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  5. Mercury 2.5vsMiniMax M2.5
Updated Sep 2026

Mercury 2.5vsMiniMax M2.5

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than MiniMax M2.5 at $0.04/M vs $0.3/M input tokens.

Mercury 2.5 and MiniMax M2.5 compared across 20 shared prompts
SpecMercury 2.5MiniMax M2.5
Input price$0.04/M tokens$0.3/M tokens
Output price$0.15/M tokens$1.2/M tokens
Context window260K tokens205K tokens
Weights—Open
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedSep 2026Feb 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) –…

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) − $660m…
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MiniMax M2.5688 words
1. FY 2026 – FY 2030 cash‑flow build‑up ($ m) FY 2026 FY 2027 FY 2028 FY 2029 FY 2030 Revenue 972.0 1 040.0 1 102.4 1 157.6 1 215.4 EBITDA (‑% margin) 136.1 (14 %) 156.0 (15 %) 176.4 (16 %) 192.0 (16.5 %) 206.6 (17 %) Cash interest – TL (9 %) 43.2 41.0 37.6 32.8 26.8 Cash interest – Mezz (12 %) 21.6 22.0 22.5 22.9 23.4…
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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…

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.
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MiniMax M2.51,206 words
This is a fascinating counterfactual that ripples across every dimension of modern history. Let’s construct a plausible timeline, assuming a functional transistor (or at least a solid-state amplifier) emerges in the early 1920s, based on theoretical work by Lilienfeld (1926) and others, but made practical a…
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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…

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.
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MiniMax M2.51,202 words
“Uni – White Chocolate – Yuzu” An avant‑garde sea‑urchin dish that teams the ocean’s briny “sweet‑umami” with the unexpected creaminess of white chocolate, brightened by yuzu and grounded by black‑sesame and a dashi foam.
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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…

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…
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MiniMax M2.5297 words
Creative Name: Velvet‑Vanilla Pocket Cake Why it works: Only 7 shelf‑stable (or nearly‑shelf‑stable) staples are needed, and the whole thing comes together in one bowl in under 30 minutes.
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Beginner's Longevity Plan

Outline a simple, actionable 1-month plan for someone starting their journey towards better health and longevity. Focus on 3 key areas…

Mercury 2.5325 words
Here is a simple, actionable 1-month plan to kickstart your journey toward better health and longevity. This guide focuses on three foundational pillars: Nutrition, Movement, and Sleep. Week 1: Awareness & Small Wins Goal: Build habits without overwhelming yourself.
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MiniMax M2.5450 words
1-Month Beginner Health & Longevity Plan Your Three Focus Areas 1. Nutrition 2. Movement 3. Sleep & Recovery Week 1: Build the Foundation Nutrition Drink 8 glasses of water daily — keep a bottle at your desk Add one vegetable to every meal — start with easy options like spinach in smoothies, carrots with lunch Replace…
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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…

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.
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MiniMax M2.51,337 words
CEO Action Plan: Pharmaceutical Safety Crisis Response Immediate Priority Assessment The situation presents a clear ethical and legal imperative: patient safety must be the primary concern.
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Our Verdict
Mercury 2.5
Mercury 2.5
MiniMax M2.5
MiniMax M2.5

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

Mercury 2.5 costs 8.0x less per token.

Too close to call

Reviewing agent-written code?See a Brief PR report

API pricing

Cost per 1M tokens

Mercury 2.5
Input
$0.04
7.5× cheaper
Output
$0.15
8.0× cheaper
MiniMax M2.5
Input
$0.30
Output
$1.20

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper on both: 7.5× input, 8.0× output.

Where to run it

8 hosts, cheapest first

Mercury 2.51 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·100% up
MiniMax M2.57 hosts
HostInOutContextUptime
VVenice$0.27 in·$0.95 out·198k·31.8% upSStreamLake$0.27 in·$1.08 out·200k·99.6% upAAtlasCloudfp8$0.29 in·$1.20 out·197k·99.6% upDDigitalOcean$0.30 in·$1.20 out·66k·100% upFFriendli$0.30 in·$1.20 out·197k·100% upMiniMaxfp8$0.30 in·$1.20 out·205k·99.7% up
1 more hostFewer hosts
NNovitafp8$0.30 in·$1.20 out·205k·99.2% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 22 Sep 2026.

Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception while MiniMax M2.5 is developed by MiniMax. Mercury 2.5 has a 260K token context window vs MiniMax M2.5's 205K. You can compare their actual outputs across 20 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

It depends on your use case. Mercury 2.5 and MiniMax M2.5 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.

Mercury 2.5 costs $0.04/M input tokens and MiniMax M2.5 costs $0.3/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 is $0.26/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 Mercury 2.5 and MiniMax M2.5 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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