GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.15 cheaper per 1M input tokens (75% lower; 4x difference).
API cost decision in 10 seconds
Mercury 2.5 Preview vs GLM 5.3 Flash (batch)
Pick GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) when budget and context both matter.
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Data confirmed:
Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens
Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output
Budget verdict
Pick GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) when budget and context both matter.
On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is estimated at $0.14 vs $0.57 for Mercury 2.5 Preview, saving $0.43 (75.7% lower).
Cost-first pickGLM 5.3 Flash (batch)
Context-first pickGLM 5.3 Flash (batch)
Sample savings$0.4375.7%
10x traffic gap$4.35
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is cheaper on the standard workload and also has the larger context window. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $4.35. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.
Cost sensitivity
Workload Sensitivity
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.
| Workload shape | Token mix | Better pick | Mercury 2.5 Preview | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Input-heavy / RAG | 5M input + 500K output | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | $1.38 | $0.34 |
| Balanced workload | 1M input + 1M output | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | $0.95 | $0.23 |
| Output-heavy chatbot | 1M input + 5M output | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | $3.95 | $0.95 |
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.57 cheaper per 1M output tokens (76% lower; 4.17x difference).
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) has 788.58K more context (4.03x larger).
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.43 cheaper on the standard workload (75.7% lower).
Estimate your workload cost
Your Workload Cost
This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.
Quick Decision
GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) has the lower input price; GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) has the lower output price; GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) offers the larger context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is cheaper for the standard workload.
For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $0.57 for Mercury 2.5 Preview and $0.14 for GLM 5.3 Flash (batch).
Choose Mercury 2.5 Preview when its provider, model quality, latency, or availability is more important than the numeric price/context winner.
Choose GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) when you care most about lower input-token price, lower output-token price, and larger context window.
- On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is estimated at $0.14 vs $0.57 for Mercury 2.5 Preview, saving $0.43 (75.7% lower).
- GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.43 cheaper on the standard workload (75.7% lower).
- GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.15 cheaper per 1M input tokens (75% lower; 4x difference).
- GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is $0.57 cheaper per 1M output tokens (76% lower; 4.17x difference).
- GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) has 788.58K more context (4.03x larger).
| Feature | Mercury 2.5 Preview (Inception) | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) (Z.ai) |
|---|---|---|
| Input Price prompt tokens per 1M | $0.2 | $0.05 |
| Completion Price per 1M tokens | $0.75 | $0.18 |
| Sample Workload Cost 1M input + 500K output | $0.57 | $0.14 |
| Context Window | 260K | 1.05M |
| Release Date |
Use-Case Decision Matrix
| Use case | Better pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-constrained production | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) is estimated at $0.14 vs $0.57 for Mercury 2.5 Preview, saving $0.43 (75.7% lower). |
| High-volume input processing | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill. |
| Long responses and chatbots | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens. |
| RAG or long-document work | GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) | A larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files. |
Related Alternatives
- Mercury 2.5 can replace Mercury 2.5 Preview when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.11.
- GLM 5.2 (free) can replace GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- GLM 4.5 Air (free) can replace GLM 5.3 Flash (batch) when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
- Llama 4 Scout offers 1.31M context with $0.25 sample workload cost.
- MiMo-V2.6-Flash offers 1.05M context with $0.28 sample workload cost.
- GPT-6 Luna offers 1.05M context with $0.35 sample workload cost.
- GPT-6 Luna Pro offers 1.05M context with $0.35 sample workload cost.
- DeepSeek V4.1 Flash · DeepSeek · #1
- Step 5 Preview · StepFun · #2
- GLM 5.3 Flash · Z.ai · #3
- MiMo-V2.6-Flash · Xiaomi · #4
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