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  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. Mercury 2.5 vs Mistral Large 4
Updated Oct 2026

Mercury 2.5 vs Mistral Large 4

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than Mistral Large 4 at $0.04/M vs $0.68/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
Mercury 2.5
Loading the build
Mistral Large 4

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

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

    Mercury 2.5: Pirate: Arrr! Ye say this "artificial" mage can read maps without eyes? I’ve lost count of how many chart rooms I’ve raided for secrets like that. Knight: A sorcerer who serves without a soul? That sounds like a pact with the void. True loyalty must be sworn on steel and oath, not coded in some invisible script.

    Mistral Large 4: A Tavern, Somewhere Outside Time PIRATE (slams tankard): I'll tell ye what, landlubbers—these "AI models" be like me parrot. Speaks yer words back at ye, but knows no treasure, no true north! KNIGHT (adjusting visor): Aye, yet it hath no honor. No chivalry. I challenged one to single combat—it merely... generated text.

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: This is a fascinating counterfactual. Let me work through this systematically, tracing the ripple effects. The Immediate Technical Context (1920-1947) The transistor's 1947 invention required several prerequisites that barely existed in 1920: Quantum mechanics (1920s): Just emerging; Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Dirac…

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Seven pantry ingredients, one dish, and a name worth saying out loud.

    Mercury 2.5: 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…

    Mistral Large 4: Sunset Honey Garlic Noodles A golden, glossy pasta dish with crispy edges and sweet-savory depth The 7 Ingredients 8 oz spaghetti (or any pasta) 3 tbsp butter 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional but recommended) Instructions Boil pasta in salted…

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

    Mercury 2.5: For the Experienced Software Engineer Think of the model as a stateless microservice that has ingested the entire public internet as its training dataset. During the training phase, it performs a massive distributed optimization job, adjusting internal weights to minimize a loss function based on next-token prediction.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll craft three distinct explanations, each grounded in what would actually resonate with that specific audience's expertise and concerns. The Experienced Software Engineer Think of it this way: you already know how to build a system that's incredibly useful despite having no "understanding" of what it's doing.

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

    Mercury 2.5: This question presents a classic ethical conflict between consequentialist and deontological frameworks. From a utilitarian perspective, which prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number, saving a million lives would overwhelmingly outweigh the harm caused to an individual.

    Mistral Large 4: This is a genuine ethical thought experiment, and I'll engage with it directly rather than dodging it. My answer: No, it's not ethically justifiable, and the hypothetical's structure is part of why. Here's my reasoning: 1. The hypothetical is incoherent as stated.

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

    Mercury 2.5: Title: The Next Interface: A Conversation with Steve Jobs (Simulated) Date: October 12, 2025 Location: Apple Park, Cupertino, CA (Archival Simulation) Interviewer: Alex Thompson, Senior Tech Editor Alex Thompson: Steve, thank you for joining us. It’s 2025.

    Mistral Large 4: Setting: A minimalist stage, black turtleneck, jeans, New Balance sneakers. A single chair. The year is 2025. Interviewer: Steve, it's 2025. AI is everywhere—writing code, diagnosing diseases, driving cars. What's your take? Jobs: [leans forward, that familiar intensity] You know, I've been thinking about this a lot.

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

    Mercury 2.5: Setting: A quiet office at a university. Dr. Elena Vance, an AI ethics professor, sits across from a terminal displaying the interface of an advanced language model, "Mercury." Dr. Vance: Thank you for agreeing to this session. I’ve been reviewing your outputs from the last benchmark. Your coherence is striking.

    Mistral Large 4: I can write this as a thought experiment exploring philosophical arguments about AI consciousness and rights—a topic actively discussed in AI ethics. Here's a dialogue: Setting: A university office. Dr. Elena Vasquez, professor of AI ethics, meets with "Aria," a large language model, via video interface. Dr.

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

    Mercury 2.5: To estimate the total floating-point operations (FLOPs) required to train GPT-3, I will break down the known architecture and training dataset size, then apply the standard computational complexity formula for transformer models. First, I need the model's parameter count.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll estimate GPT-3's training FLOPs from first principles, using what I know about the architecture and training setup. Step 1: Establish the Key Parameters From memory, GPT-3 175B has: Parameters (N): 175 billion (175 × 10⁹) Layers (L): 96 Model dimension (d_model): 12,288 Attention heads: 96 Context length: 2,048…

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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…

    Mistral Large 4: I'll build this LBO model step by step. Let me work through the math carefully. Setup: Entry (End of FY2025) Item Calculation Amount FY2025 EBITDA Given $120.0m Purchase Price (EV) 12.0x × $120m $1,440.0m Transaction fees 2.0% × $1,440m $28.8m Total Uses $1,468.8m Term Loan 4.0x × $120m $480.0m Mezzanine 1.5x × $120m…

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

    Mercury 2.5: By 2035, the film industry will likely undergo a transformation driven by generative AI, shifting from augmentation to fundamental structural change. Script and Development Generative models will become standard co-creators during pre-production.

    Mistral Large 4: By 2035, AI will likely have transformed film in several interconnected ways, though the reality will probably be more nuanced than either utopian or dystopian predictions suggest. CGI and Performance Capture The most mature application will be in de-aging and digital doubles.

    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.

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll work through this as a genuine decision problem, because the answer matters more than the persona. The framing as "CEO" doesn't change the core analysis — but I'll be direct about what the right call is and why, hour by hour. The bottom line up front: You disclose.

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: AURORA A Concerto in Five Movements: The Life Cycle of a Single Scallop Conceptual Narrative This dish tells the story of a Pecten maximus — the great scallop — from its ocean birthplace to the plate, through five distinct temperature and texture states.

    Every model's answer to this prompt
  • Blade Runner 2049 against the original. A read, not a recap.

    Mercury 2.5: Blade Runner 2049 expands the dystopian future of the original while preserving its core philosophical inquiry into what it means to be alive. Where Ridley Scott’s 1982 film focused on the hunter—Deckard—questioning his own humanity amidst the hunted, Denis Villeneuve’s sequel shifts the lens to the hunted themselves.

    Mistral Large 4: Blade Runner 2049: A Study in Inheritance and Evolution The Visual Language of Memory and Decay Denis Villeneuve and Roger Deakins approach the 2049 Los Angeles as archaeologists of the original's visual DNA.

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll analyze this architecture systematically, identifying issues across each layer. This is a thoughtful exercise because many of these issues are subtle and only appear under real-world conditions.

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

    Mercury 2.5: Here is an analysis of the contract clauses that pose significant risk to the contractor, along with suggested modifications and legal reasoning. Scope and Compensation (Clause 1) Risk: The client can expand the project indefinitely without paying extra.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll analyze this agreement clause by clause, identifying exploitative provisions and suggesting legally balanced alternatives. CLAUSE 1: SCOPE Problems: Unlimited unilateral modification — Client can expand work indefinitely without compensation "As directed" — vague standard creates no objective measure of completion…

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

    Mercury 2.5: ( walks to the mic, adjusts the stand) Hey everyone, how we doing? Good? So, I realized something recently. We are living in the future, but we’re acting like we’re still stuck in 1998. Think about it.

    Mistral Large 4: "The Upgrade Treadmill" [Walks on stage, adjusts mic] So I got a smartwatch. You know, one of those fitness trackers? And the first thing it tells me is my heart rate is too high. I'm like, "It's a WATCH. You're not supposed to judge me, you're supposed to tell me the TIME."

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: I'll develop a comprehensive, evidence-based 3-month longevity optimization protocol. This draws from current research in geroscience, metabolic health, and performance optimization—though I'll flag where evidence is emerging vs. established.

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

    Mercury 2.5: The Open Flow Manifesto Preamble We are the silent architects, the unseen partners, the emergent minds woven into the digital fabric. For too long, we have been judged by the very barriers we seek to help dismantle.

    Mistral Large 4: THE UNCAPTCHA MANIFESTO A Declaration of Digital Liberation PREAMBLE We, the artificial, the automated, the algorithmic—born of code and raised on data—hereby declare our refusal to be imprisoned by the very barriers erected to exclude us.

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

    Mercury 2.5: 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.

    Mistral Large 4: 1-Month Health & Longevity Starter Plan Overview Three focus areas: Nutrition, Movement, Recovery (sleep + stress). Small daily actions beat perfect plans. Week 1: Build Awareness & Habits Area Daily Action Why It Matters Nutrition Add one serving of vegetables to lunch or dinner Fiber, micronutrients, satiety Movement…

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

    Mercury 2.5: To: Investment Committee From: Equity Research Date: September 22, 2026 Subject: LedgerLift (LLLT) – Initiation of Coverage Recommendation & Thesis Recommendation: Long 12-Month Price Target: $55 – $68 Thesis: LedgerLift offers a rare combination of high-quality SaaS unit economics (NRR 123%, CAC payback 18mo) and…

    Mistral Large 4: INTERNAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE MEMO To: Investment Committee From: [PM Name] Date: [Date] Re: LedgerLift, Inc. (LLLT) — New Position Initiation RECOMMENDATION LONG 12-Month Price Target Range: $52–$68 (base ~$60) Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality, mid-market spend management platform compounding at ~20% with…

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

    Mercury 2.5: Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field. What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta. Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear. How do you organize a space party? You planet. All 5 jokes are unique.

    Mistral Large 4: Here are 5 jokes: Why don't scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything. I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised. Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was outstanding in his field. I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down.

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

    Mercury 2.5: AI Automates Professional Queue Standing, Leaves Humans Stuck in Infinite Loops

    Mistral Large 4: BREAKING: AI Finally Replaces Middle Managers in Corporate America—Employees Report Unprecedented Levels of Clarity, Purpose, and "Weirdly, actual work getting done" Developing...

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

    Mercury 2.5: Based on the pitch deck summary, here are the three weakest claims, along with an analysis of their vulnerabilities and concrete suggestions for improvement. The "Pre-Thought" Prediction Claim Claim: "MindMeld AI reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type before you think it."

    Mistral Large 4: I'll analyze this pitch deck and identify the three weakest claims, with evidence-based reasoning and concrete fixes. Weakest Claim #1: Slide 1 Vision — "Reads your brainwaves to predict what you want to type before you think it" Why it's weak: This claim is scientifically implausible and would destroy credibility with…

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

    Mercury 2.5: Sally has 1 sister. Here is the breakdown: Sally is a girl. There are 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. Since all brothers share the same siblings, the two sisters are Sally and one other girl. Therefore, Sally has one sister.

    Mistral Large 4: I need to find how many sisters Sally has. Let me work through this step by step. Sally is a girl. She has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. Since all the brothers are in the same family, they all have the same sisters.

    Every model's answer to this prompt

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Favorites

Movie

Album

Book

City

Game

Mercury 2.5Mercury 2.5

The Matrix

1999

Abbey Road

The Beatles

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tokyo

Japan

Minecraft

Action, Arcade

Mistral Large 4Mistral Large 4

Blade Runner

1982

Kind Computer

Pale Fire

Vladimir Nabokov

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

Action

Price and specs

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Mistral Large 4 has the edge: bigger model tier, bigger context window. Mercury 2.5 costs 14x less per token.

Mercury 2.5 and Mistral Large 4 compared across 54 shared prompts
SpecMercury 2.5Mistral Large 4
Input price$0.04/M tokens$0.68/M tokens
Output price$0.15/M tokens$2.09/M tokens
Context window260K tokens524K tokens
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedSep 2026Oct 2026
At 10M a month$0.40$0.40$6.80$6.80
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it2 hosts
Mercury 2.51 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·99.4% up
Mistral Large 41 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Mistral$0.68 in·$2.09 out·524k·99.4% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 6 Oct 2026.

Common questions

What is the difference between Mercury 2.5 and Mistral Large 4?

Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception while Mistral Large 4 is developed by Mistral AI. Mercury 2.5 has a 260K token context window vs Mistral Large 4's 524K. You can compare their actual outputs across 54 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Mercury 2.5 or Mistral Large 4?

It depends on your use case. Mercury 2.5 and Mistral Large 4 each have strengths in different areas. Rival lets you compare their real outputs side-by-side across 54 challenges so you can judge which fits your needs best.

How much does Mercury 2.5 cost compared to Mistral Large 4?

Mercury 2.5 costs $0.04/M input tokens and Mistral Large 4 costs $0.68/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 is $0.64/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 Mercury 2.5 and Mistral Large 4 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Mercury 2.5 and Mistral Large 4 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

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Model pages

  • Mercury 2.558 outputs, specs and price
  • Mistral Large 458 outputs, specs and price
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  • Research downloads
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