AI coding & IDEs · A tier

Cline, A tier

82/100

People who want an IDE agent without a subscription to the agent itself.

Open-source VS Code agent. You bring a model key; it edits files, runs commands, and can browse.

Best for

People who want an IDE agent without a subscription to the agent itself.

What it is

Cline is an open-source coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension. You bring a model API key. It can edit files, run terminal commands, and use a browser. The extension is free; model calls are billed by the provider.

open-sourceagentvscodeAI coding & IDEs

Score breakdown

Capability 40%84
Ease 25%70
Value 20%94
Momentum 15%80

Weights: capability 40, ease 25, value 20, momentum 15. Momentum is the editor’s judgment. How the score works.

Pricing

Free

Starting price: $0

The extension is open source. You pay the model provider separately. Hosted model plans are not included.

Dates

Released 2024 (year precision).

Added to StackPick 14 Oct 2026.

Alternatives

B tier · 79

Aider

Terminal-first developers who want commits, not a new IDE.

B tier · 79

Continue

Editors who want open-source chat and autocomplete with their own keys.

S tier · 92

Cursor

Builders who want a VS Code-like editor with a repo-wide agent.

Questions

What is Cline best for?

People who want an IDE agent without a subscription to the agent itself.

How much does Cline cost?

Free. Starting price: $0. The extension is open source. You pay the model provider separately. Hosted model plans are not included.

What are alternatives to Cline?

Aider, Continue, Cursor are the alternatives we file next to it. Open a comparison when one exists.