Cline vs Roo Code: AI Coding Tool Comparison
Cline and Roo Code are open-source VS Code agents that use your own model keys.
- Verified 4 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 3 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Cline vs Roo Code: the short answer
Cline and Roo Code are open-source VS Code agents that use your own model keys. Third-party catalogues describe Roo Code as a fork of Cline with more modes, orchestration and customisation.
Both are free software with model costs paid separately. Cline lists an Enterprise plan with SSO and SCIM, while Roo Code adds optional cloud agents; compare them on your own tasks. We compare what documentation supports and mark everything else Unknown. We declare no overall winner, because the better choice depends on workflow, model preferences, oversight needs and budget.
Choose Cline if you- Developers who prefer open-source tools and their own API keys
- Teams that want visible, approved agent actions
- Organisations comparing model vendors
Choose Roo Code if you- VS Code users who want an open-source agent
- Developers who want custom modes
- Teams comparing Cline-style agents
Cline and Roo Code at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Cline
Cline Bot Inc. · AI Coding Agents
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent. It runs as an extension in VS Code (with a CLI), can create and edit files, run commands and use tools through MCP, and asks for the developer's approval for actions. It works with the model provider of your choice.
Agentic tool- Pricing
- Free and open source for individuals (pay only for model usage); Enterprise custom.
- Best for
- Developers who prefer open-source tools and their own API keys
Roo Code
Roo Code, Inc. · AI Coding Agents
Roo Code is an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code. It can read and write files, run terminal commands with approval, use MCP tools and switch between specialised modes, and it works with the model provider of your choice. Roo Code Cloud adds optional cloud agents.
Agentic tool- Pricing
- Free and open source; pay your model provider; cloud agents priced separately.
- Best for
- VS Code users who want an open-source agent
Cline vs Roo Code: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Cline |  Roo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Primary interface | YesVS Code extension and CLI. | YesVS Code extension. |
| Model choice | YesMany providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, Vertex, OpenRouter and more) with your own keys. | YesMany providers with your own keys, plus local models. |
| Open-source status | YesOpen source. | YesOpen source. |
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier | YesFree for individuals; you pay for model inference. | YesFree extension; you pay model usage. |
| Pricing model | YesFree software; pay model usage through your keys or the Cline provider. | YesFree software; pay model usage; paid cloud agents. |
| Published plan prices reviewedDiffers | YesOpen Source free; Enterprise custom; ClinePass $9.99 reported by one tracker. | PartialCloud prices not recorded; structure only. |
| Agents | ||
| Cloud or remote agentsDiffers | NoRuns in the editor; a third-party review says it stops when the editor closes. | YesRoo Code Cloud Agents via GitHub PRs, Slack or browser. |
| Extensibility | ||
| MCP, skills and hooks | YesMCP support. | YesMCP support. |
| Control | ||
| Documented approval and oversight controls | PartialPer-action approval and checkpoints described by third-party reviews. | PartialApproval for commands and reviewable actions, per third-party reviews. |
| Administration | ||
| Organisation and admin controlsDiffers | YesEnterprise lists SSO, OIDC, SCIM, audit logs, VPC deployment and OpenTelemetry. | PartialRoo Code Cloud Team plan described in the docs index. |
Cline vs Roo Code pricing.
Cline pricing
Free open-source software; users pay model inference through their own API keys or through the Cline provider on a usage basis. Enterprise is custom-priced.
- Open SourceFree
- EnterpriseCustom
- ClinePass$9.99 per month
Figures reported consistently by independent sources; vendor page not reviewed directly. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
All Cline plans and sources
Roo Code pricing
Free open-source extension; model costs go to your provider or to Roo Code Cloud; cloud agents are a separate paid product.
- Open source extensionFree
- Roo Code CloudNot recorded
- Roomote cloud agentReported by one catalogue
Structure only; figures not recorded. Checked 4 Nov 2026.
All Roo Code plans and sourcesCline: Free and open source for individuals (pay only for model usage); Enterprise custom.
Roo Code: Free and open source; pay your model provider; cloud agents priced separately. Prices and allowances change often, so confirm on each vendor's live page.
Prices and plans change. Confirm current terms with each vendor before you decide.
Cline vs Roo Code: implementation, ecosystem, AI and security.
Ease of implementation and usability
We did not test setup or onboarding effort. Evaluate both tools on a real branch of your own repository, with your own tests and conventions.
Integrations and ecosystem
Cline: VS Code, Cline CLI, MCP servers, Anthropic, OpenAI and Google models. Roo Code: VS Code and compatible editors, MCP servers, Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter and Google models, Local models.
AI capabilities
Model choice: Cline - Many providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, Vertex, OpenRouter and more) with your own keys. Roo Code - Many providers with your own keys, plus local models.
Security, deployment and administration
Approval and admin controls: Cline - Per-action approval and checkpoints described by third-party reviews. Roo Code - Approval for commands and reviewable actions, per third-party reviews. Certifications and data-retention terms were not reviewed for either product; check each vendor's security documentation.
Cline and Roo Code: each option, in balance.
Cline
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- The open-source extension is free for individuals, and model costs go directly to the provider.
- Supports a long list of model providers, so teams can change models without changing tools.
- Third-party reviews highlight approval for each action and checkpoints.
- Enterprise lists SSO, SCIM, audit logs and VPC deployment.
- Model costs are separate and unpredictable, because heavy agent use can consume many tokens.
- Setup needs an API key or credits before use, which adds friction compared with a bundled subscription.
- Plan names and prices have changed across versions of the pricing page.
- Third-party sources disagree on JetBrains availability.
Roo Code
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Free and open source with bring-your-own-key model access.
- Custom modes, rules and orchestration allow deep customisation.
- Supports MCP and local models.
- Optional cloud agents extend the local extension.
- Runs mainly inside VS Code with no standalone CLI or web version, per a third-party catalogue.
- Model costs are separate and can grow with agent use.
- Can require more tuning than simpler agents.
- This profile relies on third-party sources and the documentation index, not Roo Code's pricing pages.
Cline or Roo Code: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Cline if you…
- Developers who prefer open-source tools and their own API keys
- Teams that want visible, approved agent actions
- Organisations comparing model vendors
Choose Roo Code if you…
- VS Code users who want an open-source agent
- Developers who want custom modes
- Teams comparing Cline-style agents
Switching between Cline and Roo Code.
Moving between Cline and Roo Code means re-creating project instructions and rules, re-adding MCP servers or other tool connections, and adjusting how your team reviews agent output. Trying each on a separate branch before committing is a low-risk way to compare them.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Cline vs Roo Code: questions and answers
Is Cline or Roo Code better?
The sources reviewed do not support a single ranking. The better choice depends on interface preference, model needs, oversight requirements and budget, so test both on your own repository.
Does Cline have a free plan?
Free for individuals; you pay for model inference.
Does Roo Code have a free plan?
Free extension; you pay model usage.
Which supports more models, Cline or Roo Code?
Cline: Many providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, Vertex, OpenRouter and more) with your own keys. Roo Code: Many providers with your own keys, plus local models.
Where this comparison comes from.
- Cline pricing and FAQ Cline (cline.bot) Official Accessed 4 Nov 2026
- Roo Code Documentation (repository index) Algolia DocSearch (roocodeinc/roo-code-docs) Third-party Accessed 4 Nov 2026 An index of Roo Code's official documentation repository.
- Roo Code AI IDE List Third-party Accessed 4 Nov 2026 Used for features, workflow and pricing structure.
Comparison rows summarise the sources listed and the two profiles. Confirm current details with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested either product. One or both profiles are secondary-source profiles: vendor pages were not reviewed directly, so verify figures with the vendors.
Ready to test Cline and Roo Code?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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