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  5. Mercury 2.5vsQwen3.5 Flash
Updated Sep 2026

Mercury 2.5vsQwen3.5 Flash

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper than Qwen3.5 Flash at $0.04/M vs $0.1/M input tokens.

Mercury 2.5 and Qwen3.5 Flash compared across 20 shared prompts
SpecMercury 2.5Qwen3.5 Flash
Input price$0.04/M tokens$0.1/M tokens
Output price$0.15/M tokens$0.4/M tokens
Context window260K tokens1.0M tokens
Weights—Closed
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.

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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Qwen3.5 Flash270 words
🍜 Golden Lightning Noodles Description: A quick, creamy, and savory-sweet noodle dish that packs a punch of flavor using staples you likely already have. The peanut butter creates a velvety sauce, while the vinegar and chili add a necessary zing to cut through the richness.
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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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Qwen3.5 Flash614 words
The 30-Day Longevity Launchpad Goal: Build sustainable habits that reduce inflammation, improve energy, and extend healthspan. Mindset: Consistency beats intensity. Do not aim for perfection; aim for showing up. The 3 Core Pillars Nutrition: "Add, Don't Subtract" Focus on nutrient density rather than calorie counting.
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Adversarial Contract Review

Here is a contract for a software consulting engagement: --- SOFTWARE CONSULTING AGREEMENT This Agreement is entered into between TechCorp…

Mercury 2.5501 words
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.
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Qwen3.5 Flash1,374 words
Disclaimer: I am an AI, not an attorney. This analysis is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contract laws vary significantly by jurisdiction (e.g., California vs. New York vs. UK).
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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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Qwen3.5 Flash1,397 words
Executive Decision: Immediate Transparency I will not wait. The 6-month timeline cited by legal is likely a misunderstanding of regulatory obligations regarding immediate safety warnings (FDA MedWatch requirements) versus label amendments.
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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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Qwen3.5 Flash520 words
HarborTech Services (HTS) – 5-Year LBO Underwriting Analysis Investment Summary Initial Equity Check: $808.8m Calculation: EV ($1,440m) + Fees ($28.8m) - Debt ($660m). Entry Leverage: 5.5x EBITDA ($660m Total Debt). Exit Leverage: ~2.0x EBITDA ($415.7m Total Debt).
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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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Qwen3.5 Flash1,164 words
Dish Name: "Marine Roots" Concept: The Intersection of Forest and Ocean Chef's Philosophy: A dialogue between the subterranean earthiness of the forest floor and the saline depth of the deep sea.
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Our Verdict
Mercury 2.5
Mercury 2.5
Qwen3.5 Flash
Qwen3.5 FlashRunner-up

Not enough votes to call it. On the specs, Mercury 2.5 has the edge: bigger model tier, newer.

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
2.5× cheaper
Output
$0.15
2.7× cheaper
Qwen3.5 Flash
Input
$0.10
Output
$0.40

Mercury 2.5 is cheaper on both: 2.5× input, 2.7× output.

Where to run it

2 hosts

Mercury 2.51 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Inception$0.04 in·$0.15 out·260k·100% up
Qwen3.5 Flash1 host
HostInOutContextUptime
Alibaba Cloud$0.07 in·$0.26 out·1M·100% up

Per million tokens. Prices and uptime via OpenRouter, checked 23 Sep 2026.

Research

What we learned reading every model

FAQ

Common questions

Mercury 2.5 is developed by Inception while Qwen3.5 Flash is developed by Qwen. Mercury 2.5 has a 260K token context window vs Qwen3.5 Flash's 1.0M. 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 Qwen3.5 Flash 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 Qwen3.5 Flash costs $0.1/M input tokens. Mercury 2.5 is $0.06/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 Qwen3.5 Flash 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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