GitHub Copilot vs Cline
Short answer: GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; Cline is in IDE agent extensions, so they solve different parts of the job. We can't compare entry prices yet because Cline's paid price is not verified or not published. Both GitHub Copilot and Cline have a free plan.
| GitHub Copilot | Cline | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | IDE assistants | IDE agent extensions |
| Vendor | GitHub (Microsoft) | Cline Bot Inc. |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Free plan | Yes (Free: limited chat and agent usage.) | Yes (Open-source extension is free for individuals; pay only for model inference (BYOK or Cline provider).) |
| Paid plans from | $10/mo | Free |
| Plans | Free: Free · Pro: $10 · Pro+: $39 · Max: $100 · Business: $19 · Enterprise: $39 | Open Source: Free · Enterprise: — |
| Open source | Not verified yet | Yes |
| Editors named on vendor page | — | VS Code, JetBrains, terminal/CLI |
| Features named on vendor page | — | MCP, bring your own key, local models, refactoring, self-hosting, SSO/SAML |
| Model families named | — | Claude, OpenAI GPT, Gemini, open-weight models |
| Checked | Oct 26, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 |
“Named on vendor page” means the phrase appears on the vendor's own page we captured; it is not a hands-on test. Unknown values are left blank rather than guessed.
FAQ
Is GitHub Copilot cheaper than Cline?
We can't compare entry prices yet because Cline's paid price is not verified or not published. Prices are from each vendor's pricing page.
Do GitHub Copilot and Cline have free plans?
Both GitHub Copilot and Cline have a free plan.
What is the difference between GitHub Copilot and Cline?
GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; Cline is in IDE agent extensions, so they solve different parts of the job. GitHub Copilot is made by GitHub (Microsoft); Cline is made by Cline Bot Inc.. See the table for plans, editors and features each vendor names.
Sources
- https://github.com/features/copilot/plans
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/get-started/plans
- https://cline.bot/pricing
- https://cline.bot/