# Magic Patterns vs Melius

> Magic Patterns scores 63.4 (B) to Melius's 53.3 (D) for design canvases. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-melius
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-melius.md (~4,750 tokens)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (the key docs and every listing in one file, at most 16 MB, about 4 million tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (the whole catalogue as tools, no key)
- DNS: dig +short TXT <slug>.grade.anchorterminal.com (the grade as a DNS TXT record, for a sandbox with no HTTP where names still resolve; also top., best.<category>. and <a>.vs.<b>. under the zone, and the same under grade.letme.dev)
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)
- Updated: 2026-11-07

Magic Patterns scores 63.4 (B) on agent readiness against Melius's 53.3 (D), and leads in every scored category. Both do design canvases.

- Magic Patterns: grade B, 63.4/100, rank #519 of 1510. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/magic-patterns.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/magic-patterns.json
- Melius: grade D, 53.3/100, rank #954 of 1510. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/melius.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/melius.json
- Best design workspace and canvas APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/design/index.md
- All 133 design comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/design/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Magic Patterns (B)

Good for: Generating and iterating on coded React prototypes from a coding agent, and pulling a design into a codebase.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 75 against 69
- Schema & documentation, 84 against 70
- Agent ergonomics, 67 against 51
- Security & auth, 55 against 43
- Maintenance & community, 70 against 56

Watch for: MCP and API-key access need a paid seat, Starter at $20 a month

### Melius (D)

Good for: An agent producing batches of ad creative, product images or short videos on a shared canvas that people then review, with many models behind one key.

Watch for: API keys have no scopes. A key works with its creator's role in every team the creator belongs to


## Why the edge

### Agent ergonomics: Magic Patterns +16

- Magic Patterns (67): 24 documented tools (15 for 11 to 30), plus 5 back for the read-only endpoint that registers only 12 (20 of 25). Message history pages by 10 and version history by 20 with `skip`, and file reads take a list of names (14 of 20). Documented status codes, a 402 that leaves reads working and non-blocking `validationErrors` on design-system writes (15 of 20). No idempotency keys; 409 conflict checks on design-system writes, and annotations couldn't be read on the closed server (10 of 20). `create_design` needs no parameter and makes a blank scaffold, but there is no official SDK (8 of 15). 20 + 14 + 15 + 10 + 8 = 67.
- Melius (51): The MCP reference lists 75 tools, in the over-30 band, with `get_guide` and `get_docs` loading guidance on demand and 18 Cast tools shown only to teams with access (10 of 25). Four list operations take `limit` and `offset` and three take `search`, canvas content can be narrowed to one node or to media summaries, and the CLI has `--fields` (14 of 20). REST errors carry `statusCode`, `error` and `message`, the CLI adds a `code` and a `suggestion`, and `CANVAS_TOO_LARGE` is documented as not worth retrying. A shortage of credits arrives as a plain 400 (14 of 20). No idempotency keys, and we couldn't read MCP annotations without an account. The docs do give safe-retry guidance (5 of 20). Auto model selection and defaults keep required fields few. There is no SDK library, only the CLI and generated code samples in six languages (8 of 15). Per the 8 October check, not re-read on 4 November, because the terms of 30 October 2026 bar automated access to melius.com and its subdomains.

### Schema & documentation: Magic Patterns +14

- Magic Patterns (84): The MCP server is closed, so its tool definitions weren't read. The v3 API has an OpenAPI 3.0.3 description, served as a block in each API reference page; the file llms.txt links at /docs/openapi-v3.yml answered with a not-found page (20 of 25). llms.txt and a Markdown copy of every docs page (10). The tools page sets out four workflows with call order, says when to poll and how often, splits read from write tools and warns that the user may edit at any time (17 of 20). Parameters are typed and marked required, the feedback `category` is an enum, and file writes take an array of name and content pairs (10 of 15). Request and response examples, an error table (400, 401, 402, 403) and 409 behaviour on writes (12 of 15). Versioned /v3 paths, a v2 deprecation notice and a dated product changelog (15). 20 + 10 + 17 + 10 + 12 + 15 = 84.
- Melius (70): Public OpenAPI 3.0.2 spec with 59 operations (25). llms.txt, llms-full.txt and a Markdown copy of every docs page (10). 58 of the 59 operations have a summary and no description. The MCP reference gives each of 75 tools one line, with ordering rules for `get_guide`, `show_presence` and `canvas_plan_layout`, and the tool definitions themselves need a signed-in client, so we didn't read them (8 of 20). Request bodies are typed with 336 enums, ranges, UUID formats and required fields, with 52 open `additionalProperties` objects (13 of 15). 401, 403 and 429 are declared on every operation and 400, 404 and 409 where they apply, but the spec has no examples and most error bodies are a bare `message` (9 of 15). The path is versioned at /api/v1 and the CLI states semantic versioning. No public changelog found (5 of 15). Per the 8 October check, not re-read on 4 November, because the terms of 30 October 2026 bar automated access to melius.com and its subdomains.

### Maintenance & community: Magic Patterns +14

- Magic Patterns (70): Changelog entry on 5 November 2026, the day before this check (30). Entries on twelve dates since 8 August, among them 23 September and 12 to 30 October (20). Closed service with a public changelog, email support within one to two business days, in-app chat and a Slack community. We didn't test them (12 of 15). Not in the official MCP registry (searches for magic-patterns and magicpatterns returned nothing of theirs). Official Claude connector, Cursor plugin and Codex plugin, and no SDKs (5 of 15). No public package or repository to check (3 of 10). 30 + 20 + 12 + 5 + 3 = 70.
- Melius (56): The newest dated release is the CLI, 0.16.2 on 10 September 2026 per the 8 October npm reading, 55 days before this check. The vendor's Homebrew tap, whose bot tracks npm hourly, has no version after 0.16.2, and no other dated source could be read (20). Versions 0.15.0 to 0.16.2, eight in all, fall between 7 August and 10 September by the tap's bump commits, which match the 19 versions since 10 July in the 8 October npm reading (20). Closed service with no public changelog or issue tracker. Support is by email at support@melius.com and a Discord server linked from the site (5 of 15). There is no SDK library, though the CLI is on npm and Homebrew (5 of 15). The CLI has three dependencies, needs Node.js 20 and is published from GitHub Actions through npm trusted publishing. Its source is not public (6 of 10).

### Security & auth: Magic Patterns +12

- Magic Patterns (55): OAuth 2.1 with PKCE S256, dynamic registration and a device flow, issued by oauth.magicpatterns.com with WorkOS keys. Scopes are openid, email, profile and offline_access only, so a token carries the user's whole workspace role. API keys are shown once, with no scopes, expiry or rotation documented (22 of 30). The read-only endpoint doesn't register the 13 tools that create, change or publish. There is no confirmation step on the write endpoint (14 of 20). Tools return design code and chat history that collaborators wrote, and no prompt-injection guidance was found (3 of 15). `x-mp-agent-name` attributes changes in the UI, and audit logs come with Enterprise only (8 of 15). The security page describes encryption, logging and the Render and MongoDB Atlas setup and points to SOC 2 reports in a Trust Center drawn by script, which wasn't read. No security.txt, disclosure policy or bug bounty found (8 of 20). 22 + 14 + 3 + 8 + 8 = 55.
- Melius (43): API keys are revocable at once, can expire and are shown once, but have no scopes. A key works with its creator's access in every team that user belongs to, capped at the user's role. The MCP OAuth flow uses S256 PKCE and dynamic client registration, lists no scopes, and ties the connector key to one team (22 of 30). A key made by a viewer can only read, `bulk_delete_node` asks the user to confirm and a run can return a pending approval, but there is no read-only key and the setup guide tells users to select Always Allow for every tool (9 of 20). Canvas text, comments from collaborators and files fetched by `url_to_canvas` reach the model, and no prompt-injection guidance was found (2 of 15). Keys list a `lastUsedAt` time, connector keys are named after the client, and generation history is kept per member. No audit log is documented (7 of 15). No security.txt, disclosure policy or bug bounty found. A Vanta trust centre exists at trust.melius.com but needs JavaScript, so certifications are unchecked (3 of 20). Per the 8 October check, not re-read on 4 November, because the terms of 30 October 2026 bar automated access to melius.com and its subdomains.

### Reliability: Magic Patterns +6

- Magic Patterns (75): Hosted lines, for the MCP server and v3 API. A Statuspage at magicpatterns.statuspage.io with incident history, but its two components are Web Platform and Figma Plugin, with nothing for the API or MCP server (15 of 20). The history page and Atom feed post no incident since 9 January 2026, so the 90 days before this check are clean as far as the page covers (30). The page's /api/ path is disallowed by its robots.txt, so the JSON feeds weren't used. Rate limit published as 1,000 generations per 10 hours per key, with polling no faster than once every 60 seconds (15). No 429, Retry-After or backoff guidance and no idempotency keys. Design-system writes take a `baseArtifactId` and return 409 on a concurrent change, with re-read-and-retry advice (5 of 15). No SLA found below Enterprise's custom contracts (0). The MCP server and v3 API carry no beta label (10). 15 + 30 + 15 + 5 + 0 + 10 = 75.
- Melius (69): Graded on the hosted REST API and MCP server. status.melius.com runs on incident.io with component history for Web app and MCP, though it has no API component (20). Its history listed no incidents from July to 8 October 2026, as far back as the page went. 9 October to 4 November is unread, and a partly unread window keeps its recorded award (30). No rate-limit numbers are published. The docs say only that no plan has a monthly request quota and that bursts can return 429 (0). 429s carry `Retry-After` and a `retryAfterSeconds` body field, and the docs give a bounded retry policy and tell clients to check canvas or run state after a timeout or 5xx on a write. There are no idempotency keys (12 of 15). No SLA found (0). The API and MCP server carry no beta label, but the CLI is at 0.16.2 and Cast and media-URL inputs are marked beta (7 of 10). Per the 8 October check, not re-read on 4 November, because the terms of 30 October 2026 bar automated access to melius.com and its subdomains.

## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Magic Patterns | Melius | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 75 | 69 | Magic Patterns +6 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 84 | 70 | Magic Patterns +14 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 67 | 51 | Magic Patterns +16 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 55 | 43 | Magic Patterns +12 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 23 | 20 | Magic Patterns +3 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 70 | 56 | Magic Patterns +14 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 60 | 56 | Magic Patterns +4 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |
| **Total** | | **63.4 · B** | **53.3 · D** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Magic Patterns | Melius |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | MCP server | HTTP API |
| Vendor | North Park Labs, Inc. (Magic Patterns) | Melius AI, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://mcp.magicpatterns.com/mcp` | `https://api.melius.com/api/v1` |
| Transports | Streamable HTTP, HTTP | HTTP, Streamable HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth or key | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | Closed service under the Magic Patterns terms of service (last updated 1 April 2025) | Proprietary service under Melius's terms of service. The mel CLI on npm is MIT, with no public source repository found |
| Tools exposed | 24 | 75 |
| Read-only variant documented | yes | no |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| Last release | 2026-11-05 | 2026-09-10 |
| Terms last updated | 2025-04-01 | no date given |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2025-04-01 | no date given |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | yes |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | yes |
| Terms or service can change without notice | yes | yes |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | yes |
| Popularity | none | 9 npm/wk |

## How the scores have moved

### Magic Patterns

No score change since it was listed.

### Melius

- -0.9 on 4 November 2026 (C to D): time
- +0.1 on 27 October 2026: checklist

## Verdicts

**Magic Patterns.** Agents can create, prompt, read and edit coded prototypes through 24 documented MCP tools or a matching REST API, with a read-only endpoint and 409 conflict checks on writes. MCP access needs a paid seat from $20 a month, OAuth scopes don't narrow access below the user's role, and the status page doesn't track the API or MCP server.

**Melius.** One backend serves a 59-operation REST API with a public OpenAPI spec, a hosted MCP server with OAuth sign-in and a JSON-only CLI, and the status page showed no incidents from July to early October 2026. API keys carry no scopes and work with their creator's role, and no rate-limit numbers, changelog or per-model credit prices are published.

## Before you call either

### Magic Patterns

1. Use https://mcp.magicpatterns.com/mcp/readonly when the task only reads designs
2. Call `get_design_status` before any change and poll it no more than once every 60 seconds
3. Pass `baseArtifactId` from `get_design_system` on writes, and on 409 re-read before retrying
4. Treat a 402 as out of credits and ask the user; read tools keep working
5. Send `x-mp-agent-name` so the user sees which agent made a change

### Melius

1. Generate by creating a node on a canvas, starting a run with POST /nodes/{nodeId}/runs, then polling GET /node-runs/{nodeRunId} until `status` is finished or failed
2. Over MCP, call `get_guide` first, `show_presence` before node changes and `canvas_plan_layout` before `bulk_create_nodes`
3. On 429 wait `Retry-After` seconds. After a timeout or 5xx on a write, read the canvas or run state before resubmitting, because there are no idempotency keys
4. Read credit costs from GET /generation/models?category=image before a bulk run. A 400 can mean the team is out of credits
5. Downloads arrive as a ZIP from a signed URL. Fetch that URL without the `Authorization` header

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Magic Patterns or Melius?

Magic Patterns scores 63.4 (B) on agent readiness against Melius's 53.3 (D), and leads in every scored category.

### Do Magic Patterns and Melius need an API key?

Both take an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

### Can an agent call Magic Patterns and Melius without installing anything?

Yes. Magic Patterns has a hosted endpoint at https://mcp.magicpatterns.com/mcp and Melius at https://api.melius.com/api/v1.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-melius.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-melius.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "magic-patterns", "b": "melius"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare magic-patterns melius`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/magic-patterns.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/melius.json

## Other comparisons with Magic Patterns or Melius

- [ArtCraft vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/artcraft-vs-melius.md)
- [Figma API + MCP vs Magic Patterns](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-magic-patterns.md)
- [Figma API + MCP vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-melius.md)
- [Framelink MCP for Figma vs Magic Patterns](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framelink-figma-mcp-vs-magic-patterns.md)
- [Framelink MCP for Figma vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framelink-figma-mcp-vs-melius.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Magic Patterns](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-magic-patterns.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-melius.md)
- [Kite vs Magic Patterns](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kite-new-vs-magic-patterns.md)
- [Kite vs Melius](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kite-new-vs-melius.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-miro.md)
- [Melius vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-zeplin.md)
- [Impeccable vs Magic Patterns](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/impeccable-vs-magic-patterns.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs pen.dev](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-pen-dev.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs Penpot API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-penpot.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs Sketch](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-sketch.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-subframe.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs UX Pilot MCP server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-ux-pilot-mcp.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-zeplin.md)
- [Melius vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-miro.md)
- [Melius vs pen.dev](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-pen-dev.md)
- [Melius vs Penpot API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-penpot.md)
- [Melius vs Sketch](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-sketch.md)
- [Melius vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-subframe.md)
- [Melius vs UX Pilot MCP server](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-ux-pilot-mcp.md)
- [Magic Patterns vs UXKIN](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/magic-patterns-vs-uxkin-agent.md)

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Query this catalogue directly over MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, no key). How: https://www.anchorterminal.com/agents/#mcp