Cline vs Continue: pricing, features and which to choose

Cline is an open source coding agent from Cline Bot Inc. The project was created in July 2024 and is distributed through a VS Code extension, CLI, desktop app, JetBrains plugin, and SDK. Its GitHub repository lists the Apache License 2.0 and more than 70,000 stars. Cline’s July 2025 funding announcement says the company raised $32 million across seed and Series A rounds. The agent is built for developers who want to inspect code, edit files, run commands, and choose model providers. The same core supports editor work, terminal sessions, desktop use, and embedded applications. The client is free for individual developers, while AI inference can use Cline credits, ClinePass, or a developer’s own provider credentials.

Cline reads project files, writes code, runs terminal commands, uses a browser, and works with external tools. A typical task can begin in Plan mode, where the developer reviews an approach, then move to Act mode for implementation. The interface asks for approval before actions, while auto-approve can reduce interruptions. File edits appear as diffs, and checkpoints support undoing agent changes. Project rules in .clinerules files describe coding standards, architecture, testing, and deployment conventions. MCP servers add tools for databases, APIs, and infrastructure. Cline also supports plugins, skills, messaging connections, scheduled tasks, headless automation, and multi-agent workflows. The CLI supports interactive and headless operation, making the same agent available for local development, scripting, and CI work.

Cline still requires review of generated edits, shell commands, model output, checkpoints, and provider availability. Telemetry is enabled by default in the VS Code and JetBrains extensions, desktop app, and CLI, although users can turn it off. Requests made through Cline or ClinePass can include prompts and model responses in Cline’s handling of those providers, while requests using other providers go to those providers under their policies. Cursor is a closer commercial editor competitor, GitHub Copilot is closely tied to GitHub workflows, and Windsurf is another agentic coding product. Cline suits developers who want Apache-licensed code, provider choice, local runtimes, and explicit action approval. Teams wanting a managed editor subscription with bundled model access may prefer Cursor, Copilot, or Windsurf.

Continue is an open source coding agent project for editors, terminals, and pull requests. Founded by Ty Dunn and Nate Sesti, it launched in 2023 and entered Y Combinator’s Summer 2023 batch. It began with VS Code and JetBrains extensions, then added a command line interface and repository based agents. Continue’s homepage says it joined Cursor, while the open source codebase remains freely available. A June 2026 report described the hosted product as wound down, with users given until July 15, 2026 to export data. That change matters because Continue is no longer best understood as an independent vendor with a stable commercial roadmap. It is better viewed as an Apache 2.0 codebase and technology handoff for teams willing to manage configuration, providers, permissions, and ongoing operation themselves.

A typical workflow begins with installing the VS Code or JetBrains extension, choosing model providers, and assigning roles for chat, edit, apply, autocomplete, embeddings, and reranking. Developers can add repository rules, context providers, prompts, tools, and markdown agent files. The CLI runs an agent locally with a command such as cn --agent. GitHub Actions can discover agent files, run them in parallel, write job summaries, and create separate Check runs. Agents can read files and run commands, so the documented workflow recommends scoped GitHub permissions, secret based API keys, local testing, and review before enabling write actions. This makes Continue useful for teams that want repository controlled instructions and pull request checks, but less suitable for buyers seeking managed agents with little configuration or operational responsibility.

Continue offers more provider control than GitHub Copilot and keeps agent definitions close to repository code. Cursor is the closest commercial comparison and now owns Continue, while Claude Code is a stronger terminal first alternative with a more defined product identity. Gemini CLI offers another terminal workflow, and Goose targets configurable open source agents. Continue’s acquisition makes independent direction and hosted availability uncertain, and its agents can read files and run commands, requiring permission review and human checking. Pick Continue if Apache 2.0 code, local models, provider choice, repository based agents, and source controlled GitHub workflows matter more than a supported standalone subscription. Choose Cursor instead for a commercial integrated editor, or Claude Code for a clearer terminal first product with less emphasis on maintaining the surrounding codebase.