Aider vs Cline
A side-by-side view built only from each listing. Prices change, so check the source links.
| Aider | Cline | |
|---|---|---|
| Good at | Open-source AI pair programmer in the terminal that commits changes to git. | Open-source coding agent for VS Code that plans and acts with your own API key. |
| Pricing | Free and open source (you pay your own LLM API costs) Checked 2026-10-13 · source | Free and open source for individuals (pay for AI inference at cost or bring your own key); Enterprise custom Pricing page could not be read automatically on 2026-10-13; check the official site. Checked 2026-10-14 · source |
| Best for | terminal codingopen source | coding in an editoropen source |
| Setup | python -m pip install aider-install && aider-install && cd my-repo && aider | Install the Cline extension in VS Code, add a model API key, and give it a task in the Cline panel. |
| Links | Full listing · Official site | Full listing · Official site |
Pick Aider if…
- you want it for terminal coding (listed for Aider, not Cline)
- this fits what you need: Open-source AI pair programmer in the terminal that commits changes to git
- its pricing works for you: Free and open source (you pay your own LLM API costs)
Pick Cline if…
- you want it for coding in an editor (listed for Cline, not Aider)
- this fits what you need: Open-source coding agent for VS Code that plans and acts with your own API key
- its pricing works for you: Free and open source for individuals (pay for AI inference at cost or bring your own key); Enterprise custom