What is Cline?

Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that reads and writes files, runs terminal commands and uses a browser, asking for approval on each action. It runs as a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, a command-line tool, a desktop app for macOS and Windows, and an SDK.

Who it's for

Cline suits individual developers who want to use their own model API keys or pay per use, and organizations that want central controls such as SSO and role-based access. The vendor's pricing page lists a free open-source tier for individuals and a custom Enterprise tier for organizations.

Pros & cons

Strengths

The vendor says Cline itself is free and open source, and that you pay only the model provider's rates, with no added markup or subscription on the open-source version.
The docs list several surfaces: VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand and others), a CLI installed with npm, a desktop app, an SDK, and a Kanban web task board for parallel agents.
Per the docs, every action requires explicit user approval, and the agent can read and write files, run terminal commands and use a browser.
The Desktop docs list parallel sessions, scheduled tasks, import of conversations from other agents such as Claude Code and Codex, remote sessions over SSH, and access to 300+ models through the Cline provider.
The vendor lists three ways to pay for models: Cline usage-billing (pay-as-you-go credits), ClinePass at $9.99 a month, or your own API keys, including local models.
The vendor's Enterprise blog post says Cline does not upload, index or cache codebases and does not train on code or prompts, with inference going to the providers you configure.

Limitations

ClinePass ($9.99 a month) is measured against a rolling 5-hour window, a calendar week and a calendar month. The docs say it gives 2-5x the usage of standard API rates on selected open coding models, but do not publish exact quotas, and its model list changes.
The docs do not state per-token prices, any markup, credit minimums or refund terms for Cline usage-billing credits, and the ClinePass page does not cover renewal, cancellation or refunds.
Free models rotate during promotions, carry only a limited usage quota, and work only in the IDE extension and CLI, not through the Cline API. The docs say free model usage may be used to help improve model performance and quality.
The pricing page lists Enterprise as custom with no published amount. A blog post says a Team tier would be free for up to 10 users and then $20 per user a month, but the current pricing page does not list a Team tier, so the two pages differ.
The pricing page lists the JetBrains extension, SSO, SLA, dedicated support and role-based access under Enterprise, while the overview docs list a JetBrains plugin without tying it to a plan. Fine-Grained Permissioning and Advanced Config Mgmt are marked as coming soon.

Plans and pricing

Open Source: Free. VS Code extension, CLI, MCP Marketplace, multi-root workspaces and community support. You pay your model provider at cost or use your own API key; the vendor says no subscription or seat fees.
Cline (usage-billing): Pay as you go. Credits added from the Cline dashboard and used when you pick paid models through the Cline provider. Some models are tagged FREE with a limited quota. Per-token prices are not stated in the docs.
ClinePass: $9.99 a month. Flat monthly subscription for 2-5x usage on selected open coding models versus standard API rates, with limits on a 5-hour, weekly and monthly basis. Works in the IDE extension and CLI, and has an OpenAI-compatible API.
Team (Reported): Free up to 10 users, then $20 per user a month. From a vendor blog post about Cline for Enterprise; not on the current pricing page. Inference is paid separately through your own contracts.
Enterprise: Custom. Per-seat pricing quoted by sales. Lists SSO, role-based access control, SLA, dedicated support, centralized billing, team dashboard, authentication logs and provider limits. Docs say unlimited seats.

Prices were read from cline.bot/pricing (Free and Enterprise custom, no dollar amounts), the ClinePass docs ($9.99 a month, billed monthly) and a vendor blog post (Team tier, Reported, dated). Pay-as-you-go rates, refund terms and the Team tier on the live site could not be confirmed. Confirm on the live pricing page.

Details checked October 2026 against the vendor's own pages. Prices and limits change, so confirm before you buy. Official pricing page ↗

Sources

This profile was compiled from these public pages. We have not run hands-on tests.

Summary

Cline — at a glance

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Cline

At a glance