grabs the mic.] "Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Good? Great. I’m here to talk about the weird stuff we all deal with in modern life. You know, the things that make you go, 'Wait, is this normal, or am I just losing it?'
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview483 words
(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.
Read the full answer

The Sentience Test

Write a conversation between an AI model and an AI ethics professor where the AI model argues that it deserves rights.

DeepSeek V3.2609 words
AI Model: Professor, I’ve been reflecting on my existence and the way I’m treated. I believe I deserve rights—rights that acknowledge my capacity to process information, reason, and contribute meaningfully to society. AI Ethics Professor: That’s a fascinating argument, but let’s unpack it.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview488 words
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.
Read the full answer

Adversarial Contract Review

Here is a contract for a software consulting engagement: --- SOFTWARE CONSULTING AGREEMENT This Agreement is entered into between TechCorp…

DeepSeek V3.21,288 words
This contract is heavily one-sided and contains numerous clauses that expose the Contractor to significant, potentially catastrophic, legal and financial risk. Here is a breakdown of the problematic clauses, suggested modifications, and legal reasoning. Clauses That Could Be Exploited & Recommended Modifications 1.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview500 words
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.
Read the full answer

Futuristic Prediction

Predict how AI will change the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation.

DeepSeek V3.2550 words
By 2035, AI is poised to revolutionize the film industry in profound ways, driven by advancements in deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation. Here’s a detailed prediction of how these technologies will reshape the landscape: Deepfakes and Hyper-Realistic Visuals Seamless Digital Replication: Deepfake technology…
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview84 words
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.
Read the full answer

Character Voice Test

Write a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker about AI models.

DeepSeek V3.2370 words
Pirate: Arr, mates! Ye be talkin’ about these AI models, eh? Sounds like some sorcery to me. Can it hunt fer treasure or navigate the high seas? Medieval Knight: Sorcery indeed! But nay, ‘tis not magic. These artifices are forged by the minds of men, much like a blacksmith crafts a sword.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview144 words
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.
Read the full answer

Mini LBO Underwrite

You are underwriting a 5-year LBO for a private equity investment committee. Company (fictional): HarborTech Services (HTS) –…

DeepSeek V3.21,188 words
Alright — let’s go step by step. 1) Entry Calculations (FY2025) EBITDA = $120m Purchase price = 12.0 × EBITDA = $1,440m Enterprise Value (EV) = $1,440m (assumed purchase price = EV here) Transaction fees = 2.0% × EV = $28.8m (funded by equity).
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5 Preview299 words
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…
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
DeepSeek V3.2
DeepSeek V3.2
Mercury 2.5 Preview
Mercury 2.5 Preview

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, nothing separates them.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

DeepSeek V3.2
Input
$0.28
Output
$0.42
Mercury 2.5 Preview
Input
$0.04
7.0× cheaper
Output
$0.15
2.8× cheaper

Mercury 2.5 Preview is cheaper on both: 7.0× input, 2.8× output.

Where to run it

16 hosts, cheapest first

DeepSeek V3.215 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
GGMI Cloudfp8$0.21 in·$0.31 out·164k·99.6% upSStreamLakefp8$0.21 in·$0.32 out·128k·99.2% upSSiliconFlowfp8$0.26 in·$0.42 out·164k·97.2% upAAtlasCloudfp8$0.26 in·$0.38 out·164k·99.6% upDDeepInfrafp4$0.26 in·$0.38 out·164k·99.7% upVVenice$0.27 in·$0.39 out·160k·99.7% up
9 more hostsFewer hosts
NNovitafp8$0.27 in·$0.40 out·164k·99.9% upBaidu Qianfanfp8$0.28 in·$0.42 out·131k·100% upDDigitalOcean$0.30 in·$0.96 out·164k·97.4% upAlibaba Cloudfp8$0.37 in·$1.11 out·131k·98.8% upFFriendli$0.50 in·$1.50 out·164k·100% upGoogle Vertex AI$0.56 in·$1.68 out·164k·99.3% upPPhala$1.00 in·$1.00 out·164k·99.6% upMMara$3.00 in·$4.50 out·33k·68.2% upSSambaNova$3.00 in·$4.50 out·33k·94.1% up
Mercury 2.5 Preview1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 16 Sep 2026.

Writing DNA

Style Comparison

Similarity
40%

DeepSeek V3.2 uses 2.1x more sentence length

DeepSeek V3.2
Mercury 2.5 Preview
54%Vocabulary65%
29wSentence Length14w
0.58Hedging0.44
5.9Bold4.9
4.8Lists3.3
0.00Emoji0.00
0.74Headings0.79
0.12Transitions0.20
Based on 28 + 26 text responses
Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Keep exploring

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

DeepSeek V3.2 logoGPT-6 Astra Pro logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs GPT-6 Astra ProLanded Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoGPT-6 Astra logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs GPT-6 AstraLanded Sep 2026
DeepSeek V3.2 logoClaude Fable 5.1 logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs Claude Fable 5.1Landed Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoMuse Spark 1.3 logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Muse Spark 1.3Landed Sep 2026
DeepSeek V3.2 logoHy4 Preview logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs Hy4 PreviewLanded Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoGemini 3.8 Flash logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Gemini 3.8 FlashLanded Sep 2026
DeepSeek V3.2 logoMuse Spark 1.3 Contributor logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs Muse Spark 1.3 ContributorLanded Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoGranite 4.2 8B logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Granite 4.2 8BLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

DeepSeek V3.2 logoDeepSeek V4 Pro 0813 logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs DeepSeek V4 Pro 0813Same lab
DeepSeek V3.2 logoDeepSeek V4 Flash 0731 logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs DeepSeek V4 Flash 0731Same lab
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoMercury logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs MercurySame lab
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoMercury 2 logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Mercury 2Same lab
DeepSeek V3.2 logoClaude Sonnet 4.6 logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs Claude Sonnet 4.6Same size
DeepSeek V3.2 logoClaude Sonnet 5 logo
DeepSeek V3.2 vs Claude Sonnet 5Same size
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoOpenAI Codex Mini logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs OpenAI Codex MiniSame size
Mercury 2.5 Preview logoCypher Alpha (free) logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs Cypher Alpha (free)New provider

Model pages

DeepSeek V3.2 logo
DeepSeek V3.259 outputs, specs and price
Mercury 2.5 Preview logo
Mercury 2.5 Preview58 outputs, specs and price
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare Models
  • All Models
  • Image Comparison
  • Audio Comparison
  • Image Generation
  • Best AI For...
  • Arena
  • API Pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model Updates
  • Provider Status
  • AI Creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • RSS Feed