GitHub Copilot 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
Coding assistance inside your editor, with a separate cloud agent for GitHub repositories.
Open source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal and the browser, paid per model use
- Free access
- GitHub Copilot: Free access
- Cline: Free access
- Paid from
- GitHub Copilot: USD 10 per person per month
- Cline: USD 9.99 per month
- Plans listed
- GitHub Copilot: 4
- Cline: 4
- Public API
- GitHub Copilot: Yes
- Cline: Yes
Where GitHub Copilot and Cline differ
- Open sourceOnly Cline is open source.
- Pricing checkPrices confirmed for GitHub Copilot; some prices or terms not confirmed for Cline.
Head to head
Each value from the tool’s profile and the vendor’s own pages
| GitHub Copilot | Fact | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Access and price | ||
| Free access availableFree · USD 0 | Free accessSame | Free access availableOpen Source · USD 0 |
| USD 10 per person per monthPro · monthly subscription | Lowest listed paid plan | USD 9.99 per monthClinePass |
| Free access; individual Pro USD 10 per month | Pricing model | Free open source software; models paid per use (own API key or Cline credits) or ClinePass at $9.99/month; Enterprise custom |
| 4 | Plans listedSame | 4 |
| Yes | Public APISame | Yes |
| Not required | Card to startSame | Not required |
| No | Open sourceDiffers | Yes |
| What it is for | ||
| Reviewing small code changes in an existing editor | 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 2, 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
GitHub Copilot
Prices confirmed · Oct 2, 2026- FreeUSD 0
- ProUSD 10 per person per monthmonthly subscription
- Pro+USD 39 per person per monthmonthly subscription
- MaxUSD 100 per person per monthmonthly subscription
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
GitHub Copilot
Strengths
- Keep the current editor: Supported IDE integrations let a developer evaluate assistance without replacing the entire coding environment.
- Separate local and delegated work: Chat, local agent mode and the cloud agent address different levels of repository work.
- Visible billing units: The individual billing documentation explains credit conversion, base allowance and variable flex allotment.
Limits to plan around
- Free is not unlimited agent work: Free has limited chat and agent usage; cloud agent and code review require paid access.
- Variable interaction cost: Long context, model choice and repeated edits change credit consumption.
- Exclusion gaps: Content exclusion is not supported in Edit or Agent modes; do not treat a file policy as a universal boundary.
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.