Cline vs Continue

Option A

Cline

Cline is an open-source autonomous coding agent for VS Code and CLI that uses a Plan-and-Act loop to read, edit, execute terminal commands, and build software with your own API keys.

Best for

• Developers wanting an open-source VS Code agent
• Teams using custom model endpoints or BYOK
• End-to-end task automation inside editors

Strengths

• Fully open-source with no vendor lock-in
• Transparent cost control with pay-per-token models
• Deep integration with VS Code

Trade-offs

• Requires managing your own API keys
• Token costs can accumulate on complex agent loops

Verdict

Cline is an open-source Plan-and-Act coding agent for VS Code, CLI, and SDK with bring-your-own keys. Cursor and Windsurf package agent UX into dedicated AI editors. Claude Code and Aider lean terminal-first. GitHub Copilot remains lighter autocomplete. Reach for Cline when you want agentic multi-file edits and terminal runs with your own models and no proprietary IDE lock-in. Skip it if you only want inline completion or a fully hosted seat with zero key management. Cap token spend on long agent loops, keep approval gates on destructive commands, and review plans before unsupervised overnight runs.

Option B

Continue

Open VS Code / JetBrains plugin: autocomplete and chat against models you configure.

Best for

• Teams that want model choice inside VS Code or JetBrains
• Local plus API mixes
• People willing to own config

Strengths

• No forced IDE migration
• Control

Trade-offs

• Config tax
• Not a managed agent product

Verdict

Continue is the open plugin path. Cursor is managed agent UX. Copilot is the seat switch. Cody is Sourcegraph context. Tabnine is private completion. Pick Continue when someone will own the config file. Write that name down. If the name is “we’ll figure it out,” buy Copilot and stop pretending you run a platform. Pick Continue when a named person owns the YAML. Pick Copilot when nobody will. Document allowed models. Surprise local weights are how two teammates debug two different worlds.