token.app › Compare › Llama Guard 4 12B vs Mercury 3
Llama Guard 4 12B vs Mercury 3
Mercury 3 is 1.1× 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
| Llama Guard 4 12B | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Meta | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $0.180 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $0.180 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $0.180 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 164K | 1M |
| Max output | 16K | 131K |
| Released | Apr 2025 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose Llama Guard 4 12B if…
- Open weights — self-hostable
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.163 vs $0.180 blended
- Larger context window (1M)
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, Llama Guard 4 12B or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Llama Guard 4 12B and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Llama Guard 4 12B cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mercury 3 is cheaper: $0.163 versus $0.180 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.180 vs $0.100. Output alone: $0.180 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Llama Guard 4 12B and Mercury 3 have?
Llama Guard 4 12B: 163,840 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Llama Guard 4 12B and Mercury 3?
Llama Guard 4 12B is made by Meta. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.
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