Cline vs Kilo Code: How They Actually Differ
Cline and Kilo Code are both free, open-source VS Code coding agents. Choose Cline if you want a transparent agent loop with plan/act modes and broader platform support including JetBrains and CLI. Choose Kilo Code if you want the merged features of Cline and Roo Code plus extra power-user modes in one extension.
Compiled 2026-08-27 from our catalogue entries for Cline and Kilo Code.
The short answer
- Pick Cline if
- You want an Apache 2.0 open-source agent that runs in VS Code with a transparent, inspectable loop, plan/act modes, approval-gated terminal execution, and you need JetBrains or CLI access alongside VS Code.
- Pick Kilo Code if
- You live in VS Code and want a single extension that merges Cline and Roo Code features with extra power-user modes aimed at advanced coding workflows, with no paid tier required.
- Cheapest way in
- Both products are free, so the entry cost is zero on the tool itself. Cline requires bringing your own API key with no managed tier; Kilo Code is also a free VS Code extension with no paid tier recorded.
- What we could not compare
- No docs are listed for either product. No verified plans are on file for either. Specific API key costs, per-task budget behavior, and feature-level differences beyond what is described are not on the sheet.
Cline and Kilo Code sit in the same lane: free, open-source AI coding agents aimed at VS Code users who are comfortable wiring up their own model access. They share the category, the free price tag, and the open-source posture, but they make different bets about what a solo founder actually needs from the agent.
Cline leans on transparency. It ships as a VS Code extension with no separate app to install, is open source under Apache 2.0 with an agent loop you can inspect, and supports plan/act modes with approval-gated terminal execution. Kilo Code leans on consolidation. It is a VS Code extension that merges features from Cline and Roo Code into one package and adds power-user modes for workflows beyond basic completions.
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 | Kilo Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | vscode-ext, jetbrains-plugin, cli | vscode-ext |
| Category | AI Coding Agents | AI Coding Agents |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Public source code | Yes — public repo | Yes — public repo |
| 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 with no separate app to install.
- Open source under Apache 2.0 with a transparent agent loop you can inspect.
- Supports plan/act modes and approval-gated terminal execution, and is available across VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI.
Where Kilo Code is the better fit
- Open-source codebase that allows community inspection and contributions.
- Merges features from both Cline and Roo Code into a single VS Code extension.
- Includes power-user modes aimed at advanced coding workflows beyond basic completions, with no paid tier required.
Which one should you pick?
It is the only one of the two that lists JetBrains and CLI among its platforms, and it explicitly supports plan/act modes with approval-gated terminal execution.
Its stated pitch is merging the two established open agents in a single free VS Code extension, with added power-user modes.
Both are free, both are open source, and both install as a VS Code extension. The deciding factor is whether you value Cline's transparency modes or Kilo Code's merged feature set and power-user modes.
Frequently asked questions
- Are these tools free to use?
- Both list a free pricing model with a free starting point. Cline requires you to bring your own API key and has no managed pricing tier; Kilo Code is listed as a free VS Code extension with no paid tier required.
- Are they open source?
- Yes. Cline is open source under Apache 2.0 with a public repo at github.com/cline/cline. Kilo Code is also open source with a public repo at github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode.
- Which one works outside VS Code?
- Only Cline lists platforms beyond VS Code; its platforms are listed as vscode-ext, jetbrains-plugin, and cli. Kilo Code is listed as vscode-ext only.
- Do either have documentation or verified pricing plans?
- Docs are listed as none for both products, and verified plans are noted as none on file for both.
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/kilocode — checked 2026-06-14 · 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, jetbrains-plugin, cli 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. ## Kilo Code (/tools/kilocode) Tagline: Open-source VS Code coding agent merging the best of Cline and Roo Code with extra power-user modes. Category: AI Coding Agents Pricing model: free Starts at: Free Platforms: vscode-ext Public repo: https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode Docs: none listed Verified plans: none on file Strengths on file: Open-source codebase that allows community inspection and contributions.; Merges features from both Cline and Roo Code, combining two established AI coding agents into a single extension.; Includes power-user modes aimed at advanced coding workflows beyond basic completions.; Available as a free VS Code extension with no paid tier required. Limits on file: Only available as a VS Code extension, with no support for JetBrains, CLI, or web-based interfaces.; As a fork that merges Cline and Roo Code, it depends on multiple upstream projects that can introduce maintenance and compatibility issues.; Lack of an enterprise tier or dedicated support channels compared to commercial alternatives. Kilo Code is an open-source VS Code coding agent that merges features from Cline and Roo Code into one extension, with extra power-user modes. Its pitch is both, plus more: it combines two established open agents in a single free VS Code extension, adds power-user modes for workflows beyond basic completion, and keeps an open codebase anyone can inspect. It's for VS Code users who want the union of Cline and Roo Code without picking one. Two caveats: it's VS Code only — no JetBrains, CLI, or web — and because it merges two upstream projects, it inherits their maintenance and compatibility churn. It's the merge-of-both option next to its parents, Cline and Roo Code, in the open, in-VS-Code lane.
Change log
- 2026-08-27 — First published, compiled from the catalogue entries for Cline and Kilo Code.