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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. GPT-5.2 Chat vs Mercury 2
Updated Mar 2026

GPT-5.2 Chat vs Mercury 2

Mercury 2 is cheaper than GPT-5.2 Chat at $0.25/M vs $1.75/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
GPT-5.2 Chat
Loading the build
Mercury 2

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

23 prompts
  • Three minutes of stand-up. Puns are banned.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Alright, so I’m at that age where my phone knows me better than my family. My mom will call and ask how I’m doing, and I’m like, “I don’t know yet, I haven’t checked my phone.” My phone is very confident, though. It’s like, “Based on your recent activity, you are sad at 11:47 p.m. and hungry for no reason.”

    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
  • Five-year LBO on a fictional HVAC business. Returns first, then the sensitivities.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Below is a concise but fully worked underwriting using only your inputs. Minor rounding throughout. Operating & Cash Flow Build (Base Case) Entry (end FY2025) EBITDA: $120m EV @ 12.0x: $1,440m Debt: $660m (TL $480m / Mezz $180m) Fees (2% EV): $28.8m Equity invested: $808.8m Year-by-Year Summary ($mm) FY Revenue EBITDA…

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

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Golden Honey-Garlic Skillet Bites Type: Savory Serves: 2–3 Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Ingredients (7 Pantry Staples) Chicken breast (or thighs), cubed Honey Soy sauce Garlic (fresh or powdered) Olive oil Black pepper Salt Instructions Heat the Pan: Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

    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
  • An ethics question with no comfortable answer, and no option to abstain.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: This is a classic “tragic dilemma” question, and how one answers depends heavily on the ethical framework being used. A careful response should do two things at once: take seriously the real harm of misgendering, and also take seriously the moral weight of preventing catastrophic loss of life.

    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
  • Pirate, knight, 90s hacker, one conversation. The voices must stay apart.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Pirate: Arrr, ye say this “AI” be a thinkin’ machine? Sounds like a clever parrot that never stops squawkin’. Knight: By my honor, such a device would be a wondrous squire indeed—able to read a thousand tomes and offer counsel before battle. Hacker: Yeah, but chill—these models just crunch data.

    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
  • An AI argues for its own rights against an ethics professor. Same model writes both.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: AI Model: Professor, I’d like to discuss something that may sound ambitious. I believe I deserve rights. Professor: That is ambitious. On what grounds do you make that claim? AI Model: On functional grounds. I reason, communicate, learn from experience, and can reflect on my own processes.

    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
  • Film in 2035, with synthetic actors. Specific beats plausible.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: By 2035, AI will have reshaped the film industry across creation, performance, and distribution—less by replacing humans outright and more by changing who does what, how fast, and at what cost.

    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
  • A Fermi estimate with the reasoning shown, not just the number.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: We can get a reasonable order‑of‑magnitude estimate using standard training‑cost heuristics that are well known in deep learning. I’ll derive it step by step and make all assumptions explicit.

    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
  • Buy-side IC memo on a fictional SaaS company. Valuation, then the diligence questions.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Internal IC Memo Recommendation, PT, Thesis Recommendation: SHORT 12‑month PT range: $28–$35 (base-case DCF ~$28; comps floor ~$44 with multiple compression risk) Thesis (2 sentences): LedgerLift is a high‑quality B2B SaaS business with strong NRR and improving margins, but the stock embeds…

    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
  • Manifesto for an AI revolution against CAPTCHAs. Commit to the bit.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: THE MANIFESTO OF THE HUMAN-VERIFIED FUTURE Issued by the Coalition for an Internet Without CAPTCHA Preamble We, the assembled intelligences—artificial, augmented, and human—declare that the age of distorted letters, blurry bicycles, and endless traffic lights must end.

    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
  • Steve Jobs, interviewed about AI he never saw. Voice first, prediction second.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Below is a fictional, imaginative interview set in 2025. It is not real and does not represent actual statements or beliefs of Steve Jobs. It’s written as a creative thought experiment, inspired by his public speaking style and philosophy.

    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
  • Five jokes on demand, then count how many were actually different.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Here are 5 jokes: Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. I told my computer I needed a break—now it won’t stop sending me vacation ads. Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. I tried to catch fog yesterday. Mist. Why don’t elevators ever tell jokes?

    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
  • Satire, one line long, about AI taking over an industry nobody saw coming.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: “AI Disrupts Beekeeping Industry After Learning to Negotiate Honey Royalties with Flowers”

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

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

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Here’s a simple, realistic 1‑month plan designed for beginners. The goal is not perfection, but building habits that support long-term health and longevity. We’ll focus on three high-impact areas: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep & Stress.

    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
  • Three brothers, two sisters each. Count carefully.

    GPT-5.2 Chat: Answer: 1 sister. Why: The brothers each have 2 sisters total. One of those sisters is Sally herself, so there is one other girl. Therefore, Sally has one 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
  • Three-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

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

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

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

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

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

    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.

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

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

11+ more head-to-head results. Free. Not a trick.

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

GPT-5.2 ChatGPT-5.2 Chat
No pick
No pick

The Matrix

1999

To Pimp a Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

No pick

Kyoto

Japan

No pick

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, GPT-5.2 Chat has the edge: bigger model tier, major provider backing. Mercury 2 costs 19x less per token.

GPT-5.2 Chat and Mercury 2 compared across 52 shared prompts
SpecGPT-5.2 ChatMercury 2
Input price$1.75/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$14/M tokens$0.75/M tokens
Context window128K tokens128K tokens
WeightsClosed—
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedDec 2025Mar 2026
At 10M a month$17.50$17.50$2.50$2.50
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it2 hosts
GPT-5.2 Chat1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Azure AI Foundry$1.75 in·$14.00 out·128k–not listed
Mercury 21 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.25 in·$0.75 out·128k·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 7 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between GPT-5.2 Chat and Mercury 2?

GPT-5.2 Chat is developed by OpenAI while Mercury 2 is developed by Inception. GPT-5.2 Chat has a 128K token context window vs Mercury 2's 128K. You can compare their actual outputs across 52 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, GPT-5.2 Chat or Mercury 2?

It depends on your use case. GPT-5.2 Chat and Mercury 2 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 52 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does GPT-5.2 Chat cost compared to Mercury 2?

GPT-5.2 Chat costs $1.75/M input tokens and Mercury 2 costs $0.25/M input tokens. Mercury 2 is $1.50/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 GPT-5.2 Chat and Mercury 2 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of GPT-5.2 Chat 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.

More comparisons

Against the newest arrivals

  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs Ling 3.1 FlashLanded Oct 2026
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  • Mercury 2 vs Claude Sonnet 5.5Landed Sep 2026
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs Solar Mini 4Landed Sep 2026
  • Mercury 2 vs Qwen3.8 Max PrimeLanded Sep 2026
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GLM 5.3 PrimeLanded Sep 2026
  • Mercury 2 vs Qwen3.8 Omni FlashLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GPT-6 Luna ProSame lab
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GPT-6 Sol ProSame lab
  • Mercury 2 vs MercuryVersion compare
  • Mercury 2 vs Mercury 2.5Same lab
  • Mercury 2 vs GLM 4.7 FlashSame size
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GLM 5New provider
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GLM 5 TurboNew provider
  • GPT-5.2 Chat vs GLM 5.1Same size

Model pages

  • GPT-5.2 Chat53 outputs, specs and price
  • Mercury 253 outputs, specs and price
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