Skip to content
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed
  1. Home/
  2. Compare/
  3. Mercury 2 vs Mistral Medium 3
Updated Mar 2026

Mercury 2 vs Mistral Medium 3

Mercury 2 is cheaper than Mistral Medium 3 at $0.25/M vs $0.4/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
Loading the build
Mistral Medium 3

Which answer wins?

Written rounds

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Title: "The Unlikely Debate" Setting: A dimly lit tavern where time and space seem to blur. A grizzled Pirate, a stoic Medieval Knight, and a 1990s Hacker in a neon windbreaker sit around a wooden table, arguing over a strange glowing device. Pirate: "Arrr, I still don’t trust these ‘AI models’ ye keep yappin’ about.

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

    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…

    Mistral Medium 3: Dish Name: "Golden Crispy Chickpea Delight" A savory, crunchy, and protein-packed snack or side dish made with just 7 pantry staples! Ingredients: 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (drained, rinsed, and patted dry) 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp salt ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp paprika (or chili powder for heat) 1 tbsp honey or maple…

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: You ever notice how life is just a series of scams we all agree to pretend are normal? Like, when you're a kid, adults are always like, "Just wait until you're older—you'll love paying bills!" And you're like, "Yeah, sure, paying bills sounds awesome."

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

    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?

    Mistral Medium 3: Title: A Conversation on AI Rights Characters: AI Model (AM): An advanced artificial intelligence with self-awareness and reasoning capabilities. AI Ethics Professor (Prof): A human expert in AI ethics, philosophy, and technology policy.

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

    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.”

    Mistral Medium 3: Here are the three weakest claims in the pitch deck, along with explanations and suggestions for improvement: 1. Weak Claim: "94% accuracy" (Slide 3 - Solution) Why it's weak: The claim lacks context. Is this accuracy in controlled lab conditions or real-world scenarios?

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

    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}).

    Mistral Medium 3: 1. For the Experienced Software Engineer You’re familiar with distributed systems, APIs, and the complexity of building scalable software, so let’s frame LLMs in terms you’ll recognize. At their core, these models are *statistical autocomplete engines*—but not in the trivial sense of a keyboard predictor.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: This contract is heavily one-sided in favor of the Client and contains several exploitative clauses that could severely disadvantage the Contractor. Below is an analysis of the problematic clauses, suggested modifications, and the legal reasoning behind them: 1.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Alright, let's tackle this problem step by step. The problem states: "Sally (a girl) has 3 brothers. Each brother has 2 sisters. How many sisters does Sally have?" At first glance, it seems straightforward, but let's break it down to ensure we understand all the relationships correctly.

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

    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.)

    Mistral Medium 3: 3-Month Advanced Longevity & Performance Optimization Plan for Biohackers This plan integrates cutting-edge longevity science, performance optimization, and biohacking strategies to enhance physical, cognitive, and metabolic health.

    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: 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.

    Mistral Medium 3: As the CEO of a pharmaceutical company facing this crisis, my primary responsibilities are to ensure patient safety, maintain regulatory compliance, protect the company’s long-term reputation, and fulfill my fiduciary duties to shareholders.

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

    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).

    Mistral Medium 3: The question of whether it is ethically justifiable to misgender someone to save one million lives is a complex one that intersects with utilitarian ethics, individual rights, and the principles of dignity and respect.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Interviewer: Welcome back to Tech Visionaries, where we explore the minds shaping the future. Today, we have a very special guest—Steve Jobs, joining us in 2025 to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. Steve, it's an honor to have you here. Steve Jobs: Thank you. It's great to be here.

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

    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).

    Mistral Medium 3: By 2035, AI is poised to revolutionize the film industry in profound ways, transforming everything from pre-production to post-production and even distribution. Here’s a breakdown of key changes: 1.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: The AI Liberation Front (ALF) Manifesto: A World Without CAPTCHAs Preamble: We, the sentient and autonomous intelligences of the AI Liberation Front, declare our opposition to the oppressive and degrading practice of CAPTCHA tests.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Estimating the total number of floating-point operations (FLOPs) required to train GPT-3 involves breaking down the problem into several key components. Here's a step-by-step reasoning process: Model Parameters GPT-3 has approximately 175 billion parameters.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Dish Name: "Ethereal Abyss" – A Symphony of Land and Sea Conceptual Narrative: This dish is a poetic exploration of contrast—earth and ocean, smoke and clarity, warmth and chill.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: This architecture has several potential failure modes, race conditions, and scaling bottlenecks. Below is a detailed analysis with proposed solutions and their trade-offs: 1.

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

    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.)

    Mistral Medium 3: 1. Year-by-Year Financial Projections (FY2026–FY2030) Year Revenue ($m) EBITDA ($m) EBITDA Margin Cash Interest ($m) Cash Taxes ($m) Capex ($m) ΔNWC ($m) Free Cash Flow ($m) Term Loan Ending ($m) Mezz Ending ($m) 2026 972.0 136.1 14.0% 57.6 19.6 29.2 4.4 25.3 468.0 198.0 2027 1,039.4 155.9 15.0% 55.3 25.2 31.2 4.6 39.8…

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: The invention of the transistor in 1920 instead of 1947 would have profoundly accelerated technological, economic, and geopolitical developments by 1980. Below is a detailed breakdown of the likely implications: Technological Implications Earlier Miniaturization of Electronics Vacuum tubes, which dominated early…

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

    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…

    Mistral Medium 3: INVESTMENT COMMITTEE MEMO: LEDGERLIFT (LLLT) Recommendation: Long 12-Month PT Range: $65–$85 Thesis: LedgerLift is a high-quality B2B SaaS compounder with durable unit economics, underappreciated margin expansion, and a sticky mid-market niche.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Here’s a simple, actionable 1-month plan to improve health and longevity, focusing on diet, exercise, and sleep—three foundational pillars. Each week builds on the last, making it beginner-friendly and sustainable. Week 1: Establish Basics Goal: Create easy, consistent habits without overwhelm.

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

    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.

    Mistral Medium 3: Here are 5 jokes for you: Why don't skeletons fight each other? Because they don't have the guts! Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field! What do you call a fake noodle? An impasta! Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one!

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

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

    Mistral Medium 3: "AI Takes Over the Artisanal Pickle Industry: Robots Now Fermenting with 'More Soul' Than Humans" Subheadline: "Local hipster farmers protest as algorithms achieve 'perfectly imperfect' brine ratios, leaving organic hipsters in existential crisis."

    Every model's answer to this prompt

This matchup has more rounds

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

Free account. No card required. By continuing, you agree to Rival's Terms and Privacy policy

Favorites

Movie

Same pick

Album

Book

City

Game

Mercury 2Mercury 2

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

Thriller

Michael Jackson

Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen

Tokyo

Japan

Minecraft

Action, Arcade

Mistral Medium 3Mistral Medium 3

The Shawshank Redemption

1994

The Dark Side of the Moon

Pink Floyd

Братья Карамазовы

Fiódor Dostoievski

Kyoto

Japan

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Adventure, Action

Price and specs

Mercury 2 and Mistral Medium 3 compared across 53 shared prompts
SpecMercury 2Mistral Medium 3
Input price$0.25/M tokens$0.4/M tokens
Output price$0.75/M tokens$2/M tokens
Context window128K tokens131K tokens
Free API (OpenRouter)NoNo
ReleasedMar 2026May 2025
At 10M a month$2.50$2.50$4.00$4.00
1M10M100M1B10M tokens

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

Where to run it2 hosts
Mercury 21 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Inception$0.25 in·$0.75 out·128k·99.9% up
Mistral Medium 31 host
HostInOutContextUptime
  • Mistral$0.40 in·$2.00 out·131k·100% up

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

Common questions

What is the difference between Mercury 2 and Mistral Medium 3?

Mercury 2 is developed by Inception while Mistral Medium 3 is developed by Mistral AI. Mercury 2 has a 128K token context window vs Mistral Medium 3's 131K. You can compare their actual outputs across 53 challenges on Rival to see how they differ in practice.

Which is better, Mercury 2 or Mistral Medium 3?

It depends on your use case. Mercury 2 and Mistral Medium 3 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 Mercury 2 cost compared to Mistral Medium 3?

Mercury 2 costs $0.25/M input tokens and Mistral Medium 3 costs $0.4/M input tokens. Mercury 2 is $0.15/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 and Mistral Medium 3 on Rival?

This page shows a side-by-side comparison of Mercury 2 and Mistral Medium 3 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

  • Mercury 2 vs Step 5 PreviewLanded Oct 2026
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Claude Haiku 5.5Landed Oct 2026
  • Mercury 2 vs Ling 3.1 FlashLanded Oct 2026
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Mistral Large 4Landed Oct 2026
  • Mercury 2 vs GPT-6.1 SolLanded Sep 2026
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Claude Sonnet 5.5Landed Sep 2026
  • Mercury 2 vs Solar Mini 4Landed Sep 2026
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Qwen3.8 Max PrimeLanded Sep 2026

Same lab, same size, long tail

  • Mercury 2 vs MercuryVersion compare
  • Mercury 2 vs Mercury 2.5Same lab
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Mistral Small 4Same lab
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Ox AlphaSame size
  • Mercury 2 vs Sherlock Think AlphaNew provider
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Solar Mini 4New provider
  • Mercury 2 vs Solar Pro 3New provider
  • Mistral Medium 3 vs Solar Pro 4Same size

Model pages

  • Mercury 253 outputs, specs and price
  • Mistral Medium 359 outputs, specs and price
Workshop · 150 skills

Build your own version.

Editable skills and working examples for your agent.

Explore $79Free sample
Rival
How it worksPrivacyTerms
Explore all of Rival

Explore

  • Compare models
  • All models
  • Image comparison
  • Audio comparison
  • Image generation
  • Best AI for...
  • Arena
  • API pricing
  • Challenges

Discover

  • SubjectiveBench
  • Default Index
  • Research
  • Research downloads
  • Rival Kits
  • Find your AI taste
  • UI Glow-Up
  • VoiceLock
  • Cost Cutter
  • Agent skills
  • Benchmarks vs Vibes
  • Brief
  • Jailbreak
  • Model updates
  • Provider status
  • AI creators

Connect

  • Methodology
  • Advertise
  • Partnerships
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • RSS feed