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Cline vs Windsurf

Side-by-side comparison · AI Coding & Development

At a glance

DimensionClineWindsurf
PricingThe extension is free and open source; you pay your model provider for tokens, or nothing extra with a local model - verify current pricing on the official pageFree tier with a monthly credit allowance; paid plans from roughly $15-$60/month by credits and seats - verify current pricing on the official page
Free planYesYes
Rating★★★★★★★★★☆
Best foragentic editing, byok workflows, refactoring, automated bug fixingfeature implementation, refactoring, agentic workflows and teams adopting ai editors
CategoryAI Coding & DevelopmentAI Coding & Development

Cline - strengths & limits

Strengths

  • Free and open source with fully auditable behaviour
  • You control model choice and therefore cost per task
  • Checkpoints make risky edits easy to undo

Watch out for

  • Requires an API key, so there is a running model cost
  • Long autonomous runs can consume tokens quickly
  • Agent quality tracks whatever model you connect to it

Windsurf - strengths & limits

Strengths

  • Session context removes the need to repeat yourself constantly
  • Multi-file editing is handled as one coherent change
  • Available both as a full editor and as an IDE plugin

Watch out for

  • Agentic editing is harder to predict than simple completion
  • Credit limits on lower tiers interrupt longer sessions
  • Large refactors still need every diff reviewed carefully

Which should you choose?

If your priority is agentic editing, byok workflows, refactoring, automated bug fixing, Cline is the stronger pick. If instead you care more about feature implementation, refactoring, agentic workflows and teams adopting ai editors, go with Windsurf. For most people, trying both on a free tier is the fastest way to decide - they serve the same AI Coding & Development space but differ in workflow and output style.

FAQ

Which is better, Cline or Windsurf?

It depends on your task. Cline leads on agentic editing, byok workflows, refactoring, automated bug fixing; Windsurf is better when you need feature implementation, refactoring, agentic workflows and teams adopting ai editors. Try both free tiers.

Can I use Cline and Windsurf together?

Yes - many users keep one as the daily driver and the other for specific tasks where it is stronger.