Yes, the Cline open source extension is completely free for individual developers. You only pay for AI inference on a usage basis, with no subscriptions or vendor lock-in. You can bring your own API keys or use the Cline provider.

You only pay for AI inference credits when you use AI models, which is usage-based pricing. Open Source Teams is free through Q1 2026 and includes up to 10 seats free even after that.

Can I use my own API keys?

Absolutely! You can bring your own API keys from providers like OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others, giving you complete control over your costs and usage.

What's included in Open Source Teams?

Open Source Teams includes all Open Source features plus JetBrains extension, centralized billing, simple config management, role-based access control, inference provider limits, team management system & dashboard, and priority support. It's free through Q1 2026, then $20/month per user, with the first 10 seats always free.

When do I need Enterprise?

Enterprise is for organizations requiring advanced features such as SSO, OIDC, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, VPC deployments, SLA, OpenTelemetry, and dedicated support.

Is there vendor lock-in?

No, Cline is open source and supports a wide range of providers like Anthropic, Gemini, OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex, Groq, Cerebras, and DeepSeek, allowing you to switch providers or self-host anytime.

Cline: The Open Coding Agent for Secure Enterprise Development

About Cline

Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that integrates directly into your IDE (VS Code, JetBrains) and terminal. It empowers developers to read, write, and refactor code, execute commands, and use a browser through natural conversation, always requiring explicit approval for actions. It emphasizes security with client-side processing and flexible deployment options, supporting a wide range of frontier AI models.

AI-extracted from public sources. May contain errors. Methodology · Are you Cline? Claim listing

What Makes Cline Unique

Cline stands out with its client-side architecture, ensuring user code and prompts never leave their infrastructure. It offers unparalleled data security and sovereignty by allowing users to bring their own AI inference providers or deploy the agent on-premise, in VPCs, or air-gapped environments.

Capabilities

Code generation

Code refactoring

Code understanding

Terminal command execution

Web browsing

File manipulation

Multi-step reasoning

Memory/context retention

Task Categories

Pros

+Open-source and highly extensible
+Ensures code privacy with client-side architecture
+Supports bringing your own AI inference keys and providers
+Offers flexible deployment options (VPC, on-prem, air-gapped)
+Integrates seamlessly with popular IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains) and CLI
+Provides collaborative features and team management for enterprises
+Human-in-the-loop design ensures control and safety
+No vendor lock-in for AI models

Limitations

-Requires explicit human approval for every action, which may slow down fully autonomous workflows
-Advanced configuration management and fine-grained permissioning for enterprise are marked as 'Coming Soon'
-Primarily focused on coding tasks, not suitable for general-purpose AI applications outside development
-Teams tier transitions to a paid subscription after Q1 2026 (though first 10 seats remain free)

AI Agents

AI Agents

Cline

Quick Answer

Decision Intelligence

Best For

Not Ideal For

Frequently Asked Questions

Dimension Scores

Task Scores

Trust Score

Switching & Migration

AI Agents

AI Agents

Cline

Quick Answer

Decision Intelligence

Best For

Not Ideal For

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cline free?

What do I pay for?

Can I use my own API keys?

What's included in Open Source Teams?

When do I need Enterprise?

Is there vendor lock-in?

Dimension Scores

Task Scores

Trust Score

Switching & Migration