token.app › Compare › Claude Sonnet 5 vs Mercury 3
Claude Sonnet 5 vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 25× cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 basis.
Head to head
Blended price uses a 3:1 input:output mix
| Claude Sonnet 5 | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Anthropic | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $2.00 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $10.00 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $4.00 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 1M | 1M |
| Max output | 128K | 131K |
| Released | Jun 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Proprietary | Proprietary |
Choose Claude Sonnet 5 if…
- No clear advantage on the data we hold.
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $4.00 blended
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, Claude Sonnet 5 or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Claude Sonnet 5 and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Claude Sonnet 5 cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $4.00 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $2.00 vs $0.100. Output alone: $10.00 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Claude Sonnet 5 and Mercury 3 have?
Claude Sonnet 5: 1,000,000 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Claude Sonnet 5 and Mercury 3?
Claude Sonnet 5 is made by Anthropic. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.