Roo Code vs Cline
Roo Code is a fork of Cline that adds multi-mode workflows, cloud agents, and more efficient token usage. Both are free, open-source, and BYOK. Cline has the larger community and longer track record. Roo Code offers more features and lower API costs but is newer.
Roo Code
Choose if: You want multi-mode agents, cloud team features, and lower API costs from a more feature-rich fork.
Open-source VS Code AI coding extension — discontinued May 2026
Cline
Choose if: You want the original, battle-tested open-source agent with the largest community and most extensions.
Open-source AI coding assistant for VS Code
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Roo Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (+ API costs) | Free (+ API costs) |
| Open-source | Yes (Apache 2.0) | Yes (Apache 2.0) |
| API efficiency | ~30% fewer tokens (diff editing)✓ | Standard |
| Custom modes | Yes (architect, reviewer, etc.)✓ | Limited |
| Cloud agents | Yes ($5/hr)✓ | No |
| Team plan | $99/mo (unlimited users)✓ | $20/mo per seat |
| Community size | Growing | Large (5M+ installs)✓ |
| Maturity | Very new (2025) | Established (2024)✓ |
Pricing Comparison
Roo Code
| Free | $0 |
+ You pay for model API usage (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) directly
Cline
| Free | $0 |
| ClinePass | $9.99/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom |
+ API costs for your chosen LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.), ClinePass ($9.99/mo) adds curated open-weight model access at higher rate limits — does not replace BYOK
Pricing last verified: 2026-07-07
Roo Code: Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Free and open-source — no subscription required
- +BYOK: use any model you want (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, local models)
- +Cline-compatible with additional modes (Architect, Code, Debug, Ask)
Limitations
- -Discontinued May 2026 — the VS Code extension is no longer actively maintained
- -Cloud successor (Roomote) is a different product with a separate subscription
- -No official support or community update channel since discontinuation
Cline: Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Completely free and open-source (Apache 2.0)
- +Works with any LLM provider — not locked to one model
- +Agentic coding: can create files, run terminal commands, and browse the web
- +Very active community and rapid development
Limitations
- -Requires your own API key — you manage and pay for LLM costs directly
- -Requires developer skills and VS Code familiarity
- -Setup more involved than commercial alternatives
- -Quality depends heavily on which LLM you connect
Which One Should You Pick?
Roo Code is best for: Historical reference — Roo Code was a Cline fork with additional modes. See Roomote for the team's current product..
Cline is best for: Developers who want a free, open-source AI coding agent with full model flexibility.
Last updated: 2026-07-07