token.app › Compare › Mistral Small 3 vs Mercury 3
Mistral Small 3 vs Mercury 3
Mistral Small 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
| Mistral Small 3 | Mercury 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Provider | Mistral AI | Inception |
| Input $/1M | $0.050 | $0.100 |
| Output $/1M | $0.080 | $0.350 |
| Blended $/1M | $0.058 | $0.163 |
| Context window | 33K | 1M |
| Max output | 16K | 131K |
| Released | Jan 2025 | Oct 2026 |
| Licence | Open weights | Proprietary |
Choose Mistral Small 3 if…
- Costs less per token — $0.058 vs $0.163 blended
- Open weights — self-hostable
Choose Mercury 3 if…
- Larger context window (1M)
- Newer model (released Oct 2026)
FAQ
Which is better, Mistral Small 3 or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Mistral Small 3 and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Mistral Small 3 cheaper than Mercury 3?
Mistral Small 3 is cheaper: $0.058 versus $0.163 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.050 vs $0.100. Output alone: $0.080 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Mistral Small 3 and Mercury 3 have?
Mistral Small 3: 32,768 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Mistral Small 3 and Mercury 3?
Mistral Small 3 is made by Mistral AI. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.