Claude Code vs Cline: Side-by-Side Comparison 2026
Claude Code vs Cline comparison 2026. Side-by-side features, pricing & capabilities.
| Feature | Claude Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Assistant | Agent |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| Model Family | Claude | Multi-model (any) |
| Code Completion | ✓ | — |
| Chat | ✓ | ✓ |
| Agentic Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-File Editing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terminal Commands | ✓ | ✓ |
| Browser Use | — | ✓ |
| App Generation | — | ✓ |
| Git Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Supported IDEs | VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Terminal | VS Code |
| Open Source | No | Yes (Apache 2.0) |
Pricing verified 2026-02-06. Claude Code pricing | Cline pricing
Overview
Claude Code is a CLI tool from Anthropic. Cline is an AI agent from Cline (Open Source). Both tools are actively maintained as of 2026.
Claude Code: What You Get
Anthropic's CLI tool that brings Claude directly into your terminal for agentic coding — it can read, edit, and create files autonomously.
- Agentic file editing
- Terminal integration
- Git operations
- Multi-file refactoring
- Code review
- Test writing
Pricing: Free / $20/mo. 7 plans available.
Cline: What You Get
Cline — AI Coding Agent from Cline (Open Source). VS Code Agent.
- AI chat
- Agentic mode
- Multi-file editing
- Terminal commands
- Test generation
- Debugging
- Git integration
- App generation
Pricing: Free / $20/mo. 3 plans available.
Key Differences
- Category: Claude Code is a CLI tool, Cline is an AI agent.
- Model family: Claude Code uses Claude; Cline uses Multi-model (any).
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Claude Code if you want Autonomous multi-file changes with full codebase understanding. Choose Cline if you want Cline handles multi-step tasks independently. Both tools are strong options — the right choice depends on your workflow and priorities.