Mercury 2 alternatives
Best Mercury 2 alternatives
10 models that can stand in for Mercury 2, ranked by benchmark score, with what each one does better.
Current Model
Mercury 2
- Input / 1M
- $0.25
- Output / 1M
- $0.75
- Context
- 128K
- Intelligence
- 13.8
Quick picks
The best alternative depends on what you need
Why people switch away from Mercury 2, and the model that fits each reason best.
Ranked
Top Mercury 2 alternatives
Each model is scored against Mercury 2. Green means better, red means worse.
| Model | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Context | Intelligence | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mercury 2 Inception | Input / 1M$0.25 | Output / 1M$0.75 | Context128K | Intelligence13.8 | Reference model |
| Input / 1M$0.25 | Output / 1M$1.50+100% | Context1.05M+719% | Intelligence15.6+13% | Compare | |
Why switch:Higher intelligence scoreLarger 1.05M contextAccepts image and video and file and audioNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.27+8% | Output / 1M$1+33% | Context164K+28% | Intelligence14.8+7% | Compare | |
Why switch:Higher intelligence scoreLarger 164K context | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.09-64% | Output / 1M$0.34-55% | Context262K+105% | Intelligence14.7+7% | Compare | |
Why switch:2.2x cheaper outputHigher intelligence scoreLarger 262K contextAccepts image and videoNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.25 | Output / 1M$0.95+27% | Context164K+28% | Intelligence13.7-1% | Compare | |
Why switch:Larger 164K context | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.05-80% | Output / 1M$0.40-47% | Context400K+213% | Intelligence13-6% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.9x cheaper outputLarger 400K contextAccepts image and file | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.08-68% | Output / 1M$0.45-40% | Context262K+105% | Intelligence12.8-7% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.7x cheaper outputLarger 262K contextNewer release | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.09-64% | Output / 1M$0.55-27% | Context262K+105% | Intelligence12-13% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.4x cheaper outputLarger 262K context | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.30+20% | Output / 1M$1+33% | Context262K+105% | Intelligence11.9-14% | Compare | |
Why switch:Larger 262K context | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.13-48% | Output / 1M$0.85+13% | Context131K+2% | Intelligence11.1-20% | Compare | |
Why switch:Larger 131K context | |||||
| Input / 1M$0.10-60% | Output / 1M$0.40-47% | Context1.05M+719% | Intelligence10.4-25% | Compare | |
Why switch:1.9x cheaper outputLarger 1.05M contextAccepts image and file and audio and video | |||||
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Mercury 2?
Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite from Google ranks first, based on independent benchmark scores. It costs $1.50 per 1M output tokens, compared with $0.75 for Mercury 2.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Mercury 2?
Yes. Gemma 4 31B charges $0.34 per 1M output tokens, versus $0.75 for Mercury 2.
Can I try Mercury 2 and its alternatives at the same time?
Yes. Shortcut Chat sends one prompt to several models at once, so you can compare Mercury 2 with any of these alternatives on your own tasks.
Not sure which to pick? Try them all.
Send one prompt to Mercury 2 and its alternatives at the same time, and keep the answer you like best.