Overview
Summary of findings (sources: cline.bot, docs.cline.bot, GitHub). Note: direct access to https://cline.sh failed due to an SSL certificate verification error (hostname mismatch), so information below was collected from the project's public sites (cline.bot, docs.cline.bot) and the GitHub repository. Short description: Cline is an open-source, client-side AI coding agent that plans, executes, and audits multi-step coding tasks. It is model-agnostic (bring your own API keys or providers) and emphasizes transparency, security, and auditability. Architecture & core features: Cline runs client-side so code and project state remain on the user's machine. It provides two main workflows: Plan (deep planning and multi-step task breakdown) and Act (execute changes with visible diffs). Observability features show actions, diffs, and token/context usage and provide an auditable history of steps. Tooling includes a VS Code extension, a CLI, and a JetBrains extension (teams). It supports multi-root workspaces, a Marketplace of tools/providers (MCP), and integrations such as CI parity and OpenTelemetry exports. Model/provider support referenced includes OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google/Vertex, AWS Bedrock, OpenRouter, and self-hosted endpoints. The project also references a Model Context Protocol for connecting to DBs/APIs/docs and provider configuration guides. Pricing & plans (as presented on cline.bot/pricing and related docs): Open Source (individual) is free; users pay only for AI inference (bring-your-own API keys or chosen providers). Teams are noted as free through 2025; after that the site/docs/news reference a transition and an example price of $20/mo/user. Team features include centralized billing, RBAC, a team dashboard, JetBrains extension, and priority support. Enterprise is offered as a custom plan with SSO, SLA, dedicated support, audit logs, advanced configuration and fine-grained permissioning; some enterprise features are marked as "coming soon." The project emphasizes that Cline does not mark up model inference — users pay providers directly or use Cline Teams billing options. Docs & onboarding: docs.cline.bot contains quick start, configuration and model selection guides, MCP developer docs, best practices, model selection guidance, plan-and-act feature docs, and provider configuration pages (examples referenced: Claude, Z AI). Model comparison and pricing pages are also highlighted in documentation. Project repo / open source: GitHub repository at https://github.com/cline/cline containing source, issue tracking, and contributor guidance. Recent news cited from project blog/coverage: company announced funding (reported as $32M seed + A) and launched "Cline Teams" as an enterprise offering; coverage and blog posts live on cline.bot. Notes on data provenance and next steps: cline.sh could not be fetched directly due to an SSL certificate hostname mismatch (CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED). The information above is derived from cline.bot, docs.cline.bot, and the GitHub repo. Next-step options provided: attempt a relaxed-certificate fetch of cline.sh (not recommended for security reasons) or proceed using cline.bot/docs.cline.bot sources to pull additional requested details (full pricing text, install commands, exact Team pricing table, MCP marketplace items, or copies of specific doc pages).
Key Features
Client-side execution
Runs locally so code and project state remain on the user's machine (data sovereignty).
Plan and Act workflows
Two primary workflows: Plan for deep multi-step planning; Act to execute changes with visible diffs.
Observability and auditability
Shows actions, diffs, token/context usage, and provides an auditable history of steps.
Tooling ecosystem
Provides a VS Code extension, CLI, and JetBrains extension (teams); supports multi-root workspaces.
Model/provider agnostic
Supports multiple providers (OpenAI, Anthropic/Claude, Google/Vertex, AWS Bedrock, OpenRouter and self-hosted endpoints) and BYO API keys.
Model Context Protocol
Mechanism referenced for connecting models to databases, APIs, and documentation contexts.

Who Can Use This Tool?
- Individual developers:Local, client-side AI-assisted coding with BYO API keys and extensions (VS Code/CLI).
- Engineering teams:Centralized billing, RBAC, team dashboards and collaboration via Cline Teams (noted free through 2025 with a later transition).
- Enterprises:Custom enterprise deployments with SSO, SLA, audit logs, dedicated support and advanced configuration.
Pricing Plans
Free open-source usage; users pay only for AI inference via their chosen providers or BYO API keys.
- ✓Open-source codebase
- ✓Client-side operation (local project state)
- ✓Bring-your-own API keys or provider usage
- ✓Access to VS Code extension and CLI
Teams plan noted as free through 2025; documentation/news references a transition with an example of $20/mo/user. Includes centralized billing and team features.
- ✓Centralized billing
- ✓Role-based access control (RBAC)
- ✓Team dashboard
- ✓JetBrains extension for teams
- ✓Priority support
Custom enterprise plans with SSO, SLA, dedicated support, audit logs, and advanced configuration; some features marked as coming soon.
- ✓Single Sign-On (SSO)
- ✓Service Level Agreement (SLA)
- ✓Dedicated support and audit logs
- ✓Advanced configuration and fine-grained permissioning
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- ✓Open-source and transparent
- ✓Client-side execution preserves data sovereignty
- ✓Model-agnostic: supports multiple providers and BYO API keys
- ✓Strong observability and auditable history of actions
- ✓Multiple tooling options (VS Code, CLI, JetBrains) and MCP marketplace
✗ Cons
- ✗Direct fetch of cline.sh failed due to an SSL certificate hostname mismatch (CERTIFICATE_VERIFY_FAILED) — indicates site accessibility issue
- ✗Team pricing transitions are referenced but not finalized (free through 2025 then a transition referenced)
- ✗Some enterprise features are marked as "coming soon" and may not be immediately available
Compare with Alternatives
| Feature | Cline | Cursor | AgentOps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | N/A | $20/month | $40/month |
| Rating | 8.1/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.2/10 |
| Client-side Execution | Yes | No | No |
| Agent Autonomy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Execution Observability | Yes | No | Yes |
| Model Portability | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Integration Ecosystem | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Developer Workflow | Agent first CLI and editor integrations | Editor native autocomplete and agent workflows | Observability first SDK and replayable workflows |
| Enterprise Governance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Related Articles (6)
Release notes for cline/cline v3.37.x, detailing hooks fixes, new models, onboarding improvements, and remote-config enhancements.
A feature request to add MiniMax M2 and Kimi K2 thinking models to the Fireworks AI provider in Cline's VSCode extension.
A bug in Cline’s VSCode extension causes Mermaid node text to be clipped when zooming diagrams due to foreignObject rendering during SVG-to-PNG export.
Bug: cline's 'Generate Commit Message with Cline' fails when run from the VSCode Command Palette.
Explores GPT-5.1's relentless research habits and how Cline channels them into stable, long-running execution.
