token.app › Compare › Beam 1.0 501B A23B vs Mercury 3
Beam 1.0 501B A23B vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 2.7× cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 basis. Beam 1.0 501B A23B accepts the larger context window (1.0M).
Head to head
Blended price uses a 3:1 input:output mix
| Beam 1.0 501B A23B | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Reflection | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $0.250 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $1.00 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $0.438 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 1.0M | 1M |
| Max output | 131K | 131K |
| Released | Oct 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose Beam 1.0 501B A23B if…
- Larger context window (1.0M)
- Open weights — self-hostable
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $0.438 blended
FAQ
Which is better, Beam 1.0 501B A23B or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Beam 1.0 501B A23B and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Beam 1.0 501B A23B cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $0.438 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.250 vs $0.100. Output alone: $1.00 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Beam 1.0 501B A23B and Mercury 3 have?
Beam 1.0 501B A23B: 1,048,576 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Beam 1.0 501B A23B and Mercury 3?
Beam 1.0 501B A23B is made by Reflection. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.
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