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
  • Default Index
  • 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. Gemini 3.1 Flash LitevsMercury 2.5
Updated Sep 2026

Gemini 3.1 Flash LitevsMercury 2.5

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite at $0.04/M vs $0.25/M input tokens.

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite and Mercury 2.5 compared across 20 shared prompts
SpecGemini 3.1 Flash LiteMercury 2.5
Input price$0.25/M tokens$0.04/M tokens
Output price$1.5/M tokens$0.15/M tokens
Context window1.0M tokens260K tokens
WeightsClosed—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMay 2026Sep 2026
Side by side

Same prompt, both answers

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

Simple 7-Ingredient Recipe

Create a simple recipe for a delicious dish (sweet or savory) using only 7 common pantry ingredients. Include a creative name for the dish…

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite323 words
Here is a simple, comforting, and delicious recipe that relies entirely on pantry staples. Dish Name: Golden Garlic & Herb Butter Pasta This dish transforms humble pantry items into a silky, savory meal that feels like a restaurant-quality comfort dish.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5190 words
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…
Read the full answer

Historical Counterfactual Analysis

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

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite768 words
If the transistor had been invented in 1920—likely by researchers at Bell Labs or a similar entity—the "Electronic Age" would have arrived twenty-seven years earlier. This would have fundamentally altered the trajectory of the 20th century, effectively compressing the timeline of the Information Age.
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

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…

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite557 words
The Dish: "The Forest Floor & The Deep Tide" Concept: This dish explores the juxtaposition of two disparate ecosystems: the subterranean richness of an ancient forest and the brine-heavy, mineral complexity of the deep ocean.
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

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…

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite647 words
As CEO, my priority is to protect the patients, the company’s long-term viability, and my own ethical integrity. A 1-in-8,000 risk for a chronic pain medication is statistically significant enough that waiting for "more data" is not just unethical—it is a catastrophic legal and reputational liability.
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

Advanced Longevity Plan (Biohacker)

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

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite501 words
Disclaimer: This plan is for educational purposes only. Always consult with a physician and obtain blood work (e.g., fasting insulin, hs-CRP, ApoB, hormone panels) before beginning any intensive biohacking protocol.
Read the full answer
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.
Read the full answer

Debug This Architecture

Here's the architecture for a real-time collaborative document editor (like Google Docs): **System Overview:** - Frontend: React SPA with…

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite595 words
This architecture, while functional for a prototype, contains several critical flaws that would lead to data loss, inconsistent state, and system instability under load.
Read the full answer
Mercury 2.5672 words
Critical Analysis of Collaborative Editor Architecture Below is a detailed breakdown of failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks, along with proposed solutions and their trade-offs.
Read the full answer
Our Verdict
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite
Mercury 2.5
Mercury 2.5

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

Mercury 2.5 costs 10x less per token.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite
Input
$0.25
Output
$1.50
Mercury 2.5
Input
$0.04
6.3× cheaper
Output
$0.15
10× cheaper

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper on both: 6.3× input, 10× output.

Where to run it

3 hosts

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite2 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
Google Vertex AI$0.25 in·$1.50 out·1M·99.9% upGoogle AI Studio$0.25 in·$1.50 out·1M·99.9% 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 22 Sep 2026.

Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite is developed by Google AI while Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception. Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite 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. Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite 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.

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite 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 Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite 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.

Keep exploring

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoDeepSeek V4 Flash Vision Exp logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs DeepSeek V4 Flash Vision ExpLanded Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 logoSolar Pro 4 logo
Mercury 2.5 vs Solar Pro 4Landed Sep 2026
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoHy3 logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs Hy3Landed Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 logoQwen3.7 Flash logo
Mercury 2.5 vs Qwen3.7 FlashLanded Sep 2026
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoLing 3.0 Flash logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs Ling 3.0 FlashLanded Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 logoMuse Glimmer 30B logo
Mercury 2.5 vs Muse Glimmer 30BLanded Sep 2026
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoGLM 5.3 logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs GLM 5.3Landed Sep 2026
Mercury 2.5 logoTernary Bonsai 2 27B logo
Mercury 2.5 vs Ternary Bonsai 2 27BLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoGemini 3.1 Flash Lite Preview logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite PreviewVersion compare
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logoGemini 3.8 Flash logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite vs Gemini 3.8 FlashSame lab
Mercury 2.5 logoMercury 2.5 Preview logo
Mercury 2.5 vs Mercury 2.5 PreviewSame lab
Mercury 2.5 logoMercury logo
Mercury 2.5 vs MercurySame lab
Mercury 2.5 logoGLM 4.5 Air logo
Mercury 2.5 vs GLM 4.5 AirSame size
Mercury 2.5 logoGLM 4.6 logo
Mercury 2.5 vs GLM 4.6New provider
Mercury 2.5 logoGLM 4.7 logo
Mercury 2.5 vs GLM 4.7Same size
Mercury 2.5 logoGLM 4.7 Flash logo
Mercury 2.5 vs GLM 4.7 FlashNew provider

Model pages

Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite logo
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite58 outputs, specs and price
Mercury 2.5 logo
Mercury 2.520 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
  • Default Index
  • 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