Kilo Code vs Cline: Two Open Source Coding Agents Compared

Kilo Code vs Cline, checked 19 Oct 2026: licences, where each runs, how you pay for models, team prices and which one to pick.

Chaitanya Giri 4 min read Comparisons
Title card on white. The title Kilo Code vs Cline in large ink type, a Two open source coding agents kicker, a Checked 19 Oct 2026 line, and a blue paddle and a lilac paddle trading a ball over a mint table.

Kilo Code and Cline are free, open source coding agents that live in your editor and terminal. Pick Kilo Code for 500+ models through one account and $15 team seats (19 Oct 2026). Pick Cline for the Apache 2.0 licence, a desktop app and an SDK, with model use at cost or on your own key. Checked 19 Oct 2026.

Animation. Two tool belts, one above the other. The Kilo Code belt fills its pouches with VS Code, JetBrains, CLI and cloud; the Cline belt fills VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, desktop app and SDK.
Where each one runs, from each README on 19 Oct 2026.

If you would rather run several agents at once than one in your editor, Munder Difflin is free and open source: a desktop app that runs a team of coding agents such as Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI on your own computer. More picks in our Comparisons hub.

What are Kilo Code and Cline?

Kilo Code calls itself “an AI coding agent that meets you everywhere you work”: VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI. Its README says you pick from 500+ models and can switch models in the middle of a task. It ships agents named Code, Plan, Ask and Debug, and you can build your own. The Kilo Marketplace adds agents, skills, MCP servers and plugins. The README also says “Kilo CLI is a fork of OpenCode”. MIT licensed, 27,654 stars and VS Code release v7.8.12 (15 Oct) on 19 Oct 2026.

Cline calls itself “The open source coding agent in your IDE, terminal, & desktop.” It runs as a CLI that also works headless for CI and scripts, a desktop app for macOS and Windows, a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin and an SDK for building your own agents. By default it asks for your approval before it acts. Apache 2.0, 70,527 stars on 19 Oct 2026. Our Cline vs Munder Difflin page has more on Cline’s own releases.

Kilo Code vs Cline at a glance, checked 19 Oct 2026

Kilo Code Cline
Licence MIT Apache 2.0
Editors VS Code, JetBrains VS Code; JetBrains on Enterprise
Terminal Kilo CLI (a fork of OpenCode) Cline CLI, also headless
Other places Web at app.kilo.ai/cloud Desktop app (macOS, Windows), SDK, Cline Cloud sessions (rolling out)
Models 500+ through one account, or your own key At cost through Cline, or your own key
Individual price Free, usage billed separately (19 Oct 2026) Free, pay for inference (19 Oct 2026)
Team price Teams $15 per user per month; Enterprise custom (19 Oct 2026) Enterprise, contact sales (19 Oct 2026)
Latest release v7.8.12 (VS Code and CLI), 15 Oct 2026 Extension v4.1.25, 16 Oct 2026; CLI v3.0.73, 17 Oct 2026

Licences and releases come from the GitHub API, prices from kilo.ai/pricing and cline.bot/pricing, all read on 19 Oct 2026.

Where does each one run?

Both list a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin and a CLI, though Cline’s pricing page puts JetBrains under Enterprise. After that they split.

  • Kilo Code adds the web. Its README says you can run Kilo “from the web, no local machine needed” at app.kilo.ai/cloud, and set up automated code reviews on pull requests.
  • Cline adds a desktop app and an SDK. The desktop app runs agent sessions in any folder and schedules routines. Extension v4.1.25 (16 Oct 2026) added Cline Cloud sessions, “rolling out gradually”, which run a task in a hosted sandbox on a GitHub repo and branch you pick.

How do you pay for models?

Neither charges for the agent itself if you work alone. You pay for the model, plus Kilo’s cloud compute if you use it.

Animation. Two fuel pumps stand side by side. The Kilo Code pump has nozzles for free models, local models, BYOK, Kilo Gateway and Kilo Pass; the Cline pump has nozzles for at cost and BYOK.
How you pay for the model, from each pricing page on 19 Oct 2026. Tap a pump to light its options.
  • Kilo Code: its pricing page says “Choose free models, local models, BYOK, Kilo Gateway, or Kilo Pass.” BYOK means bring your own key: you pay your model provider directly.
  • Cline: its pricing page says “Pay only for AI inference on a usage basis”, and lists model inference “at Cost or BYOK”.

Kilo Code’s page names five ways to pay, and Cline’s names two. On Kilo, Kilo Pass starts at $19 a month with up to 50% bonus credits, and credit purchases carry a 5% processing fee (19 Oct 2026).

What do teams pay?

This is where they differ most.

Animation. Two rows of cinema seats. Seats in the Kilo Code row light up one by one, each with a tag of 15 dollars per user per month; the Cline row has a single sign that reads Enterprise, contact sales.
Team plans on 19 Oct 2026. Drag the slider to light more seats.
  • Kilo Code lists Teams at “$15/user/month” on 19 Oct 2026, with a 14 day Enterprise trial, and Enterprise at a custom price with SSO, audit logs and an SLA.
  • Cline lists two plans: the free open source plan, and Enterprise at a custom price with SSO, an SLA and dedicated support. Its pricing page lists the JetBrains extension under Enterprise.

Which should you pick?

Pick by where you work and who pays for the model.

  • Pick Kilo Code if you want one account for 500+ models, a per seat team plan, or a browser option without waiting for a rollout.
  • Pick Cline if you want the Apache 2.0 licence, a desktop app, or an SDK to build on.
  • Pick neither if you want different agents, such as Claude Code and Codex, working one job side by side: see best Claude Code multi agent tools.

Both ship releases every few days, so recheck the prices before you commit a team. New to running agents side by side? Start with the Munder Difflin install guide.

FAQ

Is Kilo Code better than Cline?

Neither wins outright. Kilo Code fits people who want 500+ models through one account and $15 team seats. Cline fits people who want the Apache 2.0 licence, a desktop app and an SDK. Both are free for individuals.

Are Kilo Code and Cline free?

Yes, for individuals. Kilo Code's Free plan says usage is billed separately, and Cline's pricing page says you pay only for AI inference on a usage basis. Bring your own key and you pay your model provider directly. Checked 19 Oct 2026.

Which is open source, Kilo Code or Cline?

Both. Kilo Code is MIT licensed and Cline is Apache 2.0, according to the GitHub API on 19 Oct 2026. Kilo's README says its CLI is a fork of OpenCode.

Do Kilo Code and Cline work in JetBrains?

Both list a JetBrains plugin next to the VS Code extension and a CLI. Cline's pricing page lists the JetBrains extension under its Enterprise plan, so check that page before you plan a team rollout.

Can Kilo Code or Cline run in the cloud?

Kilo Code runs from the web at app.kilo.ai/cloud. Cline extension v4.1.25 (16 Oct 2026) added Cline Cloud sessions, rolling out gradually, which run a task in a hosted sandbox on a GitHub repo and branch you pick.