Kiro vs Cline
Plans, free access, limits and intended use side by side, taken from each vendor’s own pages. No score and no winner: the facts show where the two differ.
Change tools
AWS agentic IDE and CLI built around specs, steering files and hooks, metered in monthly credits
Open source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal and the browser, paid per model use
- Free access
- Kiro: Free access
- Cline: Free access
- Paid from
- Kiro: USD 20 per user per month
- Cline: USD 9.99 per month
- Plans listed
- Kiro: 6
- Cline: 4
- Public API
- Kiro: Not confirmed
- Cline: Yes
Where Kiro and Cline differ
- Open sourceOnly Cline is open source.
- Pricing checkPrices confirmed for Kiro; some prices or terms not confirmed for Cline.
- PlansKiro lists 6 plans and Cline lists 4.
Head to head
Each value from the tool’s profile and the vendor’s own pages
| Kiro | Fact | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Access and price | ||
| Free access availableFree · USD 0 | Free accessSame | Free access availableOpen Source · USD 0 |
| USD 20 per user per monthPro | Lowest listed paid plan | USD 9.99 per monthClinePass |
| Free (50 credits/month); Pro $20, Pro+ $40, Pro Max $100, Power $200 per user per month; add-on credits $0.04 | Pricing model | Free open source software; models paid per use (own API key or Cline credits) or ClinePass at $9.99/month; Enterprise custom |
| 6 | Plans listedDiffers | 4 |
| Not confirmed | Public API | Yes |
| Not confirmed | Card to start | Not required |
| No | Open sourceDiffers | Yes |
| What it is for | ||
| Developers who want spec-driven agent work in a VS Code-style IDE with a fixed monthly credit cap | Built for | Developers who want an approval-based coding agent and choose and pay for their own models |
| Coding | CategorySame | Coding |
| Platforms |
|
| Works with |
|
| How current | ||
| Profile sources checked | ||
| Prices confirmed · Oct 24, 2026 | Pricing checkDiffers | Some prices or terms not confirmed · Oct 24, 2026 |
Official source check for both tools. No hands-on testing and no score: “Differs” marks a documented difference, not a better tool.
Plans and prices
Kiro
Prices confirmed · Oct 24, 2026- FreeUSD 0
- ProUSD 20 per user per month
- Pro+USD 40 per user per month
- Pro MaxUSD 100 per user per month
- PowerUSD 200 per user per month
Show 1 more plan
- EnterpriseContact sales
Cline
Some prices or terms not confirmed · Oct 24, 2026- Open SourceUSD 0
- Cline credits (usage-billing)Pay as you go; inference at cost
- ClinePassUSD 9.99 per month
- EnterpriseCustom quote
Strengths and limits
Kiro
Strengths
- Published credit sizes: Each plan states its monthly credits, and the docs list a multiplier for every model, so a month can be sized before paying.
- Hard cap by default: If you buy no add-on credits, usage pauses at the plan limit instead of running up an overage bill.
- Structured planning files: Specs leave requirements, design and tasks as files in the repository that you can review and keep.
Limits to plan around
- Content used by default: Free and individual paid users' prompts, code and responses may be used for service improvement unless they opt out.
- Free has no top-up: Free cannot buy add-on credits; when its 50 credits run out, you wait for next month or upgrade.
- Credits do not roll over: Unused plan credits reset at the start of each calendar month; only purchased add-ons last 12 months.
Cline
Strengths
- No software fee: The extension, CLI and desktop app are free for individual developers, with no subscription or seat fee on the open source path.
- Open source client: The GitHub repository is published under the Apache 2.0 licence, so the code can be read, forked and built.
- Wide model choice: Your own key for dozens of providers, local models, or one Cline balance across 100+ models; switching provider does not lock you in.
Limits to plan around
- Open-ended model bill: Pay-as-you-go cost follows token use, so a long task on a frontier model can cost more than a flat-priced editor plan.
- ClinePass limits unquantified: ClinePass is measured against 5-hour, weekly and monthly limits, but the docs give no amounts, and it covers only curated open models.
- No refunds on credits: The terms say fees are non-refundable, including unused credits and unused subscription time, unless the law requires otherwise.
See both products
Start from your task, not from a winner.
Run both tools on the same real task, then compare the result, how much editing it needs and how fast it uses your plan’s allowance.
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Questions about comparing tools
How does the comparison work?
Add two tools to the comparison tray from any tool card, then open this page. The table pulls each tool's verified plan details, platforms, strengths and limits from its profile, so both columns carry the same kind of evidence, with a separate source-check date for each tool.
Do you declare a winner?
No. The table sets two tools against each other on documented facts, not on a score. Which one wins depends on your task, your budget and your usage volume — three things we cannot see from here.
Why are some cells empty or marked unverified?
Because we could not confirm that detail on the vendor's own pages. Rather than filling the gap with a figure from elsewhere, we mark it and say why on the tool's profile.
Can I compare more than two tools?
Not at once. Two columns keep the differences readable and force a real decision. Remove either selected tool to replace it, or clear both to start a new pair.
Every figure in the table above comes from the linked profile, where the source and the verification date are listed. Browse all tools or read the editorial policy.