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Claude Code vs Cline

Claude Code logo

Claude Code

Software

AI-powered CLI for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
C

Cline

Software

The Open Coding Agent

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Claude Code has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Claude Code live anthropic.com/pricing fetched (checked 19 Aug 2026): Claude Code has no standalone price, only bundled into Pro, Max and Team seat tiers; Cline enterprise tier pricing is gated behind a sales contact; only the open source free tier and usage based inference credits are self serve, as of August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Claude Code and Cline actually diverge.

Attributes where Claude Code and Cline differ
AttributeClaude CodeCline
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Claude Code

  • Live anthropic.com/pricing fetched (checked 19 Aug 2026): Claude Code has no standalone price, only bundled into Pro, Max and Team seat tiers
  • Team self-serve plan has a hard 75-seat cap; larger teams must use Enterprise, sold by quote

Cline

  • Enterprise tier pricing is gated behind a sales contact; only the open source free tier and usage based inference credits are self serve, as of August 2026.

Pricing, plan by plan

Claude Code

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Claude Code review.

Cline

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cline review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Claude Code if

  • You want to start without paying.
Claude Code review

Choose Cline if

Nothing in the data separates Cline from Claude Code on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Cline review

Questions people ask

Is Claude Code or Cline better?
Neither clearly leads. Claude Code starts at Free and Cline at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Claude Code or Cline?
Claude Code has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Claude Code and On request for Cline.
Does Claude Code or Cline run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Claude Code for free?
Yes. Claude Code has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Cline starts at On request.
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Related pages

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