Softwr

Software Development · head to head

Cline vs Sweep

Cline logo

Cline

Software Development

The Open Coding Agent

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sweep logo

Sweep

Developer Tools

AI coding assistant for JetBrains IDEs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cline no seat licenses or subscription fees for open source tier creates unclear Enterprise pricing model; Sweep limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cline and Sweep actually diverge.

Attributes where Cline and Sweep differ
AttributeClineSweep
Pricing modelusage-basedFreemium with paid tiers
PlatformsWebJetBrains IDEs
CategorySoftware DevelopmentDeveloper Tools
FoundedUnknown2023

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cline

Nothing recorded that Sweep does not also cover.

Only in Sweep

  • Autocomplete
  • AI Agent
  • Full codebase indexing
  • Code review functionality
  • Multi-IDE support
  • GitHub integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cline

  • AI-assisted code generation and refactoringnot Sweep
  • VS Code extension for developersnot Sweep
  • Enterprise multi-user team collaborationnot Sweep

Sweep

  • Accelerating code completion for JetBrains developersnot Cline
  • Automating refactoring tasks across codebasesnot Cline
  • Handling bug fixes with full repository contextnot Cline
  • Code review and quality assurancenot Cline

Where each one falls short

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

Cline

  • no seat licenses or subscription fees for open source tier creates unclear Enterprise pricing model
  • JetBrains IDE support only in Enterprise tier

Sweep

  • Limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
  • Free tier limited to 1,000 autocompletes per month
  • API credit consumption varies by feature usage
  • Performance dependent on codebase size and indexing quality

Pricing, plan by plan

Cline

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cline review.

Sweep

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1,000 autocompletes
    • 5 USD API credits included
    • All JetBrains IDEs supported
  • Pro$20/month
    • Unlimited autocomplete
    • Higher API credit allocation
    • Priority support
  • Ultra$60/month
    • Unlimited autocomplete
    • Maximum API credit allocation
    • Extended context window

Which should you pick?

Choose Cline if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cline review

Choose Sweep if

  • You need autocomplete.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JetBrains IDEs.
  • You also want ai agent.
Sweep review

Questions people ask

Is Cline or Sweep better?
Neither clearly leads. Cline starts at Free and Sweep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cline or Sweep?
Cline starts at Free and Sweep at Free.
Does Cline or Sweep run on more platforms?
Cline runs on Web. Sweep runs on JetBrains IDEs.
Can I use Cline for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cline best used for?
Cline is most often used for ai-assisted code generation and refactoring, vs code extension for developers, enterprise multi-user team collaboration. Of those, ai-assisted code generation and refactoring and vs code extension for developers are not what Sweep is typically brought in for.
What can Cline do that Sweep cannot?
Sweep covers Autocomplete, AI Agent, Full codebase indexing, Code review functionality.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cline: Is Cline free?

Yes, Cline open source is free and Apache 2.0 licensed; you pay only for AI model inference when you use it, with no subscriptions or seat licenses.

Source
Sweep: What programming languages does Sweep support?

Sweep works with all programming languages supported by JetBrains IDEs, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Kotlin, C++, and many others.

Source
Cline: Does Cline have team collaboration features?

Team collaboration is available in the Enterprise tier only, which includes SSO/OIDC, role-based access control, team management dashboard, and audit logs.

Source
Sweep: Does Sweep retain my code data?

No. Sweep is SOC 2 Type II certified with zero data retention. Code is processed for suggestions but not stored.

Source
Cline: Can I use my own AI API keys with Cline?

Yes, you can bring your own API keys from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and other providers, giving you full control over inference costs.

Source
Sweep: Can I cancel my Sweep subscription anytime?

Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings with no long-term commitments or cancellation fees.

Source
Cline: What's included in Cline Enterprise?

Cline Enterprise adds JetBrains IDE support, SSO/OIDC authentication, SLA, dedicated support, centralized billing, role-based access control, and audit logging to the open source features.

Source
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