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It's a split decision.
Choose Cline if you want an open-source coding agent that works across editors and terminals, lets you choose models, or can be embedded through its SDK. Its software has no seat fee, but inference costs extra. Choose Claude Code if you want Anthropic’s coding agent across terminal, IDE, Slack, web, and mobile, with Claude usage bundled into a subscription. Its plans have time-based usage limits, so check whether your workload fits before standardizing.
01Side by side
| Cline | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $0 agent; pay-as-you-go inference; optional ClinePass | Claude subscriptions with usage allowances by plan |
| Free tier | Open Source plan; inference costs extra | Free Claude plan excludes Claude Code |
| Open source and licence | Open source; licence not specified | Open-source status not specified |
| API and SDKs | npm SDK embeds the agent runtime | No public SDK or API named |
| CLI and docs | npm CLI; documentation available | Terminal interface; documentation available |
| Integrations | MCP, GitHub Actions, GitLab, Slack, Discord, Telegram, Linear | GitHub, GitLab, VS Code, JetBrains, Slack |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux, IDEs, terminal | macOS, Linux, Windows, web, iOS, Android |
| Deployment model | Editor, terminal, desktop app, or embedded runtime | Terminal, IDE, web, mobile, or Slack |
Cline Choose Cline if
- Choose Cline if you want to select among hosted and local models.
- Choose Cline if you need an SDK to embed an agent runtime.
- Choose Cline if you prefer no seat fees and can budget inference separately.
Claude Code Choose Claude Code if
- Choose Claude Code if you want Claude usage bundled into a subscription.
- Choose Claude Code if your workflow spans terminal, IDE, Slack, and mobile.
- Choose Claude Code if its plan limits fit your team’s usage.
02Pricing at real usage
Cline’s individual Open Source plan is $0 per month with no seat fee, but inference is pay-as-you-go through your own key or Cline provider. The agent is free; model calls are not. Teams get the first 10 seats free, then pay $20 per user monthly, with provider costs passed through at zero markup. Enterprise pricing is custom. ClinePass is $9.99 monthly for curated open-weight models and 2–5x standard API rate limits; additional processing fees may apply.
Claude Code is excluded from Claude Free. Pro includes it at $20 monthly or $17 per month on annual billing. Max is $100 and Ultra $200 monthly, with higher usage allowances but time-based limits. Team Standard is $25 monthly or $20 annual-billed per seat; Premium is $125 or $100. Enterprise adds API-rate usage.
03API, SDKs and integration
Cline offers an installable CLI (npm i -g cline) and an SDK (npm install @cline/sdk) for embedding its agent runtime in other products. Its homepage describes SDK hooks for custom tools and lifecycle events, plus connections to MCP servers. It supports Claude, GPT, Gemini, Ollama, LM Studio, and OpenAI-compatible endpoints. Cline also lists integrations including Slack, Discord, Telegram, Linear, GitHub Actions, and GitLab. The product page does not name SDK languages.
Claude Code is available in a terminal and through VS Code, Cursor, Devin Desktop, JetBrains, GitHub, GitLab, and Slack. Anthropic also lists web, iOS, and Android access, and links to documentation. Claude Code can work with command-line tools to handle issues, code, tests, and pull requests. Its product page does not name a public SDK, API protocol, or SDK languages, so teams building an integration should confirm the supported route with Anthropic.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
Cline is open source, but its homepage does not identify the licence; check the repository terms before redistributing or embedding it. Cline can use local models through Ollama or LM Studio, as well as hosted providers and OpenAI-compatible endpoints. That gives teams a choice of inference provider, but it is not the same as a documented self-hosted Cline service. Claude Code’s product page does not identify it as open source or describe a self-hosted deployment; its workflows center on Claude.
Neither product page specifies a data export format. Ask what conversation, configuration, and task data you can export before adopting either tool across a team. Cline’s model choice may reduce dependence on one inference provider, while moving away from either agent can still require rebuilding its rules, integrations, and approval workflow.
Questions people ask
What is Cline for VS Code?
Cline is an open-source coding agent available as an extension for Visual Studio Code. It can plan and execute coding tasks, edit multiple files, run terminal commands, and connect to models you choose. The same agent runtime is also available through a CLI and SDK.
Is Claude Code free?
Claude Code is not included in Claude Free, which has limited usage every five hours and weekly. The Pro plan includes Claude Code at $20 monthly or $17 per month with annual billing. Higher-use Max and Ultra plans cost $100 and $200 monthly, respectively.
Which is cheaper, Cline or Claude Code?
Cline has a $0 individual plan with no seat fee, but you pay for inference. Claude Code starts with Pro at $20 monthly, or $17 per month on annual billing, and bundles usage subject to plan limits. Compare your model-call costs with Claude’s usage caps, not just the listed subscription price.
Can I self-host Cline or Claude Code?
Cline is an open-source agent runtime, and it supports local models through Ollama and LM Studio, but its homepage does not describe a self-hosted Cline service. Claude Code’s product page does not describe self-hosting. Confirm deployment and data-handling requirements with the vendors before choosing either for restricted environments.