Cline

Cline is a popular open-source (Apache-2.0) AI coding agent that runs inside VS Code, JetBrains, Cursor and Windsurf, plus a CLI. It is fully model-agnostic, supporting Claude, GPT, Gemini, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, BYOK, or local models via Ollama/LM Studio. With Plan and Act approval modes, it gives developers transparent, controllable agentic coding with no subscription, paying only for the model API usage they choose.

Key features

• Open-source (Apache-2.0), no subscription or vendor lock-in
• Model-agnostic: Claude, GPT, Gemini, OpenAI-compatible, Ollama/LM Studio
• Plan and Act approval modes for controlled agentic edits
• Runs in VS Code, JetBrains, Cursor, Windsurf and as a CLI
• Optional Cline Provider for pay-as-you-go inference without managing keys

Pros & cons

Cline pricing

Cline uses a free pricing model, with paid plans from Free and open-source; you pay only your chosen model's API/token costs (BYOK). A free tier lets you test it before committing.

Who should use Cline?

Cline is best suited for Developers who want a transparent, open-source agent with full control over models and costs. It earns its place for free, open-source and fully transparent — though it's worth weighing the trade-off that token costs are on you and can add up on large multi-file tasks.

Comparing options? See our best ai coding & dev tools tools guide, or browse every ai coding & dev tools tool tracked on Benchquill.

Cline FAQ

Is Cline free?

Cline is free. Pricing starts at Free and open-source; you pay only your chosen model's API/token costs (BYOK).

What is Cline best for?

Cline is best for Developers who want a transparent, open-source agent with full control over models and costs.