token.app › Compare › Inkling Small vs Mercury 3
Inkling Small vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 3.9× 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
| Inkling Small | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Thinkingmachines | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $0.450 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $1.20 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $0.637 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 524K | 1M |
| Max output | 262K | 131K |
| Released | Jul 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose Inkling Small if…
- Open weights — self-hostable
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $0.637 blended
- Larger context window (1M)
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, Inkling Small or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Inkling Small and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Inkling Small cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $0.637 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.450 vs $0.100. Output alone: $1.20 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Inkling Small and Mercury 3 have?
Inkling Small: 524,288 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Inkling Small and Mercury 3?
Inkling Small is made by Thinkingmachines. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.