Mel vs Warp

Warp calls itself "The Agentic Development Environment". It is a terminal with built-in agents and a code editor, plus Oz, a platform for running coding agents in the cloud. Mel is an agentic terminal where a team of agents plans, builds, tests and ships from the command line.

Both are desktop apps for Mac, Windows and Linux, and both put AI agents next to your shell. They differ in where the agents run, which models and keys you can use, what is open source today, and how team plans work. The facts below are side by side, each one about Warp checked on Warp's own site.

The short version

• Choose Warp if you want an open source terminal client with a built-in code editor and code review panel, or cloud agents that run in sandboxes through Oz.
• Choose Mel if you want a team of agents on one task in your terminal, approvals you configure, or an agentic terminal that is free with your own API key, at any company size.
• Try both on the same task if you are not sure. They are separate apps, and you can keep both installed.

How Mel does it

• A team of agents splits one task into planning, building and testing, so each part is small enough to check.
• Configurable approvals for commands and edits.
• Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek and Qwen in one app.
• Free with your own API key on Mac, Windows and Linux, at any company size.
• A VS Code extension if you want Mel next to your editor.

Side by side

Where Warp is stronger

• Open source now. The Warp client is on GitHub under the AGPL.
• Cloud agents. Oz runs agents in sandboxed cloud environments, with a link and an audit trail for each run. It can also run Claude Code and Codex.
• A built-in editor. Agent changes open as diffs you can accept, refine or edit, and a code review panel shows what changed in your repo.
• Security paperwork. Warp states it has a SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, and its Business plan includes SAML SSO.
• A wide model list, with open-weight models next to Claude, GPT and Gemini.

Where Mel is stronger

• A team of agents on one task, each part small enough to review.
• Configurable approvals keep you in control of commands and edits.
• Free with your own API key on Mac, Windows and Linux.
• US model providers only on Business. A Business workspace's work goes only to US model providers.
• 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. Then check the plan your team would need, and whether your own API key is allowed on it.

FAQ

Is Mel part of Warp? No. Mel and Warp are separate products from separate companies.

Can I use my own API key in both? Yes. Warp takes OpenAI, Anthropic and Google keys on every plan, for individuals and companies of 10 or fewer employees; larger companies need Business or Enterprise. Mel is free with your own API key at any company size, so a 25-person company on its own keys pays $0 for Mel, and $1,250 a month for Warp Business (25 × $50).

Which is open source? The Warp client is open source under the AGPL. Mel open source is coming soon.

Do both run on Windows and Linux? Yes. Warp runs on macOS, Windows and Linux. Mel runs on Mac, Windows and Linux.

Which models can each use? Warp offers Claude, GPT and Gemini, plus open-weight models such as GLM, Kimi, Qwen and DeepSeek. Mel works with Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek and Qwen.

How do the team plans differ? Warp Business is $50 a user a month ($45 billed yearly), up to 25 seats, with SAML SSO. Mel Business is $50 a seat a month, with shared credits on one invoice, and its work goes only to US model providers.

Sources

Facts checked on October 25, 2026. Spot a fact that has changed? Write to hello@openmel.dev.

• Warp home page ("The Agentic Development Environment"): https://www.warp.dev/
• Pricing (Free, Build, Max, Business, Enterprise): https://www.warp.dev/pricing
• Pricing and billing FAQs (seat limits, SSO): https://docs.warp.dev/support-and-community/plans-and-billing/pricing-faqs/
• Build plan and your own API key: https://www.warp.dev/blog/warp-new-pricing-flexibility-byok
• Bring your own API key: https://docs.warp.dev/agents/inference/bring-your-own-api-key/
• Model choice: https://docs.warp.dev/agent-platform/inference/model-choice/
• Oz, the cloud agent platform: https://www.warp.dev/blog/oz-orchestration-platform-cloud-agents
• Oz runs Claude Code and Codex: https://www.warp.dev/blog/multi-harness-cloud-agent-orchestration
• Warp is open source: https://www.warp.dev/blog/warp-is-now-open-source
• All features: https://www.warp.dev/all-features
• Download (platforms): https://www.warp.dev/download
• Warp Code (editor and code review): https://www.warp.dev/code
• Code review panel: https://docs.warp.dev/code/code-review/
• Security (SOC 2 Type 2): https://www.warp.dev/legal/security

• What is an agentic development environment?
• What is an agentic terminal?
• What are AI agent approvals?
• Mel vs Cursor
• Mel vs Claude Code