kitio.aiCline vs Kilo Code
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Cline has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Plan and Act modes
- Bring your own key
- MCP support
- Cline CLI
- Per-task cost display
- Orchestrator mode
- 500+ models via gateway
- JetBrains plugin
- Kilo CLI
- Team usage analytics
| Feature | Cline | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source coding agent for VS Code and the terminal | Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $9.99/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Cline Bot Inc. | Kilo Code |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Cline has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
2 plans
Open Source
Free
- Free VS Code extension and CLI
- Bring your own model API keys
Enterprise
Contact sales
- JetBrains extension
- SSO and SLA
- Dedicated support
- Centralized billing
3 plans
Free & Open Source
Free
- BYOK, local or free models
- Pay exact provider rates via Gateway
- 500+ models, no markup
Teams
$15/mo
- Per user
- Usage analytics and reporting
- Shared custom agents and BYOK
- Centralized billing
Enterprise
Custom
- Enterprise governance
- 14-day trial
- Custom contracts
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Cline
- Free and open source
- Transparent token costs
- Works with local models
- API bills can grow quickly
- Approving each step slows long tasks
Kilo Code
- No markup on model prices
- Free and local models supported
- Same agent in IDE and terminal
- Many settings to learn
- Costs depend on the models you pick
Which one should you choose?
Choose Cline if you want:
- Free and open source
- Transparent token costs
- Works with local models
Watch out: api bills can grow quickly.
Choose Kilo Code if you want:
- No markup on model prices
- Free and local models supported
- Same agent in IDE and terminal
Watch out: many settings to learn.
Cline vs Kilo Code FAQ
What is the difference between Cline and Kilo Code?
Cline: Open-source coding agent for VS Code and the terminal. Kilo Code: Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI. Both are coding tools.
Is Cline or Kilo Code cheaper?
Cline has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
Do Cline and Kilo Code have free plans?
Cline: Yes. Kilo Code: Yes.
Who makes Cline?
Cline is made by Cline Bot Inc., based in United States.
Who makes Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is made by Kilo Code.
Which should I choose, Cline or Kilo Code?
Choose Cline if you value free and open source and transparent token costs. Choose Kilo Code if you value no markup on model prices and free and local models supported.