Do either of these bundle inference or offer a managed plan?

No. Both require you to bring your own API key, and the fact sheet lists no verified pricing plans for either product.

Is Roo Code just Cline?

Roo Code is forked from Cline and adds multi-mode workflows. Cline itself has moved on with JetBrains and CLI builds that Roo Code does not list.

Which licenses do they use?

Cline is listed as Apache 2.0. Roo Code is listed as a permissive license; the specific license name is not recorded on file.

Can I use Roo Code in JetBrains or from the terminal?

Not according to the fact sheet. Roo Code's listed platforms are VS Code only, while Cline lists a JetBrains plugin and CLI in addition to the VS Code extension.

Cline vs Roo Code: How They Actually Differ

Cline and Roo Code are both free, open-source AI coding agents that run in VS Code and require you to bring your own API key. Cline fits builders who want it in JetBrains or the CLI too. Roo Code fits VS Code-only users who want multi-mode workflows and named provider support.

Compiled 2026-08-28 from our catalogue entries for Cline and Roo Code.

The short answer

Pick Cline if: You want an inspectable, in-editor agent that also ships for JetBrains and the CLI, and you only need plan/act modes with approval-gated terminal execution.
Pick Roo Code if: You live in VS Code, want multi-mode workflows for different coding tasks, and want named BYOK support for Claude, GPT, and Gemini.
Cheapest way in: Both are free to install and free to start. In both cases the real cost is the API key you supply yourself — neither product lists a managed pricing tier.
What we could not compare: Verified pricing plans, doc quality, and Roo Code's exact license name are not on file for either product.

Cline and Roo Code sit in the same open, bring-your-own-key lane for AI coding agents. Both run inside VS Code as an extension, both are free, and both ask you to wire up your own API key rather than selling bundled inference.

The fork relationship matters: Roo Code started from Cline and added multi-mode workflows, while Cline has since moved beyond VS Code with JetBrains and CLI builds. The choice is mostly about where you edit and how much workflow structure you want on top of a shared base.

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	Roo 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 ships beyond VS Code via a JetBrains plugin and CLI.

Full Cline entry

Where Roo Code is the better fit

Open-source AI coding agent released under a permissive license.
Runs as a VS Code extension that integrates directly with the editor.
Forked from Cline with multi-mode workflows for different coding tasks, plus bring-your-own-key support for multiple LLM providers including Claude, GPT, and Gemini.

Full Roo Code entry

Which one should you pick?

Solo founder working in VS Code who wants the simplest inspectable agent

Cline

Plan/act modes and approval-gated terminal execution cover most solo workflows, and you can move to JetBrains or the CLI later without switching tools.

Solo founder in VS Code who switches between refactors, tests, docs, and chat across providers

Roo Code

Multi-mode workflows are built around that switching, and BYOK is named for Claude, GPT, and Gemini.

Builder using JetBrains or a terminal-first setup

Cline

Roo Code is listed as VS Code only; Cline has a JetBrains plugin and CLI builds on file.

Frequently asked questions

Do either of these bundle inference or offer a managed plan?: No. Both require you to bring your own API key, and the fact sheet lists no verified pricing plans for either product.
Is Roo Code just Cline?: Roo Code is forked from Cline and adds multi-mode workflows. Cline itself has moved on with JetBrains and CLI builds that Roo Code does not list.
Which licenses do they use?: Cline is listed as Apache 2.0. Roo Code is listed as a permissive license; the specific license name is not recorded on file.
Can I use Roo Code in JetBrains or from the terminal?: Not according to the fact sheet. Roo Code's listed platforms are VS Code only, while Cline lists a JetBrains plugin and CLI in addition to the VS Code extension.

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/roo-code — 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.

## Roo Code (/tools/roo-code)
Tagline: Open-source autonomous coding agent for VS Code, forked from Cline with multi-mode workflows.
Category: AI Coding Agents
Pricing model: free
Starts at: Free
Platforms: vscode-ext
Public repo: https://github.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code
Docs: none listed
Verified plans: none on file
Strengths on file: Open-source AI coding agent released under a permissive license.; Runs as a VS Code extension that integrates directly with the editor.; Forked from Cline while adding multi-mode workflows for different coding tasks.; Supports bring-your-own-key for multiple LLM providers including Claude, GPT, and Gemini.
Limits on file: Limited to VS Code with no JetBrains or other IDE extension available.; Requires users to supply their own API keys rather than bundling inference.
Roo Code is an open-source autonomous coding agent for VS Code, forked from Cline and adding multi-mode workflows for different kinds of coding tasks.
Its angle is flexibility and openness: a permissively licensed VS Code extension with bring-your-own-key across providers like Claude, GPT, and Gemini, and modes you switch between for different jobs.
It's for VS Code users who want Cline's inspectable, open approach with more workflow structure. Two limits: it's VS Code only — no JetBrains or other IDE extension — and you supply your own API keys rather than getting bundled inference.
It's the multi-mode fork of Cline, in the same open, BYOK, in-VS-Code lane.

Change log

2026-08-28 — First published, compiled from the catalogue entries for Cline and Roo Code.