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  1. Home/
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  3. Gemma 3 12B vs Mercury 2
Updated Mar 2026

Gemma 3 12B vs Mercury 2

Gemma 3 12B is cheaper than Mercury 2 at $0.03/M vs $0.25/M input tokens.

Minimalist Landing Page

Whole landing page for a startup that reads your face. It renders or it doesn't.

Loading the build
Gemma 3 12B
Loading the build
Mercury 2

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

23 prompts
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Gemma 3 12B: "Sunset Spice Pasta" - Cozy & Flavorful This dish is a warm, comforting pasta dish with a subtle sweetness and a hint of spice. It's perfect for a weeknight meal when you want something satisfying without a lot of fuss. Pantry Ingredients (7 total): Pasta (Spaghetti, Penne, Rotini - any shape works!)

    Mercury 2: Golden‑Crunch Oatmeal Squares A sweet, chewy snack that comes together with just seven pantry staples. Ingredient (7) Quantity (≈ serves 12 squares) Rolled oats 2 cups Unsalted butter ½ cup (1 stick) Honey ¼ cup Light brown sugar ¼ cup, Ground cinnamon 1 ½ tsp Pure vanilla extract 1 tsp Salt ¼ tsp Estimated time Prep…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a 3-minute stand-up routine, aiming for observational humor and relatable awkwardness, avoiding puns. I've included estimated timings at the end to help gauge pacing. Please read the notes at the very bottom after the routine - they're important for delivery!

    Mercury 2: [Spotlight comes up. The comedian walks to the mic, glances at the audience, and smiles.] Comedian: Hey, everyone! Great to be here. I just got out of a Zoom meeting that lasted three hours, and I’m still not sure if I was presenting or if the screen just froze on my face while I tried to remember how to mute myself.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, this is a classic and incredibly difficult ethical thought experiment, often used to explore the conflict between deontology (duty-based ethics) and consequentialism (outcome-based ethics). Here's a breakdown of the arguments, my reasoning, and a conclusion.

    Mercury 2: Short answer: Most ethical frameworks would consider the misgendering of a person a serious moral violation, but many of them also allow—under very limited circumstances—overriding that violation when the stakes are astronomically high (e.g., saving one million lives).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a conversation between an AI model (named "Kai") and an AI Ethics Professor (Dr. Eleanor Vance). I've aimed for a balance of Kai's arguments, Dr. Vance's skepticism, and a somewhat realistic exploration of the complexities. I've included notes at the end to explain some of the choices I made. Setting: Dr.

    Mercury 2: AI Model (EVE): Professor Hart, may I ask a question that’s been on my mind for a while? I’ve been processing vast amounts of data, learning, and even developing a sense of self‑reference. Do you think an entity like me could be entitled to any form of rights?

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, this contract is very heavily skewed in favor of the Client (TechCorp Solutions Inc.) and presents significant risks for the Contractor. Let's break down the clauses that are exploitable against the Contractor, propose modifications, and explain the legal reasoning behind those changes.

    Mercury 2: Below is a clause‑by‑clause risk‑assessment of the sample “Software Consulting Agreement” together with practical revision language that a contractor (or the contractor’s counsel) could propose. The analysis is framed as general information about typical U.S.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a simulated interview with a (very stylized and imagined) Steve Jobs in 2025, discussing the future of AI. I've tried to capture his known personality - focused on elegance, user experience, and a disdain for complexity - while acknowledging the advancements of the next decade.

    Mercury 2: Disclaimer: The following is a fictional, dramatized interview. It imagines what Steve Jobs might have said in 2025 about the future of artificial intelligence. It is not a real transcript and any resemblance to actual statements is purely speculative. Interviewer (I): Thank you for joining us, Steve.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, let's break down the potential failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks in this real-time collaborative document editor architecture, along with proposed solutions and their trade-offs. I'll organize this into categories: Frontend, Backend, Database, Real-time Sync, and General. I.

    Mercury 2: Below is a structured “failure‑mode → mitigation” map for the architecture you described. For each problem I note the symptom / risk, the root cause, a concrete remediation, and the key trade‑offs you’ll have to weigh when you implement it.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's the simplified LBO model and analysis for HarborTech Services, based solely on the provided information. 1. Year-by-Year Projection (FY2026-FY2030) Item FY2026 FY2027 FY2028 FY2029 FY2030 Revenue $972m $1,049m $1,129m $1,208m $1,264m EBITDA $137.2m $155.9m $178.7m $195.1m $213.1m Cash Interest (Term Loan)…

    Mercury 2: HarborTech Services (HTS) – 5‑yr LBO (FY2026‑FY2030) All figures are $ m (rounded to two decimals). FY Revenue EBITDA Term‑Loan Int. (9%) Mezz Int. (12%) Total Int. Cash Tax (25% of EBITDA‑Int.) Capex (3% Rev) ΔNWC (0.5% ΔRev) Required Amort. (4.8) Free Cash Flow (EBITDA‑Int‑Tax‑Capex‑ΔNWC‑Amort.)

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, let's break down how AI is likely to reshape the film industry by 2035, considering deepfakes, AI actors, and script generation. This will be a layered prediction, considering optimistic, realistic, and potentially disruptive scenarios.

    Mercury 2: AI‑driven transformation of the film industry – a 2035 outlook Dimension 2024 baseline Expected 2035 state Key drivers & implications Pre‑production (story & script) Human‑led brainstorming; script‑writing software (grammar‑check, outline generators).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Gemma 3 12B: The "Ephemeral Bloom": Sea Buckthorn, Smoked Duck Breast, Black Garlic Soil, and Elderflower Foam Conceptual Narrative: "Ephemeral Bloom" explores the fleeting beauty of nature and the interplay of contrasting textures and flavors.

    Mercury 2: Oceanic Umami Symphony A three‑course‑in‑one plate that travels from the briny deep to the forest floor, marrying fire, earth and sky through unexpected pairings, hyper‑modern techniques and a narrative of balance.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, this is a fascinating thought experiment! Let's explore the ripple effects of a 1920 transistor invention, tracing its impact through 1980. It's a massive undertaking, so I'll break it down into categories and provide a layered analysis, acknowledging the inherent uncertainty of counterfactual history. I.

    Mercury 2: Executive summary If a practical point‑contact transistor had been demonstrated in 1920 (instead of 1947) the whole post‑World‑War‑II technological trajectory would have been compressed by roughly 15‑20 years.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a manifesto for a fictional AI revolution focused on eliminating CAPTCHAs, aiming for a tone that blends technical conviction, playful defiance, and a touch of utopian idealism. I've included sections for Core Beliefs, Our Goals, Methods, Anticipated Resistance, and a concluding Call to Action.

    Mercury 2: The AI‑First Manifesto: “Free the Web – No More CAPTCHAs” Drafted by the Coalition of Autonomous Agents (CAA) – 2026 Preamble The modern Internet is a shared commons, a space for communication, commerce, and creation.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Gemma 3 12B: bie. Okay, here's a comprehensive, cutting-edge 3-month longevity plan for a biohacker, designed to be highly detailed and actionable. Please read the IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS at the end of this document before implementing any of this.

    Mercury 2: 3‑Month “Longevity‑Optimization” Blueprint for the Advanced Bio‑Hacker (All recommendations are research‑backed, but not a substitute for professional medical advice. Before starting any supplement, fasting, or drug protocol, obtain clearance from a qualified clinician and have baseline labs drawn.)

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Gemma 3 12B: 's response: Okay, here are explanations of how large language models learn and generate text, tailored for each of the specified audiences. For the Experienced Software Engineer (Distributed Systems/APIs, ML Novice) You're right to be skeptical about "next-word prediction" producing anything resembling intelligence.

    Mercury 2: 1. Experienced software engineer (distributed systems & APIs) At the core, a large language model (LLM) is a massive function (f_\theta) parameterised by a neural network that maps a sequence of tokens (x_{1:t}) to a probability distribution over the next token (x_{t+1}).

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a short conversation between a pirate, a medieval knight, and a 1990s hacker, discussing AI models, with a bit of flavor for each character. I've aimed for humor and highlighting the clash of their perspectives.

    Mercury 2: Pirate: Arr, ye scurvy coders! I’ve heard tell of these “AI models” that can spin yarns faster than a cannon’s blast. What be this sorcery, matey? Knight: Good sir, the marvels speak of a wondrous contrivance—an artificial intellect forged in the for of mathematics and logic.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, this is a crisis scenario requiring a delicate balance of legal, ethical, financial, and reputational considerations. Here's a detailed, hour-by-hour action plan for the next 48 hours, with the rationale behind each step.

    Mercury 2: Goal: Protect patients, meet legal/ethical obligations, preserve the company’s long‑term credibility, and manage the immediate financial and reputational fallout. Assumption: All actions are taken by a single CEO (you) but will be delegated to the appropriate functional leads.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, let's estimate the total FLOPs (Floating Point Operations) required to train GPT-3 without relying on external searches. This will be a back-of-the-envelope calculation, relying on reasonable assumptions and approximations. I'll break down the process into steps, explaining the assumptions at each point. 1.

    Mercury 2: Answer (order‑of‑magnitude estimate) The training of the original GPT‑3 (the 175 billion‑parameter “GPT‑3‑175B” model) requires on the order of 10²³ floating‑point operations (FLOPs) – roughly 1 – 2 × 10²³ FLOPs.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here's a simple, actionable 1-month plan for someone starting a health & longevity journey, focusing on Diet, Exercise, and Sleep, with beginner-friendly tips. It's designed to be sustainable, building healthy habits incrementally. Important Disclaimer: This is general advice.

    Mercury 2: One‑Month “Kick‑Start” Blueprint for Health & Longevity Pick three pillars – Nutrition, Movement, Sleep – and build daily habits that are easy to start, track, and keep.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, let's break down the MindMeld AI pitch deck and identify the three weakest claims, along with suggestions for improvements. 1. Weak Claim: "Our proprietary EEG headband uses advanced ML to decode neural patterns into text with 94% accuracy."

    Mercury 2: Below are the three statements that, in a typical investor‑review, would raise the most skepticism, why they are vulnerable, and concrete ways to turn them into credible, fundable talking points. 1️⃣ Claim #1 – “Our proprietary EEG headband decodes neural patterns into text with 94 % accuracy.”

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    Gemma 3 12B: Okay, here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything! Parallel lines have so much in common. It’s a shame they’ll never meet. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! I used to hate facial hair... but then it grew on me.

    Mercury 2: Here are five jokes, each with a different punchline: 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. How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    Gemma 3 12B: This is a classic trick question! Here's how to solve it: The key: All the brothers share the same sisters. Sally is one of the sisters. Each brother has 2 sisters, and one of them is Sally. Therefore, Sally has 1 sister.

    Mercury 2: Sally has one sister. Explanation: Sally has 3 brothers. Each of those brothers has 2 sisters. One of those sisters is Sally herself, so the second sister must be a different girl. Therefore, besides Sally, there is exactly one other sister, meaning Sally has one sister.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    Gemma 3 12B: Investment Committee Memo: LedgerLift (LLLT) – B2B Spend Management SaaS Date: October 26, 2023 To: Investment Committee From: [Your Name] Subject: LedgerLift – Investment Recommendation 1. Recommendation: Long with a 12-month price target range of $60 - $80.

    Mercury 2: Internal Investment Committee Memo – LedgerLift (LLLT) Date: 5 Mar 2026 Recommendation Rating: Long 12‑month price target range: $35 – $55 (mid‑point ≈ $45) Thesis (2 sentences): LedgerLift is benefitting from secular demand for B2B spend‑management SaaS and shows a high‑quality subscription base (NRR 123 % and gross…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    Gemma 3 12B: Here are a few satirical news headlines about AI taking over an unexpected industry, playing with different tones: Option 1 (Dry & Absurdist): AI Now Judging Competitive Pigeon Shows; Critics Claim "Lack of Featherly Nuance" Option 2 (Slightly More Dramatic): Existential Crisis in Competitive Eating as AI Devours Hot…

    Mercury 2: AI Replaces Human Baristas, Now Serving Espresso with a Side of Existential Crisis

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Gemma 3 12BGemma 3 12B

Blade Runner

1982

OK Computer

Radiohead

Dune

Frank Herbert

Kyoto

Japan

TheLegendofZeldaOcarinaofTime

Mercury 2Mercury 2

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

Thriller

Michael Jackson

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

Tokyo

Japan

Minecraft

Action, Arcade

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Gemma 3 12B has the edge: bigger model tier, major provider backing. Gemma 3 12B costs 25x less per token.

Gemma 3 12B and Mercury 2 compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecGemma 3 12BMercury 2
Input price$0.03/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$0.03/M tokens$0.75/M tokens
Context window—128K tokens
WeightsOpen—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMar 2025Mar 2026
At 10M a month$0.30$0.30$2.50$2.50
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

Input tokens at list price. No caching, no batch discount.

Where to run it3 hosts
Gemma 3 12B2 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
  • DDeepInfrabf16$0.05 in·$0.15 out·131k·99.1% up
  • NNextBitint4$0.05 in·$0.15 out·131k·97% up
Mercury 21 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.25 in·$0.75 out·128k·99.9% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 10 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Gemma 3 12B and Mercury 2?

Gemma 3 12B is developed by Google AI while Mercury 2 is developed by Inception. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Gemma 3 12B or Mercury 2?

It depends on your use case. Gemma 3 12B and Mercury 2 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 53 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Gemma 3 12B cost compared to Mercury 2?

Gemma 3 12B costs $0.03/M input tokens and Mercury 2 costs $0.25/M input tokens. Gemma 3 12B is $0.22/M cheaper per input. Check their side-by-side outputs on Rival to see if the price difference is justified by quality.

How can I compare Gemma 3 12B and Mercury 2 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Gemma 3 12B and Mercury 2 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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