Cline
Boost website conversions effortlessly with AI-powered A/B testing and easy no-code integration.. [Freemium]
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What is Cline?
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that lives directly in your editor (VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf) and terminal. It can read and write files, run terminal commands, browse the web, and help you build features through natural conversation. Every action requires your explicit approval, keeping you in complete control while the AI handles complex development tasks.
Key features include Plan/Act modes for controlled autonomy, MCP (Model Context Protocol) Marketplace integration to extend capabilities with database access and third-party APIs, support for 30+ AI providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and DeepSeek, and a Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) model for full cost transparency. Cline also offers built-in tools for file operations, bash command execution, ripgrep-powered codebase search, and custom tool creation through plugins.
Cline is designed for VS Code developers looking for an agentic copilot, teams adopting AI-first development approaches, engineers automating repetitive tasks, and builders leveraging MCP protocols. With over 5 million developers trusting it worldwide, Cline serves everyone from individual contributors to enterprise organizations needing security and governance features like SSO, role-based access control, and audit logs.
Cline pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
Cline is completely free for individual developers with no subscriptions or seat fees. You only pay for AI inference on a usage basis at exactly the price your chosen provider charges - no markups or surprises. Bring your own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex, Groq, Cerebras, Vercel AI Gateway, DeepSeek, and many more. Enterprise plans include JetBrains extension, centralized billing, team management dashboard, role-based access control, SSO, OIDC, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, VPC deployments, SLA, OpenTelemetry, priority support, and dedicated support.
Cline pros
- Open source and trusted by 5M+ developers worldwide
- Plan/Act modes enable controlled autonomy at every step
- Compatible with all major LLMs (Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek)
- MCP Marketplace integration extends agent capabilities
- Real-time access to terminal, browser, and file system
- Full transparency on API costs with BYOK model
- No subscriptions or vendor lock-in
- Works across VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and JetBrains IDEs
- Secure client-side architecture keeps code private
- Custom tools can be created through plugins
- Multi-root workspace support for large projects
- Streaming AI responses with real-time UI updates
- Checkpoint system for version control integration
- Both interactive CLI and headless automation modes
- Enterprise features include SSO, OIDC, SCIM provisioning
Cline cons
- Requires VS Code as environment (no standalone app)
- LLM API costs can be high depending on model chosen
- Learning curve to master MCP workflows
- Agent autonomy may require regular supervision
- Not ideal for developers not using VS Code
- Challenging for beginners without programming foundations
- Every session starts from scratch, re-scanning codebase
- Checkpoint system cannot revert before AI started modifying code
Frequently asked questions about Cline
Is Cline free?
Yes, Cline is a free open-source tool. You only need an API key from an LLM provider like Anthropic, OpenAI, or Gemini. Some models like Gemini Flash are available for free. You only pay for AI inference credits when you use AI models, with no subscriptions or seat fees for the open source version.
What is the difference between Plan and Act modes?
Plan mode lets Cline think and propose a strategy before acting, showing you the steps it's thinking of before touching your code. Act mode directly executes actions without the planning phase. You can switch between the two depending on the level of supervision you want for each task.
Does Cline only work with VS Code?
Cline is primarily a VS Code extension with no standalone application. However, it works in all VS Code-based editors including Cursor and some forks. It also has a JetBrains plugin for IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand, and supports Antigravity, Zed, and Neovim via ACP mode.
What is the Cline MCP Marketplace?
The MCP Marketplace is an integrated marketplace for installing MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers that extend Cline's capabilities. These servers provide database access, web tools, third-party APIs, and more. Users can also create custom MCP tools that Cline can access, like a weather API tool for fetching forecasts.
Is Cline secure for professional code?
Cline only sends your code to the LLM provider you configured. By using on-premise or local models, you can keep code completely private. All actions are always subject to your explicit approval, giving you full control. Enterprise plans add SSO, role-based access control, audit logs, and VPC deployments for additional security.
Can I use my own API keys?
Absolutely! You can bring your own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others. This gives you complete control over your costs and usage. You're never locked into Cline's platform or pricing - you can switch providers or self-host anytime.
What AI models does Cline support?
Cline supports 30+ AI providers including Anthropic (Claude), OpenAI (GPT), Google (Gemini), DeepSeek, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex, Groq, Cerebras, Vercel AI Gateway, and many more. You can choose any model from these providers and switch between them freely.
What tools can Cline use?
Cline has built-in tools including bash for shell commands, editor for viewing and editing files, read_files for batch reading, apply_patch for unified diffs, search with ripgrep-powered codebase search, fetch_web for HTTP requests with HTML-to-markdown conversion, and ask_question for user input. It also supports MCP tools and custom tools through plugins.
Does Cline work for teams?
Yes, Cline offers enterprise solutions for teams including team management dashboard, role-based access control, SSO, OIDC, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, centralized billing, JetBrains extension, OpenTelemetry integration, priority support, and dedicated support. You can manage members, roles, and permissions across your organization.
How do I get started with Cline?
Install the Cline extension from the VS Marketplace, configure your preferred API provider in the extension settings by entering your API key and model ID, then open the Cline sidebar panel and start interacting with your AI assistant. You can also install the CLI globally with npm i -g cline for terminal usage.