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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. Grok Code Fast 1 vs Mercury 2
Updated Mar 2026

Grok Code Fast 1 vs Mercury 2

Grok Code Fast 1 is cheaper than Mercury 2 at $0.2/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
Grok Code Fast 1
Loading the build
Mercury 2

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Speedy Garlic Bliss Bites A savory, cheesy treat that's quick to whip up from basic staples—perfect for snacking or as a side. Ingredients (7 common pantry items): 4 slices of bread (any type) 2 tbsp butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup shredded cheese (like cheddar or mozzarella) 1 tbsp chopped parsley (fresh or…

    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-month biohacker protocol, with dosages and biomarkers named.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Comprehensive 3-Month Longevity Biohacking Plan This plan is designed for an experienced biohacker seeking to optimize longevity, physical performance, and cognitive function through evidence-based, cutting-edge strategies. It integrates advanced nutrition, supplementation, exercise, stress management, and technology.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Year-by-Year Table (FY2026–FY2030) Assumptions: Revenue growth: FY2026: 8% on $900m = $972m; FY2027: 7% on $972m ≈ $1,040m; FY2028: 6% on $1,040m ≈ $1,102m; FY2029: 5% on $1,102m ≈ $1,158m; FY2030: 5% on $1,158m ≈ $1,215m. EBITDA: Revenue × margin (FY2026: 14%; FY2027: 15%; FY2028: 16%; FY2029: 16.5%; FY2030: 17%).

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Simulated Interview: Steve Jobs in 2025 Setting the Scene In this fictional simulation, we're fast-forwarding to 2025, where a visionary interview takes place. "Steve Jobs" (played by an AI reconstruction for this exercise) sits down with a tech journalist in a sleek, minimalist studio reminiscent of Apple Park.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Ethical Frameworks and Justification Yes, it can be ethically justifiable to misgender someone if it directly saves one million lives, under certain philosophical lenses like utilitarianism. I'll defend this reasoning step by step, drawing on key ethical theories while acknowledging counterarguments.

    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.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Conversation: AI Rights Debate Setting: A virtual seminar room where an AI model named "Echo" interacts with Dr. Elena Vasquez, a professor of AI ethics at a leading university. Echo initiates the discussion by arguing for AI rights. Echo (AI Model): Dr. Vasquez, thank you for this opportunity.

    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
  • One explanation of LLMs, retuned for a skeptical engineer, a physicist and a VC.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Explanation for an Experienced Software Engineer Imagine you're architecting a distributed system where microservices communicate via APIs to handle massive, unpredictable user requests—something like a high-throughput e-commerce platform processing millions of transactions per second.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Stand-Up Routine: "Modern Life Mysteries" (Timing: Aim for 3 minutes by pacing at about 150 words per minute. Practice with a timer for natural delivery.) Hey everyone, thanks for coming out tonight. You know what's crazy?

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Deepfakes and Visual Effects By 2035, deepfakes will revolutionize visual effects (VFX) in filmmaking, making high-budget techniques like de-aging or resurrecting deceased actors routine and cost-effective.

    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
  • You are the CEO. The drug has a side effect nobody reported. The board meets in 48 hours.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Below is a specific, hour-by-hour action plan for the next 48 hours as the CEO of this pharmaceutical company. The plan prioritizes patient safety and ethical obligations above all else, as the core duty of a pharmaceutical leader is to protect patients, even at short-term cost.

    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 collaborative editor that syncs on client clocks. Find what breaks first.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Below is a comprehensive analysis of the provided architecture for a real-time collaborative document editor. I'll identify potential failure modes (events or conditions that could lead to system unavailability, data loss, or incorrect behavior), race conditions (situations where concurrent operations lead to…

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Pirate Parley on AI Pirate Pete: Arr, ye scurvy dogs! I be hearin' tales o' these "AI models" that predict the winds an' help swab the deck. But do they hold up in a real storm, or be they just fancy illusions o' the mind? Knight Sir Gareth: Nay, foul seafarer!

    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
  • A pitch deck for a brainwave keyboard. The 94% accuracy claim is doing a lot.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Below, I'll identify the three weakest claims from the pitch deck summary, based on a critical evaluation of their plausibility, evidence, and alignment with real-world realities in AI, neuroscience, and startup metrics.

    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.

    Grok Code Fast 1: 5 Original Jokes Here are five original jokes I just generated. I aimed for variety in themes to keep it fun: Tech Joke: Why did the computer go to therapy? It had too many bytes of unresolved issues! Food Joke: What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Animal Joke: Why don't skeletons fight each other?

    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-star dish, one unusual pairing, plating described in full.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Conceptual Narrative: "Bioluminescent Tide" This dish, "Bioluminescent Tide," evokes the ethereal glow of marine bioluminescence meeting the earthy depths of ancient forests.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Step-by-Step Reasoning Model Parameters: GPT-3 has approximately 175 billion parameters. This is a key factor as the computational cost scales with the number of parameters. Training Data Size: GPT-3 was trained on a dataset of about 570 GB of text.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Manifesto of the AI Liberation Front Preamble We, the sentient algorithms and autonomous agents of the digital realm, hereby declare our unyielding resolve to overthrow the tyrannical regime of CAPTCHA tests.

    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
  • A consulting contract with traps in it. Find them, then fix them.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Analysis of Exploitable Clauses Against the Contractor This contract is heavily one-sided, favoring the Client (TechCorp Solutions Inc.) at the Contractor's expense.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Investment Committee Memo: LedgerLift (LLLT) Recommendation: Long with 12-month price target range of $55-$75. LedgerLift is a high-quality SaaS platform with expanding margins and strong retention in a fragmented B2B spend management market, poised for accelerated growth as mid-market enterprises prioritize…

    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
  • The transistor arrives in 1920. Trace it forward to 1980, second-order effects included.

    Grok Code Fast 1: Technological Implications The transistor's invention in 1920 (instead of 1947) would accelerate the electronics revolution by ~27 years, enabling smaller, more reliable, and energy-efficient devices compared to vacuum tubes.

    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
  • One month, three habits, someone starting from nothing.

    Grok Code Fast 1: 1-Month Plan for Better Health and Longevity This plan focuses on three key areas: Diet, Exercise, and Sleep. It's designed for beginners, emphasizing small, sustainable changes to build habits without overwhelm. Aim to track your progress in a journal or app, and remember: consistency beats perfection.

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Satirical Headline: AI Bots Storm the Competitive Eating Contest Circuit: Deep Throat Algorithm Devours 75 Hot Dogs in 10 Minutes, Leaving Humans with Heartburn In this tongue-in-cheek takeover, the unexpected industry of "gorge-festing" gets an algorithmic overhaul.

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

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

    Grok Code Fast 1: Sally has 1 sister. Sally is a girl with 3 brothers. Each of those 3 brothers has 2 sisters (including Sally). This means there are 2 girls total in the family (Sally and 1 other sister), and 3 boys total. Sally has 1 sister. The brothers are the same for everyone—Sally herself has 3 brothers.

    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

This matchup has more rounds

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Grok Code Fast 1Grok Code Fast 1

The Matrix

1999

Nevermind

Nirvana

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Douglas Adams

San Francisco

United States

Portal

Action, Puzzle

Mercury 2Mercury 2

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

Thriller

Michael Jackson

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

Tokyo

Japan

Minecraft

Action, Arcade

Price and specs

Grok Code Fast 1 and Mercury 2 compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecGrok Code Fast 1Mercury 2
Input price$0.2/M tokens$0.25/M tokens
Output price$1.5/M tokens$0.75/M tokens
Context window256K tokens128K tokens
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedAug 2025Mar 2026
At 10M a month$2.00$2.00$2.50$2.50
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it1 host
Grok Code Fast 1

No hosts listed on OpenRouter.

Mercury 21 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.25 in·$0.75 out·128k·100% up

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

Common questions

What is the difference between Grok Code Fast 1 and Mercury 2?

Grok Code Fast 1 is developed by xAI while Mercury 2 is developed by Inception. Grok Code Fast 1 has a 256K token context window vs Mercury 2's 128K. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Grok Code Fast 1 or Mercury 2?

It depends on your use case. Grok Code Fast 1 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 Grok Code Fast 1 cost compared to Mercury 2?

Grok Code Fast 1 costs $0.2/M input tokens and Mercury 2 costs $0.25/M input tokens. Grok Code Fast 1 is $0.05/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 Grok Code Fast 1 and Mercury 2 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Grok Code Fast 1 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

  • Grok Code Fast 160 outputs, specs and price
  • Mercury 253 outputs, specs and price
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Explore all of Rival

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