AgentdexBlog · · Agentdex Editorial
Cline Pricing (2026): Free Extension, ClinePass and Enterprise
Cline (Agentdex profile) is an open-source AI coding agent, and the software itself is free for individual developers. What you pay for is model usage: you either bring your own API key, pay as you go through Cline's own provider, or subscribe to ClinePass for $9.99/month. Teams that need SSO, audit logs and central controls can buy Cline Enterprise. This guide explains each option as of October 24, 2026, based on Cline's official pricing page and docs, and how to keep your bill under control.
Key Takeaways
- The Cline extension and CLI are free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license.
- You pay only for inference: your own API keys, Cline credits (pay as you go), or ClinePass.
- ClinePass costs $9.99/month and gives 2 to 5 times the usage on selected open coding models compared with standard API rates.
- Local models through Ollama or LM Studio cost nothing beyond your hardware.
- Cline Enterprise has custom pricing and adds SSO, SCIM, RBAC, audit logs, VPC deployment and an SLA.
Cline pricing at a glance
Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
Open Source (individuals) | Free | VS Code extension, CLI, MCP Marketplace, multi-root workspaces |
Bring your own key | Your provider's API rates | Use Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, Amazon Bedrock, Vertex AI, DeepSeek and more |
Cline (usage-billing) | Pay as you go with Cline credits | One account for 100+ models, including some free models |
ClinePass | $9.99/month | 2 to 5 times the usage on selected open models compared with standard API rates |
Local models | Free | Run models on your own machine with Ollama or LM Studio |
Enterprise | Custom (contact sales) | SSO, OIDC, SCIM, RBAC, audit logs, VPC deployment, SLA, centralized billing, JetBrains extension |
Is Cline really free?
Yes. Cline's code is on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 license, and individuals can use the VS Code extension and CLI without paying Cline anything. But Cline needs an AI model to work, and models are not free unless you use a promotional free model or run one locally. So "free" means no subscription, not zero cost.
Ways to pay for models in Cline
1. Bring your own API key
You add a key from a provider such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter, Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex AI, Groq, Cerebras, Vercel AI Gateway or DeepSeek, and pay that provider directly at its normal rates. Cline adds no markup. This is the most flexible option and the one most developers start with.
2. Cline (usage-billing)
Instead of managing keys from several vendors, you sign in to Cline, add credits and pick from 100+ models in one place. Credits are used pay-as-you-go when you choose paid models, and some models are tagged FREE in the model picker during limited-time promotions.
3. ClinePass: $9.99/month
ClinePass is an optional subscription for open-weight coding models such as GLM, Kimi, DeepSeek, Qwen and MiniMax models. Cline says it gives 2 to 5 times the usage you would get by paying standard API rates for the same models. Usage is measured against a rolling 5-hour window, a weekly limit and a monthly limit. ClinePass covers only the models on its list, so if you want frontier models from Anthropic or OpenAI, you still need your own key or Cline credits.
4. Local models
Cline can run models locally through Ollama, LM Studio or Atomic Chat. You pay nothing per token, but you need capable hardware, and smaller local models are usually weaker at long agent tasks than frontier models.
Cline Enterprise
Cline Enterprise is for organizations that need control over how the agent is used. Cline's pricing page lists SSO, OIDC, SCIM provisioning, role-based access control, audit and authentication logs, VPC deployment, an SLA, centralized billing, the ability to limit which inference providers developers can use, and the JetBrains extension. Pricing is custom, so you need to contact Cline's sales team.
Other Cline products
- Cline CLI: the same agent in your terminal, including headless runs for scripts and CI.
- Cline Desktop: an open-source app for running parallel sessions and scheduled tasks.
- Cloud Agents: run Cline in a cloud sandbox on one of your GitHub repos from the browser. You can use free models, ClinePass or Cline credits, with up to 10 sessions running at once and 50 new sessions a day.
What does Cline cost in practice?
It depends almost entirely on the model you choose and how you work. Cline reads files, runs commands and iterates over many turns, so each task can use a lot of tokens. A frontier model on a large codebase costs far more per task than a small open model on a small project. Check your provider's usage dashboard (or Settings, then View Usage, if you use Cline credits) after your first few sessions rather than relying on estimates.
How to keep Cline costs down
- Use Plan mode first. Plan & Act lets you agree on an approach before Cline edits code, which cuts wasted turns.
- Match the model to the task. Use a cheaper model for simple edits and save frontier models for hard problems.
- Keep context tight. Mention only the files Cline needs, and start new tasks instead of running one endless session.
- Write rules files. Clear project rules reduce back-and-forth. Our rules packs can help.
- Try ClinePass or local models for routine work on open models.
Cline pricing vs other AI coding tools
Cline's model is the opposite of a flat subscription. Tools like Cursor (Agentdex profile), GitHub Copilot (Agentdex profile) and Devin (Agentdex profile) charge a monthly fee with usage limits, while Cline charges nothing for the software and passes model costs straight through. That suits developers who want full control over models and spending, and it can cost more than a subscription for heavy users of frontier models. Compare Cline vs Cursor, Cline vs Roo Code and Devin pricing.
FAQ
How much does Cline cost?
The Cline extension and CLI are free for individuals. You pay for model usage through your own API key, Cline credits or ClinePass at $9.99/month. Enterprise pricing is custom.
Is Cline free to use?
The software is free and open source. Model usage costs money unless you use a promotional free model or run a local model with Ollama or LM Studio.
What is ClinePass?
ClinePass is an optional $9.99/month subscription that gives 2 to 5 times the usage on selected open coding models compared with paying standard API rates.
Does Cline have an Enterprise plan?
Yes. Cline Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM, RBAC, audit logs, VPC deployment, an SLA and centralized billing. Pricing is available from Cline's sales team.
Does Cline add a markup to API costs?
No. With your own key you pay your provider directly, and Cline's pricing page says inference through Cline is charged at cost.
Written by Agentdex Editorial. Agentdex is an independent directory reviewing AI coding tools; we are not affiliated with the companies mentioned. Prices and features are as of October 24, 2026, from official sources linked above. Always confirm on the vendor's site.