token.app › Compare › Inkling vs Mercury 3
Inkling vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 11× 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 | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Thinkingmachines | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $1.00 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $4.05 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $1.76 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 524K | 1M |
| Max output | 472K | 131K |
| Released | Jul 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose Inkling if…
- Open weights — self-hostable
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $1.76 blended
- Larger context window (1M)
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, Inkling or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Inkling and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Inkling cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $1.76 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $1.00 vs $0.100. Output alone: $4.05 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Inkling and Mercury 3 have?
Inkling: 524,288 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Inkling and Mercury 3?
Inkling is made by Thinkingmachines. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.