Free (Open Source)
$0
Forever
- VS Code extension with full agent capabilities
- BYO model — Claude, OpenAI, Google, local
- MCP support
- All core features, no caps
Cline: Coding Agents
Founded 2024|1-10 people|Free OSS + Teams from $20/user/mo (first 10 seats free)
What is Cline?
Cline is the most-installed open-source autonomous coding agent on the VS Code marketplace, with 5M+ installs. As a VS Code extension it can autonomously create and edit files, run terminal commands, use the browser, and handle complex multi-step engineering tasks — always asking for permission at each step rather than running silently.
Cline pioneered the agentic coding pattern that Kilo Code and Roo Code later forked. It supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) so the agent can extend its own toolset, and it works with any LLM provider — Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, Google, and local models. Pairing Cline with Claude Sonnet's tool-use capabilities produces some of the most capable open-source agent workflows available.
The OSS extension is completely free for individuals — you only pay for AI inference on a usage basis with no markup or vendor lock-in. The Cline Teams plan is free through Q1 2026, then $20/user/month with the first 10 seats always free, adding JetBrains support, centralized billing, and team admin features.
Key features
Core capabilities this platform advertises.
- Step-by-step permission gating for every file edit, command, and browser action
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) support for agent-extensible tools
- Works with any LLM — Claude, OpenAI, Google, local
- Browser control and full terminal integration
- Most-installed open-source coding agent on VS Code (5M+)
Strengths and tradeoffs
What this tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.
Pros
- OG agentic coding agent — battle-tested with 5M+ installs
- Step-by-step permissions keep humans in the loop
- Pairs especially well with Claude Sonnet's tool use
- Open-source under MIT — no lock-in
- Strong community + active fork ecosystem (Kilo, Roo)
Cons
Plans & pricing
What's included in each plan, and how the tiers compare.
Teams
$20
User/month
Common use cases
Individual developers and teams who want a battle-tested, agentic coding assistant inside VS Code with full model freedom
- Autonomous multi-file feature implementation in VS Code
- Agent-driven refactors with reviewable per-step permission
- Terminal automation under agent control
- BYO model coding workflows (Claude, GPT, local)
- Browser-based testing and debugging from the agent
Using Cline with Respan
Cline and Respan enable AI-powered coding with cost tracking. Code with Cline autonomous agent while monitoring AI usage costs with Respan.
- Track API costs for Cline coding sessions by model and task
- Monitor token consumption patterns to optimize model selection
- Debug Cline failures using Respan detailed execution traces
- Measure developer productivity versus AI costs for ROI analysis
Run Cline in production with Respan
10KFree traces/mo
1,000+Models
Best Cline alternatives & competitors
Top companies in Coding Agents you can use instead of Cline.
Compare Cline
Side-by-side comparisons with other tools in this category.
Best integrations for Cline
Companies from adjacent layers in the AI stack that work well with Cline.
Last verified: April 29, 2026
