Mel vs Cursor

Cursor is an AI code editor where agents work on your code inside the editor. Mel is an agentic terminal where a team of agents plans, builds, tests and ships from the command line.

They are different shapes of tool more than direct rivals. Cursor is built for the moment you are reading and shaping code, with your files open in front of you. Mel is built for the work that happens in the terminal: running builds and tests, upgrades, migrations, scripts, and tasks you would rather hand off and review.

The short version

• Choose Cursor if you want a full code editor with AI agents built in, and most of your day is reading and editing code.
• Choose Mel if your hard work happens in the terminal, you want a team of agents on one task, or you want an agentic terminal that is free with your own API key.
• Use both if you like an editor for code and a terminal for running and shipping it. Many people do.

How Mel does it

• It works in the terminal, next to builds, tests, git and deploy scripts.
• Not an editor. Mel adds a VS Code extension instead.
• DeepSeek and Qwen sit next to Claude, GPT and Gemini.
• Free with your own API key on all three desktop platforms.

Side by side

Cursor's plan names and prices were changing at the time of checking (older and newer plan lineups are both listed on its site), so they are not quoted here. See cursor.com/pricing for current figures.

Where Cursor is stronger

• A complete editor. Code, files, search and agents in one window.
• Seeing code as it changes. Ideal for work where you want to watch each edit.
• Its own models alongside third-party ones.
• A CLI as well, for running Cursor's agents in a terminal or in scripts.

Where Mel is stronger

• Configurable approvals keep you in control of commands and edits.
• Terminal-first. Agents work where builds, tests, git and deploy scripts already run, and see the same errors you do.
• A team of agents splits a task into planning, building and testing, so each part is small enough to check.
• DeepSeek and Qwen next to Claude, GPT and Gemini.
• Free with your own API key on Mac, Windows and Linux.
• One bill for a team: Mel Business pools the team's credits on one invoice.
• Beyond code: research, PDFs, photos and files.

How to decide on one afternoon

Take one real task with a clear finish line, for example "upgrade this library and make the tests pass". Run it in both. Ask which one finished, which one ran the tests itself, and which result you could review faster. Upgrades and CI fixes tend to favour a terminal; UI tweaks you want to watch tend to favour an editor.

FAQ

Is Mel a code editor? No. Mel is an agentic terminal. It has a VS Code extension if you want it next to your editor.

Can I use my own API key in both? Yes. Cursor supports your own keys from several providers. Mel is free with your own API key.

Do both run on Linux? Yes. Cursor offers Linux packages, and Mel runs on Linux, Mac and Windows.

Which models can each use? Cursor offers its own models plus OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models, depending on plan. Mel works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek and Qwen.

Can I use Mel and Cursor together? Yes. Keep Cursor for editing and use Mel as your terminal, handing longer tasks to its agents.

Sources

Facts checked on Oct 24, 2026.

• Cursor download (platforms): https://cursor.com/download
• Available models: https://cursor.com/help/models-and-usage/available-models
• Bring your own API key: https://cursor.com/help/models-and-usage/api-keys
• Cursor CLI: https://cursor.com/cli
• Pricing and plans: https://cursor.com/help/account-and-billing/pricing
• Legacy plans: https://cursor.com/docs/account/pricing/legacy-cursor-plans
• Team pricing: https://cursor.com/docs/account/teams/pricing

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