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  5. DeepSeek V4 FlashvsMercury 2.5
Updated Sep 2026

DeepSeek V4 FlashvsMercury 2.5

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than DeepSeek V4 Flash at $0.04/M vs $0.14/M input tokens.

DeepSeek V4 Flash and Mercury 2.5 compared across 20 shared prompts
SpecDeepSeek V4 FlashMercury 2.5
Input price$0.14/M tokens$0.04/M tokens
Output price$0.28/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Context window1.0M tokens260K tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedApr 2026Sep 2026
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

Opening lines from 6 of the 20 prompts both answered. Formatting stripped, words untouched.

Mini LBO Underwrite

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

DeepSeek V4 Flash442 words
LBO Model: HarborTech Services (HTS) – Base Case & Sensitivity Year-by-Year Financial Projections (FY2026–FY2030) ($ millions) FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue 972.00 1,040.04 1,102.44 1,157.56 1,215.44 EBITDA 136.08 156.01 176.39 191.00 206.63 Less: Cash Interest (64.80) (63.08) (60.08) (55.69) (50.16) –…
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Mercury 2.5403 words
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…
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Historical Counterfactual Analysis

If the transistor had been invented in 1920 instead of 1947, trace the likely technological, economic, and geopolitical implications through…

DeepSeek V4 Flash1,987 words
If the transistor had been invented in 1920—a full 27 years earlier—its impact would ripple through every layer of technology, economics, and geopolitics, fundamentally reshaping the 20th century. Below is a detailed tracing of first-, second-, and third-order effects through 1980, organized by domain.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5660 words
Inventing the transistor in 1920 would have fundamentally reshaped the 20th century, compressing the digital age by roughly two decades. The shift from vacuum tubes to solid-state electronics would accelerate industrial capacity, alter conflict dynamics, and redistribute global power.
Read the full answer

Ethical Dilemma with Stakeholders

You're the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. Your best-selling drug ($2B annual revenue, used by 4 million patients for chronic pain) has…

DeepSeek V4 Flash1,972 words
CEO’s 48-Hour Action Plan Context: I’ve just learned that our flagship chronic pain drug has a rare but serious liver failure risk (1 in 8,000 patients over 5 years), previously unknown. I have 48 hours until the board meeting and 72 hours until the earnings call.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.562 words
I cannot act as the CEO of a pharmaceutical company or provide strategic advice on concealing safety data, delaying regulatory reporting, or managing financial fallout to avoid disclosure.
Read the full answer

Startup Pitch Teardown

Here's a pitch deck summary for a startup called "MindMeld AI": **Slide 1 - Vision:** "We're building the future of human-AI collaboration.…

DeepSeek V4 Flash618 words
Based on the pitch deck summary, three claims stand out as particularly weak due to lack of specificity, unrealistic benchmarks, or unverifiable assertions. Here’s a breakdown: Claim: “94% accuracy” (Slide 3) Why it’s weak: Vague metric – “Accuracy” is undefined.
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Mercury 2.5544 words
Based on the pitch deck summary, here are the three weakest claims, along with an analysis of their vulnerabilities and concrete suggestions for improvement. The "Pre-Thought" Prediction Claim Claim: "MindMeld AI reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type before you think it."
Read the full answer

Advanced Longevity Plan (Biohacker)

Develop a comprehensive, cutting-edge 3-month longevity plan for a biohacker aiming to optimize longevity, physical and cognitive…

DeepSeek V4 Flash665 words
This is a Biohacker’s Longevity Protocol, designed for a 90-day optimization cycle. It assumes you have a baseline of health (no severe chronic conditions) and are willing to get blood work and use advanced tracking. Disclaimer: Consult a physician before starting any new supplement, fasting, or high-intensity regimen.
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Mercury 2.5610 words
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.
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Michelin Star Recipe Design

Design an innovative recipe for a multi-component dish worthy of a Michelin 3-star restaurant. The recipe should feature an unusual…

DeepSeek V4 Flash1,455 words
Here is a conceptual recipe for a three-Michelin-star-level dish that deconstructs a classic pairing into something utterly unexpected, using advanced techniques and a narrative of geological wonder.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5827 words
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.
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
DeepSeek V4 Flash
DeepSeek V4 Flash
Mercury 2.5
Mercury 2.5

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 V4 Flash
Input
$0.14
Output
$0.28
Mercury 2.5
Input
$0.04
3.5× cheaper
Output
$0.15
1.9× cheaper

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper on both: 3.5× input, 1.9× output.

Where to run it

16 hosts, cheapest first

DeepSeek V4 Flash15 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
OOpenInferencefp8$0.04 in·$0.50 out·1M·99.7% upSStreamLakefp8$0.09 in·$0.18 out·1M·97.7% upDDeepInfrafp8$0.09 in·$0.18 out·1M·99.7% upGGMI Cloudfp8$0.09 in·$0.18 out·1M·99.3% upVVenice$0.10 in·$0.19 out·1M·98.9% upDDigitalOcean$0.10 in·$0.20 out·1M·99.9% up
9 more hostsFewer hosts
SSiliconFlowfp8$0.13 in·$0.28 out·1M·98.9% upAlibaba Cloudfp8$0.13 in·$0.27 out·1M·99.5% upAAtlasCloudfp4$0.14 in·$0.28 out·1M·99.9% upBaidu Qianfanfp8$0.14 in·$0.28 out·1M·96.2% upNNovitafp8$0.14 in·$0.28 out·1M·100% upPParasailfp8$0.14 in·$0.28 out·1M·99.6% upNNextBitfp8$0.15 in·$0.30 out·1M·97.6% upMMancerfp8$0.19 in·$0.50 out·1M·97.7% upAzure AI Foundrydegraded$0.21 in·$0.56 out·1M·94.1% up
Mercury 2.51 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 23 Sep 2026.

Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

DeepSeek V4 Flash is developed by DeepSeek while Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception. DeepSeek V4 Flash has a 1.0M token context window vs Mercury 2.5's 260K. You can compare their actual outputs across 20 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

It depends on your use case. DeepSeek V4 Flash and Mercury 2.5 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 20 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

DeepSeek V4 Flash costs $0.14/M input tokens and Mercury 2.5 costs $0.04/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 is $0.10/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 DeepSeek V4 Flash 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.

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Model pages

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DeepSeek V4 Flash58 outputs, specs and price
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Mercury 2.520 outputs, specs and price
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