List your tool

Head to head · 2026

Cline vs Kilo Code

Pricing, free plans, ratings, features, pros and cons, side by side. Where one comes out ahead, we mark it.

Cline

Shows you the exact changes before it makes them

4.5Free

Visit Cline (opens Cline in a new tab)

Kilo Code

Merged Cline and Roo Code, now the landing spot for Roo's shutdown

4.3Free

Visit Kilo Code (opens Kilo Code in a new tab)

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

  • Lower starting price

    Not comparable

    Not comparable: Cline does not list a price

  • Free plan

    Tie

    Both have one

  • Higher rating

    Cline

    4.5 against 4.3

  • Same job?

    Yes

    Both are Coding tools

Side by side

Compared onClineKilo Code
Our rating4.5Better4.3
Starts atFreeFree
Free planYesYes
CategoryCodingCoding
PlansFree
  • Free & Open SourceFree
  • Teams$15/user/mo
  • EnterpriseCustom
Key features
  • Shows planned file edits and commands before executing them
  • Model-agnostic, works with multiple LLM providers
  • Early adopter of the Model Context Protocol (MCP)
  • Open source and free to use
  • VS Code extension, no separate editor required
  • Forked and merged both Cline and Roo Code's codebases
  • Official migration path following Roo Code's April 2026 shutdown
  • Support for 500+ underlying models
  • Zero-markup pricing over provider API costs
  • Free and open source
Pros
  • Transparent, approve-before-acting workflow builds real trust in its actions
  • Model flexibility avoids lock-in to a single AI provider
  • Free and open source with an active community
  • Inherited a mature, tested codebase rather than starting from scratch
  • Official, supported landing spot for Roo Code's displaced user base
  • Very wide model selection with no markup on provider costs
Cons
  • Approval-based workflow can feel slower than fully autonomous competitors
  • Model API costs apply separately depending on the provider chosen
  • VS Code extension only, not a standalone editor
  • Fork-of-a-fork lineage can be confusing for newcomers to the ecosystem
  • Recently absorbed a wave of migrating users, worth watching for growing pains
  • VS Code extension only, not a standalone editor
CompanyCline Bot Inc., founded 2024Kilo Code, Inc.

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260703. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Cline better than Kilo Code?

In our reviews Cline scores 4.5 and Kilo Code scores 4.3. The better pick depends on the job. Cline: Shows you the exact changes before it makes them. Kilo Code: Merged Cline and Roo Code, now the landing spot for Roo's shutdown.

Which is cheaper, Cline or Kilo Code?

Cline: free. Kilo Code: free.

Do Cline and Kilo Code have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

More comparisons

Cline compared with

All Cline alternatives

Kilo Code compared with

All Kilo Code alternatives