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Cline

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Open-source AI coding agent for VS Code

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TL;DR - Cline

  • Free open-source autonomous AI coding agent for VS Code (pay only for AI API)
  • Creates/edits files, runs terminal commands, and browses with user permission
  • Plan and Act workflow with snapshot checkpoints for Claude, GPT, or local models
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams

What Users Say About Cline

Cline is the open-source 'Cursor agent in an extension'. Users praise that it runs inside the VS Code they already use, is fully transparent (Apache 2.0), and uses their own API key so model costs go direct to Anthropic/OpenAI. The complaints are about UI polish (agent output lives in a side panel, less integrated than Cursor's inline view) and that heavy daily use burns $20-100/mo in model credits.

Highlights

  • Open-source (Apache 2.0) — fully transparent and free of subscription fees
  • Runs inside existing VS Code install — no editor migration
  • Plan and Act mode: review the agent's plan before it touches code
  • Step-by-step approval gates on every file write and command
  • Works with any model — Claude, GPT, Gemini, local models via OpenRouter

Limitations

  • You pay for model API calls — heavy daily use costs $20-100/mo in Claude/GPT credits
  • UI less polished than Cursor — agent output renders in a panel, not inline diffs
  • No first-party model — depends on pricing/availability of providers
  • Multi-file operations slower than Cursor on large codebases
  • Kilo Code fork now offers multi-agent orchestration that Cline lacks

Best for: VS Code users who want agent autonomy without switching editors or paying Cursor's subscription. Strong fit for developers who already have Claude or GPT API keys and want transparent, open-source agentic workflows.

Editorial synthesis from industry coverage, product docs, and early user reports

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • AI coding in terminal
  • Claude integration
  • Good for CLI tasks
  • Open source
  • Active development

Cons

  • API costs
  • Learning curve
  • Terminal only
  • Newer tool
  • Documentation improving

Key Features

AI coding assistantVS Code extensionMulti-step tasksFile editingTerminal commandsContext awareness

Pricing Plans

Open Source

Free

  • VS Code and CLI
  • Apache 2.0 license
  • Bring your own API key or use Cline provider
  • MCP marketplace access
  • Community support

Teams

$20/user/mo

  • First 10 seats free forever
  • VS Code + JetBrains support
  • Team dashboard and analytics
  • RBAC and centralized billing
  • Managed provider options

Enterprise

Custom

  • SSO/SAML
  • SLA guarantees
  • Dedicated support
  • Custom deployment options
Calculate your costView full pricing

What is Cline?

Editorial review
Cline is an open-source autonomous AI coding agent that runs directly in VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Unlike simple code completion tools, Cline can create and edit files, execute terminal commands, browse the web, and perform complex multi-step development tasks while asking permission at each step to keep developers in control. The tool supports multiple AI providers including Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, and local models through Ollama or LM Studio. This flexibility lets developers choose their preferred AI backend or use local models for cost-effective development. Cline maintains context awareness throughout coding sessions and can understand entire project structures. Cline is free and open-source for individual developers, with users only paying for AI inference costs from their chosen provider. The project has gained significant popularity as an alternative to proprietary coding assistants, offering similar capabilities without vendor lock-in.
how we evaluateSourcemarketplace.visualstudio.com ↗

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Cline FAQ

Is Cline free to use?

The Cline extension itself is free and open-source. You pay only for AI inference through your chosen API provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) or use local models for near-zero cost. There are no subscription fees for individual developers.

What AI models can Cline use?

Cline supports Claude (Anthropic), GPT-4 (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, and local models through Ollama or LM Studio. You can switch between providers or bring your own API keys.

How does Cline compare to Cursor?

Cline is open-source and runs as a VS Code extension with no subscription required. Cursor is a proprietary IDE fork with its own pricing. Cline offers more flexibility in AI provider choice and can use local models.

What can Cline do autonomously?

Cline can create and edit files, run terminal commands, browse documentation, read project files, and handle multi-step tasks. It asks permission before each action, keeping you in control of changes to your codebase.

Is there a Teams version of Cline?

Yes, Cline offers Open Source Teams (free through Q1 2026, then 20 dollars/month with first 10 seats always free) with centralized billing, team management, and role-based access control. Enterprise options are also available.

Source: marketplace.visualstudio.com

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