Cline vs Rovo Dev CLI: 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.

Rovo Dev CLI is Atlassian's command line interface for software development tasks, with local repository access and connections to Atlassian work data. Atlassian began rolling it out in October 2025 after beta testing. The service targets teams using Jira Standard or Premium, where administrators can enable the CLI separately from Rovo Dev code reviews. Atlassian now says Rovo Dev is reaching end of life as a standalone product. Its capabilities are moving into eligible Jira and Teamwork Collection subscriptions, and Rovo Dev CLI is becoming Rovo CLI. That gives the current tool a clear practical use, but also makes its name and billing model transitional. Atlassian does not publish a company founding or Rovo Dev user count in these product documents.

A normal session starts with `acli rovodev run`, either interactively or with one instruction for a discrete task. From the terminal, the agent can inspect a repository, explain code, generate documentation, create or refactor files, and run development tasks. Jira commands show connection status, set a global project, apply a workspace-specific project, or disable the integration, helping teams align terminal work with tracked issues. The `--worktree` option isolates changes in a Git worktree, which is useful for parallel experiments or safer reviews. Session controls restore, fork, rename, clear, or prune context. Administrators can configure MCP servers, memory files, saved prompts, hooks, subagents, and permitted directories. Plan and read-only ask modes support review before edits, while model selection, usage reporting, server mode, and an optional IDE plugin extend the workflow.

The largest limitation is the product transition. Atlassian says standalone Rovo Dev is ending, while the move to Rovo CLI changes commands, settings, authentication, and credit accounting. Teams evaluating it should therefore test migration procedures before standardizing scripts, configuration files, or onboarding documentation. The rollout documentation says Rovo Dev does not support data residency, is not HIPAA compliant, and has not yet been externally audited for ISO 27001 or SOC 2 compliance. The free allowance can support initial trials, but usage stops when 350 credits are exhausted; Standard costs $20 per developer monthly for 2,000 organization-level credits, with extra usage priced at $0.01 per credit. GitHub Copilot CLI, Claude Code, and Aider offer different terminal approaches. Rovo Dev suits Jira-centered teams willing to manage transition risk and needing Atlassian context inside development sessions.