Cline alternatives
The alternatives are Aider, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Devin Desktop, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode.
The order is alphabetical. Scores are published as each hands-on test finishes.
Pricing checked October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026.
| Tool | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
 Aider | Open-source pair programming in the terminal. | No subscription |
 Claude Code | Anthropic’s coding agent for the terminal, desktop, and IDEs. | From $20/mo |
 Codex | OpenAI’s coding agent for the terminal, IDE, desktop, and web. | Included with ChatGPT plans |
 Cursor | Desktop IDE with agent, chat, and tab completions. | Free to start |
 Devin Desktop | Cognition’s desktop coding agent, formerly Windsurf. | Free to start |
 Gemini CLI | Google’s open-source terminal agent for Gemini. | Free to start |
 GitHub Copilot | GitHub’s AI pair programmer in the editor, CLI, and on GitHub. | Free to start |
 OpenCode | Open-source coding agent. Bring any model, or use an optional OpenCode plan. | No seat fee |
Open-source pair programming in the terminal.
No subscription
Anthropic’s coding agent for the terminal, desktop, and IDEs.
From $20/mo
OpenAI’s coding agent for the terminal, IDE, desktop, and web.
Included with ChatGPT plans
Desktop IDE with agent, chat, and tab completions.
Free to start
Cognition’s desktop coding agent, formerly Windsurf.
Free to start
Google’s open-source terminal agent for Gemini.
Free to start
GitHub’s AI pair programmer in the editor, CLI, and on GitHub.
Free to start
Open-source coding agent. Bring any model, or use an optional OpenCode plan.
No seat fee