Cursor is a polished, all-in-one AI coding environment built as a VS Code fork with proprietary AI features. Cline is a free, open-source VS Code extension that brings similar AI capabilities using your own API keys. Cursor offers a more seamless experience, while Cline gives you full control over your AI provider and costs.
Pick the use case that matches your needs to find the right tool.
All-in-one AI coding
Cursor's seamless integration and polished features save time for professional developers.
Budget-conscious developers
Cline is completely free and lets you use affordable API providers like DeepSeek.
Using a specific AI model
Cline supports any API provider, giving you complete control over which AI model to use.
Freemium
Free Hobby plan with 2,000 completions and 50 slow premium requests/month. Pro ($20/mo) adds 500 fast premium requests and unlimited completions. Business ($40/user/mo) adds team features.
Free tier available with limited features. no credit card required
Free
Free extension. You pay for your own API keys (Claude, OpenAI, etc.).
Free (BYOK)
Developers who want the most advanced AI-native code editor with multi-file editing and codebase chat
VS Code users wanting an autonomous AI coding agent
Type
Cost
Open Source
AI Provider
Multi-file Editing
Terminal Integration
Codebase Understanding
Extension Support
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Choose Cursor for a polished, all-in-one AI coding experience. Choose Cline if you want a free, open-source option with bring-your-own API key flexibility.