token.app › Compare › DeepSeek V3 vs Mercury 3
DeepSeek V3 vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 2.8× cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 basis. Mercury 3 accepts the larger context window (1M).
Head to head
Blended price uses a 3:1 input:output mix
| DeepSeek V3 | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | DeepSeek | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $0.257 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $1.03 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $0.450 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 164K | 1M |
| Max output | 16K | 131K |
| Released | Dec 2024 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose DeepSeek V3 if…
- Open weights — self-hostable
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $0.450 blended
- Larger context window (1M)
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, DeepSeek V3 or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both DeepSeek V3 and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is DeepSeek V3 cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $0.450 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.257 vs $0.100. Output alone: $1.03 vs $0.350.
What context windows do DeepSeek V3 and Mercury 3 have?
DeepSeek V3: 163,840 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes DeepSeek V3 and Mercury 3?
DeepSeek V3 is made by DeepSeek. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.