# Claude Code vs Cline

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** Cline

| Attribute | Claude Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 56.1 (54% (medium)) | 66.4 (56% (medium)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | - | 100 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | - | 811 |
| adoption.github_stars | - | 70,278 |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"Claude Code is an AI coding assistant integrated into Claude that helps developers write, edit, and generate code across multiple interfaces and platforms. It is indexed under AI Coding Assistants.","source":"https://claude.ai/code","question":"What is Claude Code?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Claude Code offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $17 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://claude.ai/code","question":"Is Claude Code free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Claude Code supports the web, iOS, Android and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://claude.ai/code","question":"What platforms does Claude Code support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for Claude Code, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://claude.ai/code","question":"Can Claude Code be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 6 integrations for Claude Code, including Slack, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Remote MCP, Connectors and External APIs. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://claude.ai/code","question":"What does Claude Code integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Claude Code. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Claude Code not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://claude.ai/legal/privacy","question":"What security certifications does Claude Code have?","confidence":0.7}]` | `[{"answer":"Cline is a coding agent that integrates into your development environment—editors and CLI—to automate file reading and writing, execute terminal commands, and browse the web while maintaining human approval over every action. It supports both interactive conversation-based development and headless automation for CI/CD workflows. It is indexed under AI Coding Assistants.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"What is Cline?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Cline is open source, so it can be self-hosted and used at no licence cost. It is released under the Apache-2.0 licence. A commercial or hosted edition starts at $9.99 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"Is Cline free to use?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Cline supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"What platforms does Cline support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Not fully, on what we have confirmed. Cline is offered as cloud / SaaS and hybrid, and a hybrid deployment usually means some components can run on your own infrastructure while the rest stays vendor-hosted. We have not confirmed a completely self-hosted option, so check with the vendor if that is a requirement.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"Can Cline be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 11 integrations for Cline, including Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, WhatsApp, Linear, GitHub Actions and OpenTelemetry, plus 3 more. This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"What does Cline integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Yes. Cline is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, a permissive licence that generally allows commercial use and modification. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.","source":"https://github.com/cline/cline","question":"Is Cline open source?","confidence":0.95},{"answer":"Cline is available worldwide. Its primary market is the United States.","source":"https://docs.cline.bot/","question":"Where is Cline available?","confidence":0.5}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Claude Code is an AI coding assistant integrated into Claude that helps developers write, edit, and generate code across multiple interfaces and platforms. | A conversational coding agent that integrates into development environments and terminals to automate code generation, file management, and command execution, with all actions requiring explicit user approval |
| features.capabilities | `{"form":"autonomous_agent","autonomy":"autonomous","oss_client":"closed","model_source":"single_vendor","pricing_model":"per_seat","runs_commands":true,"self_hostable":false,"editor_support":"terminal, IDE, browser, desktop extensions"}` | `{"form":"chat_edit","autonomy":"agentic","languages":"All languages supported by underlying LLM models","oss_client":"oss","model_source":"model_agnostic","pricing_model":"usage_credits","runs_commands":true,"self_hostable":true,"editor_support":"VS Code, JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand), Cursor, Windsurf, Anti","codebase_context":"repo_wide","multi_file_edits":true,"architecture_model":"vs_code_extension_cline","enterprise_controls":true,"bring_your_own_key_byok_api_support":true,"browser_automation_support_for_visual_qa":true,"local_llm_support_via_ollama_or_lmstudio":true,"multi_file_diff_generation_and_automated_apply":true,"terminal_bash_execution_and_self_correction_loops":true}` |
| integrations.count | 6 | 10 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"Google Workspace"},{"name":"Microsoft 365"},{"name":"Remote MCP"},{"name":"Connectors"},{"name":"External APIs"}]` | `[{"name":"Telegram"},{"name":"Slack"},{"name":"Discord"},{"name":"Google Chat"},{"name":"WhatsApp"},{"name":"Linear"},{"name":"GitHub Actions"},{"name":"OpenTelemetry"},{"name":"Datadog"},{"name":"Grafana"},{"name":"Splunk"}]` |
| language.primary | - | TypeScript |
| license.spdx | - | Apache-2.0 |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"ios":true,"web":true,"android":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"$0","features":["Chat on web, iOS, Android, and desktop","Generate code and visualize data","Write, edit, and create content","Ability to search the web","Memory across conversations","Create files and execute code","Unlock more from Claude with desktop extensions","Connect Slack and Google Workspace services","Integrate any context or tool through connectors with remote MCP","Extended thinking for complex work"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"currency":"USD"}],"description":"Free for everyone","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"$17/month (annual, $200 billed upfront) or $20/month (monthly)","features":["More usage","Includes Claude Code","Includes Claude Cowork","Includes Claude Design","Includes Claude Science","Access to unlimited projects to organize chats and documents","Access to Research","Ability to use more Claude models","Claude for Microsoft 365"],"commitment":"annual","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":17,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":20,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"For everyday productivity","contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Max","summary":"From $100/month (billed monthly)","features":["Choose 5x or 20x more usage than Pro","Higher output limits for all tasks","Early access to advanced Claude features","Priority access at high traffic times"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":100,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"5–20x more usage than Pro","contactSales":false}],"summary":"Free tier available. Pro from $17/month (annual) or $20/month (monthly). Max from $100/month (monthly).","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://claude.ai/code","retrievedAt":"2026-08-05T14:07:01.276Z","startingPrice":{"amount":17,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` | `{"type":"hybrid","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Cline (usage-billing)","summary":"$9.99/month","features":["2-5x usage on popular open models vs. standard API rate","built-in billing","one sign-in","free model options"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":9.99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"description":"Flat monthly subscription with usage credits for open-weight models","contactSales":false}],"summary":"$9.99/month with free model options. Bring Your Own Key alternative available.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://docs.cline.bot/","retrievedAt":"2026-10-13T22:35:30.368Z","startingPrice":{"amount":9.99,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | mid | low |
| pricing.starting_price | - | `{"amount":9.99,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.history | - | `[{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/v4.1.24","date":"2026-10-13T15:02:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.24"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.93","date":"2026-10-13T08:26:52Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.93"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.46","date":"2026-10-13T15:03:59Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.46"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/cli-v3.0.71","date":"2026-10-13T08:56:25Z","type":"stable","version":"cli-v3.0.71"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.92","date":"2026-10-08T05:09:49Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.92"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.45","date":"2026-10-08T06:50:30Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.45"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/cli-v3.0.70","date":"2026-10-08T05:55:09Z","type":"stable","version":"cli-v3.0.70"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/v4.1.23","date":"2026-10-07T07:28:08Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.23"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.91","date":"2026-10-07T06:00:09Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.91"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.44","date":"2026-10-07T07:17:16Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.44"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/cli-v3.0.69","date":"2026-10-07T06:12:01Z","type":"stable","version":"cli-v3.0.69"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.90","date":"2026-10-02T04:35:33Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.90"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.43","date":"2026-10-02T20:39:04Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.43"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.42","date":"2026-10-02T10:04:03Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.42"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.41","date":"2026-10-02T05:29:23Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.41"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/cli-v3.0.68","date":"2026-10-02T04:42:19Z","type":"stable","version":"cli-v3.0.68"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/v4.1.22","date":"2026-09-30T04:10:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v4.1.22"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.89","date":"2026-09-30T23:34:22Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.89"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/sdk/sdk/v0.0.88","date":"2026-09-30T02:32:48Z","type":"stable","version":"sdk/sdk/v0.0.88"},{"url":"https://github.com/cline/cline/releases/tag/desktop-v0.0.40","date":"2026-09-30T23:56:13Z","type":"stable","version":"desktop-v0.0.40"}]` |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.disclosure_policy | - | yes |
| security.gdpr | yes | - |
| security.vulnerabilities | - | `{"count":3,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=npm&package_name=cline&per_page=100","last_12m":3,"max_severity":"CRITICAL"}` |

## Capabilities (AI Coding Assistants)

| Capability | Claude Code | Cline |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Core** |  |  |
| Form | Autonomous agent | Chat / edit |
| Autonomy level | Autonomous | Agentic |
| **Surface** |  |  |
| Editor / surface support | terminal, IDE, browser, desktop extensions | VS Code, JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand), Cursor, Windsurf, Anti |
| **AI** |  |  |
| Model source | Single-vendor | Model-agnostic (BYO key) |
| **Deployment** |  |  |
| Self-hostable / air-gapped | ✗ | ✓ |
| **Context** |  |  |
| Codebase context | - | Repo-wide indexing |
| **Editing** |  |  |
| Multi-file edits | - | ✓ |
| **Agentic** |  |  |
| Runs commands / tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Data** |  |  |
| Zero-data-retention option | - | - |
| **Security** |  |  |
| Enterprise controls | - | ✓ |
| **Ecosystem** |  |  |
| Language coverage | - | All languages supported by underlying LLM models |
| **Commercial** |  |  |
| Pricing model | Per-seat | Usage credits |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-source client | Closed | OSS |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T21:32:24.635Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*