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Mel vs Gemini CLI
By Lalla Asmaa Alaoui, founder of Mel · Updated
Gemini CLI is Google's open source (Apache 2.0) agent that brings Gemini into your terminal, with a free tier for personal accounts. Mel is an agentic terminal that uses Gemini next to Claude, GPT, DeepSeek and Qwen.
Gemini CLI is a strong, generous option: sign in with a personal Google account and you get a free daily allowance of requests. It runs inside your existing terminal on macOS, Windows and Linux. Mel is the terminal itself, with several model families and a team of agents built in, including Gemini.
The short version
- Choose Gemini CLI if you mainly want Gemini models, value a free daily allowance with a Google account, or want an open source agent from a major lab today.
- Choose Mel if you want Gemini next to Claude, GPT, DeepSeek and Qwen, a team of agents that plans, builds, tests and ships, and an AI terminal app rather than a CLI inside one.
How Mel does it
- Gemini plus four more: Claude, GPT, DeepSeek and Qwen.
- A desktop app, so there is no Node.js to install.
- Gemini CLI inside Mel. Keep its free allowance for quick jobs, in Mel's terminal.
- Hosted credits on Pro ($20/month) and Max ($200/month) if you do not want a key.
Side by side
| Gemini CLI | Mel | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Google's open source AI agent for the terminal | Agentic terminal app with a team of agents |
| Open source | Yes (Apache 2.0) | Coming soon |
| Models | Gemini | Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, Qwen |
| Free use | Personal Google account: 1,000 requests per day (Gemini Code Assist for individuals) | Free with your own API key |
| Paid options | Higher limits through Google's plans, or a Gemini API key | Pro $20/month and Max $200/month include hosted credits; Business adds one invoice |
| Platforms | macOS 15+, Windows 11 24H2+, Ubuntu 20.04+ | Mac, Windows, Linux |
| Install | npm install -g @google/gemini-cli (Node.js 20+), or Homebrew | Desktop app |
| Beyond code | Terminal agent, coding focus | Research, PDFs, photos and files too |
Where Gemini CLI is stronger
- A free daily allowance with a personal Google account.
- Open source now, under Apache 2.0.
- Built by the model maker, tuned for Gemini.
- Light. It runs in whatever terminal you already use.
Where Mel is stronger
- Five model families. Use Gemini where it shines and Claude, GPT, DeepSeek or Qwen where they fit better or cost less, or as a second opinion.
- A team of agents splits a task into planning, building and testing, so each part is small enough to review.
- Configurable approvals keep you in control of commands and edits.
- No Node.js setup. A desktop app on Mac, Windows and Linux.
- Team billing: one Mel Business invoice covers Gemini and the other four families.
- Beyond code: research, PDFs, photos and files.
Using both
Gemini CLI is a command-line program, so it runs inside Mel's terminal like any other. You might keep Gemini CLI for its free allowance on quick Gemini tasks and use Mel's team of agents for bigger jobs or when another model does better.
FAQ
Is Gemini CLI free? With a personal Google account, Google lists 1,000 requests per user per day for Gemini Code Assist for individuals. Limits with an API key differ; check Google's quota page.
Can Mel use Gemini? Yes. Gemini is one of the five model families Mel works with, next to Claude, GPT, DeepSeek and Qwen.
Which runs on Windows? Both. Gemini CLI lists Windows 11 24H2 or later; Mel runs on Windows, Mac and Linux.
Which is open source? Gemini CLI is Apache 2.0 today. Mel open source is coming soon.
Which is better for a team using several providers? Mel Business gives a team shared credits and one invoice.
Sources
Facts checked on Oct 24, 2026.
- Gemini CLI repository and license: https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
- Quotas and pricing: https://geminicli.com/docs/resources/quota-and-pricing/
- Installation: https://geminicli.com/docs/get-started/installation/
- Launch post: https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/developers-tools/introducing-gemini-cli-open-source-ai-agent/
Gemini CLI is a trademark of its owner. Mel is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google.
Mel – the agentic terminal · openmel.dev. A multi-agent, multi-model AI terminal for Mac, Windows, Linux and VS Code. Free with your own API key.
Lalla is a hands-on tech founder, agentic infrastructure architect and the vision behind Mel.
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