token.app › Compare › Nemotron 3.5 Lightning vs Mercury 3

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning vs Mercury 3

Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is 1.6× 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
Nemotron 3.5 LightningMercury 3
ProviderNVIDIAInception
Input $/1M$0.070$0.100
Output $/1M$0.200$0.350
Blended $/1M$0.103$0.163
Context window262K1M
Max output236K131K
ReleasedAug 2026Oct 2026
LicenceOpen weightsProprietary
Choose Nemotron 3.5 Lightning if…
  • Costs less per token — $0.103 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, Nemotron 3.5 Lightning or Mercury 3?
We do not hold independently-run benchmark scores covering both Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Mercury 3, so we make no quality claim. Their pricing and specifications are compared on this page.
Is Nemotron 3.5 Lightning cheaper than Mercury 3?
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is cheaper: $0.103 versus $0.163 per million tokens blended at 3:1 input:output. Input alone: $0.070 vs $0.100. Output alone: $0.200 vs $0.350.
What context windows do Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Mercury 3 have?
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning: 262,144 tokens. Mercury 3: 1,000,000 tokens.
Who makes Nemotron 3.5 Lightning and Mercury 3?
Nemotron 3.5 Lightning is made by NVIDIA. Mercury 3 is made by Inception.
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