Gemma 4 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
Open weights you run and license yourself
Open source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal and the browser, paid per model use
- Free access
- Gemma 4: Free access
- Cline: Free access
- Paid from
- Gemma 4: No fixed price listed
- Cline: USD 9.99 per month
- Plans listed
- Gemma 4: 1
- Cline: 4
- Public API
- Gemma 4: Yes
- Cline: Yes
Where Gemma 4 and Cline differ
- Pricing checkPrices confirmed for Gemma 4; some prices or terms not confirmed for Cline.
- PlansGemma 4 lists 1 plans and Cline lists 4.
Head to head
Each value from the tool’s profile and the vendor’s own pages
| Gemma 4 | Fact | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Access and price | ||
| Free access availableOpen weights (Apache 2.0) · 0 | Free accessSame | Free access availableOpen Source · USD 0 |
| No fixed price listed | Lowest listed paid plan | USD 9.99 per monthClinePass |
| Free open weights (Apache 2.0); you supply the hardware | Pricing model | Free open source software; models paid per use (own API key or Cline credits) or ClinePass at $9.99/month; Enterprise custom |
| 1 | Plans listedDiffers | 4 |
| Yes | Public APISame | Yes |
| Not confirmed | Card to start | Not required |
| Yes | Open sourceSame | Yes |
| What it is for | ||
| Running an open model locally for code and text work | 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 · Sep 29, 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
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
Gemma 4
Strengths
- Permissive license: Apache 2.0 allows commercial use, modification and redistribution without a separate Gemma agreement.
- Runs offline: Downloaded weights work without an account or network connection once installed.
- Published memory table: Google lists approximate memory for every size at 16-bit, 8-bit and 4-bit precision.
Limits to plan around
- Hardware is your cost: The 31B model needs 17.5 GB even at 4-bit, before context memory.
- No paid hosted tier on the Gemini API: The pricing page lists only a free tier, and free-tier content is used to improve Google products.
- Older training data: The pre-training data has a January 2025 cutoff, so later events need to be supplied in the prompt.
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.