Cline vs Codex: How They Actually Differ
Codex suits builders who want a managed agent that runs across terminal, IDE, and cloud, with GitHub PR review built in. Cline suits VS Code users who want an open-source, inspectable agent and don't mind supplying their own API key.
Compiled 2026-08-22 from our catalogue entries for Cline and Codex.
The short answer
- Pick Codex if
- You want one agent that moves between CLI, IDE, desktop, and cloud, and you care about built-in GitHub pull request code review and bundling with a ChatGPT plan.
- Pick Cline if
- You live in VS Code, want an Apache 2.0 open-source agent whose loop you can inspect, and you already have an API key to point it at.
- Cheapest way in
- Codex Free at $0 /month for a managed tier, or its API Key plan where you pay only for the tokens Codex uses. Cline is free to install, but each task bills against whatever API key you supply.
- What we could not compare
- Cline has no verified plans on file, so we cannot line up per-seat or monthly pricing against Codex. Codex's Business and Enterprise pricing is also not published.
Both Codex and Cline sit in the AI Coding Agents category, but they solve the problem differently. Codex is a managed product from OpenAI that ships the same agent across multiple surfaces and ties into GitHub for pull request review. Cline is a single VS Code extension, distributed as open source, that runs inside the editor you already use.
The practical differences come down to where the agent runs, who controls the model, and who pays the bill. Codex can stay with you from terminal to cloud and reviews PRs for you. Cline stays in VS Code, exposes its code and agent loop, and hands the model choice to you through your own API key.
Side by side
Every cell is a field on our catalogue entry for that tool, copied as recorded. Rows where the two differ come first; blank fields say so rather than being filled in.
| Cline | Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium |
| Starts at | Free | Free — $0 /month |
| Runs on | vscode-ext | web, mac, win, linux, cli, vscode-ext |
| Public source code | Yes — public repo | No public repo listed |
| Category | AI Coding Agents | AI Coding Agents |
| Public docs | Not listed | Not listed |
- Public source code: From the repository link on each catalogue entry, not a licence audit.
Where Cline is the better fit
- Runs inside VS Code as an extension, so there is no separate app to install or keep in sync.
- Open source under Apache 2.0, with an agent loop you can inspect rather than treat as a black box.
- Supports plan/act modes and approval-gated terminal execution, keeping a human in the loop on shell actions.
Where Codex is the better fit
- One agent runs across CLI, IDE extension, desktop app, and cloud, so a task can move between surfaces without losing context.
- Cloud code review on a GitHub pull request catches bugs and proposes fixes inline.
- Reads the shared AGENTS.md instructions file and supports MCP tools.
- Included with ChatGPT plans from the Free tier through Pro, with an API Key option for token-based billing.
Which one should you pick?
It is included from Free up through Pro, works in the terminal or IDE, and the GitHub PR review handles a chunk of code review for a one-person team.
Apache 2.0 code on GitHub, an extension install rather than a new app, and plan/act plus approval-gated terminal execution match a hands-on workflow.
The on-sheet strength is a cloud code review on a pull request that catches real bugs and proposes fixes, which fits a team that lives on GitHub.
Codex is locked to OpenAI's GPT models with no Claude or Gemini out of the box; Cline uses whatever API key you supply, so you choose the model.
Frequently asked questions
- Which platforms does each tool support?
- Codex lists web, mac, win, linux, cli, and vscode-ext. Cline lists vscode-ext only.
- Do I need to bring my own API key?
- No for Codex's managed plans; Codex also offers an API Key plan that bills only for tokens used. Cline requires your own API key and has no managed pricing tier on file.
- Which one is open source?
- Cline is open source under Apache 2.0 with a public repo at https://github.com/cline/cline. Codex lists no public repo.
- Can Cline review pull requests like Codex can?
- The fact sheet does not list GitHub pull request code review as a Cline capability, so we cannot confirm that on file.
- What model does Codex use?
- OpenAI's GPT models, with GPT-5.5 listed as the recommended frontier model. Cline's model depends on the API key you supply; the sheet does not list a default.
What we compared
This page states nothing that is not in the two catalogue entries below. The exact text used to write it is reproduced here so you can check our reading, and both tools link through to their own pages and to the vendor.
- /tools/cline — checked 2026-05-25 · official site
- /tools/codex — checked 2026-07-02 · official site
Show the source text
## Cline (/tools/cline) Tagline: Open-source autonomous coding agent for VS Code, formerly known as Claude Dev. Category: AI Coding Agents Pricing model: free Starts at: Free Platforms: vscode-ext Public repo: https://github.com/cline/cline Docs: none listed Verified plans: none on file Strengths on file: Runs inside VS Code as an extension, no separate app to install.; Open source under Apache 2.0; transparent agent loop you can inspect.; Supports plan/act modes and approval-gated terminal execution. Limits on file: Requires bringing your own API key — no managed pricing tier.; Cost can escalate quickly without per-task budgets. Cline is an open-source autonomous coding agent that runs inside VS Code — formerly known as Claude Dev. Its draw is transparency in a familiar editor: it's a VS Code extension with no separate app, open source under Apache 2.0 with an agent loop you can inspect, and it supports plan/act modes with approval-gated terminal execution. It's for VS Code users who want an inspectable agent with a human in the loop. Two caveats: it needs your own API key — there's no managed pricing tier — and cost can escalate quickly without per-task budgets. It's the in-VS-Code, open option next to terminal agents like Aider and Claude Code. ## Codex (/tools/codex) Tagline: OpenAI's coding agent — works in the terminal, IDE, and cloud, reviews GitHub pull requests, and runs on GPT-5 models. Category: AI Coding Agents Pricing model: freemium Starts at: Free — $0 /month Platforms: web, mac, win, linux, cli, vscode-ext Public repo: none listed Docs: none listed Verified plans (read 2026-08-21): Free $0 /month | Go $8 /month | Plus $20 /month | Pro 5x $100 /month | Pro 20x $200 /month | Business / Enterprise Not published | API Key Pay only for the tokens Codex uses, based on API pricing Strengths on file: Runs one agent across CLI, IDE, desktop, and cloud — work moves between surfaces.; Strong GitHub integration: a cloud code review on a pull request that catches real bugs and proposes fixes.; Reads the shared AGENTS.md standard and supports MCP tools.; Included with ChatGPT plans, from the free tier up through Pro. Limits on file: Locked to OpenAI's GPT models — no Claude or Gemini out of the box.; Fewer built-in customization primitives (hooks, sub-agents) than some rivals. Codex is OpenAI's agentic coding tool. It runs the same agent across a terminal CLI, an IDE extension, a desktop app, and a cloud environment, so work started in one surface can continue in another. It reads the shared AGENTS.md instructions file, speaks the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and can spin up a cloud code review on a GitHub pull request that comments inline and proposes fixes. Codex runs on OpenAI's GPT models — currently GPT-5.5 as the recommended frontier model — and is included with ChatGPT plans, from the free tier up through Pro.
Change log
- 2026-08-22 — First published, compiled from the catalogue entries for Cline and Codex.