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Independent reviews · Clear choices · No jargon

Continue vs Cline

A side-by-side comparison of Continue and Cline — ratings, pricing, strengths, weaknesses and who each one is best for.

Updated 2026

Criteria
Continue
Coding tool
Cline
Coding tool
Rating
4.1
4.5
Pricing
  • Open source: Free
  • Open source: Free
  • API: Pay-as-you-go
Pros
  • ✓ Fully open source
  • ✓ Any model plugs in
  • ✓ Local model support
  • ✓ Shareable team configs
  • ✓ Open-source
  • ✓ VS Code integration
  • ✓ Autonomous execution
  • ✓ Model choice
Cons
  • ✗ Needs configuration
  • ✗ Basic out of the box
  • ✗ Relies on your own models
  • ✗ Needs API key
  • ✗ Consumes tokens
  • ✗ Watch big tasks
Best forOpen-source fans, Local model users, Customization-heavy teams, Privacy-sensitive codingVS Code users, Autonomous development, Script automation
PlatformsVS Code, JetBrainsVS Code

Our verdict

Cline edges ahead on our overall rating (4.5 vs 4.1), but both are capable choices.

Choose Continue if you want Open-source fans, Local model users. Choose Cline if you need VS Code users, Autonomous development.

Read the full Continue review →Read the full Cline review →

FAQ

Is Continue better than Cline?

In our review Continue rates 4.1/5 and Cline rates 4.5/5. Continue is best for Open-source fans, Local model users, while Cline suits VS Code users, Autonomous development — so the better choice depends on your priorities.

What is the difference between Continue and Cline?

Continue: The open-source IDE AI assistant framework — mix any models, customize everything. Cline: An open-source autonomous coding agent inside VS Code that reads/writes files and runs commands.

Which is cheaper, Continue or Cline?

Continue starts at Free (Open source); Cline starts at Free (Open source).