CookCLI vs Mealie
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted recipe managers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
CookCLI
Plain-text recipe markup with a CLI and server
VS
Mealie
Self-hosted recipe manager and meal planner
| Feature | CookCLI | Mealie |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 84 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Recipe Managers | Recipe Managers |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,389 | ★ 13,292 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Paprika, Crouton | Paprika, Plan to Eat |
What are CookCLI and Mealie?
CookCLI
Cooklang is an open-source recipe markup language with a companion CLI and web server called Chef. Recipes are written in plain text and can be served, scaled, and turned into shopping lists.
- Plain-text recipe markup
- Built-in web server
- Shopping list generation
- Recipe scaling
Mealie
Mealie is a self-hosted recipe manager, meal planner, and shopping list application. It can import recipes from URLs, organize them with tags and categories, and generate grocery lists.
- Import recipes from URLs
- Meal planning calendar
- Shopping list generation
- REST API and integrations
CookCLI vs Mealie: key differences
CookCLI is written in Rust, while Mealie is built with Python. Licensing differs — MIT for CookCLI versus AGPL-3.0 for Mealie. CookCLI is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Mealie. Mealie has the considerably larger community, at 13,292 GitHub stars versus 1,389. Mealie lists first-class Docker deployment; CookCLI does not.
Why pick each one
Choose CookCLI if…
- Version-controllable recipes
- No database needed
Watch out for
- Requires learning the syntax
- Minimal UI
Choose Mealie if…
- Polished modern UI
- Strong import and API support
Watch out for
- Import accuracy varies by site
- Heavier than minimal apps
Frequently asked questions
Is CookCLI or Mealie better?
Mealie is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider CookCLI if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are CookCLI and Mealie free and open-source?
Yes. CookCLI is licensed under MIT and Mealie under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CookCLI and Mealie with Docker?
CookCLI: check the project docs for container support. Mealie: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, CookCLI or Mealie?
CookCLI has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Mealie. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.