Quick Verdict
Decision Matrix (March 2026)
- Choose Kilo Code if: You want multi-agent orchestration, Memory Bank for persistent context, JetBrains support, or access to 500+ models from 60+ providers
- Choose Cline if: You want the largest community (58K+ stars, 5M+ installs), the most mature MCP ecosystem, strong browser automation, and CLI 2.0
- Either works if: You need a free, open-source AI coding agent in VS Code. Both share core architecture, support BYOK, and handle file editing, terminal commands, and autonomous coding.
Cline is the established original with the largest community in the open-source coding agent space. Kilo Code is the ambitious fork that added multi-agent orchestration, persistent memory, and cross-platform support. Both are free. Both are actively maintained. The switching cost is minimal since they share core architecture.
If you already use Cline and it works, there is no urgent reason to switch. If you need Orchestrator mode, JetBrains support, or want to try 500+ models through a single interface, Kilo Code offers features Cline does not have.
Fork History
Cline launched in 2024 as "Claude Dev," an open-source VS Code extension that let an AI agent create files, edit code, run terminal commands, and browse the web with human approval at each step. It grew to 58K+ GitHub stars and 5M+ installs, becoming the most popular open-source coding agent.
Roo Code forked Cline in 2024 to add custom modes (specialized AI personas), diff-based editing (for lower token costs), and multi-agent personas. It reached 22K+ GitHub stars and 1.2M installs.
Kilo Code forked Roo Code in late 2025, raising $8M in seed funding to build what it calls an "agentic engineering platform." It added Orchestrator mode, Memory Bank, a Slack bot, JetBrains support, and a standalone CLI. By March 2026, Kilo Code has 15.7K GitHub stars and 1.5M+ users.
The family tree: Cline (original) → Roo Code (first fork) → Kilo Code (fork of fork). Each generation added differentiated features on top of the shared foundation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Kilo Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| GitHub Stars | 15.7K | 58K+ |
| Users/Installs | 1.5M+ users | 5M+ installs |
| Model Support | 500+ models, 60+ providers | BYOK (same providers) |
| Agent Modes | Orchestrator + Architect/Coder/Debugger | Plan/Act toggle |
| Context Persistence | Memory Bank (Markdown files) | None (session-only) |
| MCP Support | Yes (MCP Server Marketplace) | Yes (MCP Marketplace, more mature) |
| Browser Automation | Yes | Yes (Computer Use, more capable) |
| CLI Tool | Kilo CLI 1.0 | CLI 2.0 |
| IDE Support | VS Code, JetBrains, Slack | VS Code only |
| Custom Modes | Yes (inherited from Roo Code) | No |
| Inline Autocomplete | Yes | No |
| Auto-Approve | Yes (configurable) | Yes (granular + YOLO mode) |
| Teams/Cloud | Kilo Pass ($19/mo) | Teams plan ($20/mo after Q1 2026) |
| Funding | $8M seed | $32M raise |
Pricing and Token Costs
Both extensions are free and open source. Both support bring-your-own-key with zero markup. The pricing differences are in their optional managed services.
Kilo Code Pricing
- Extension/CLI: Free (Apache 2.0)
- BYOK: Bring your own API key from any of 60+ providers. Zero markup.
- Kilo Pass ($19/month): Managed credits with base allocation and bonus credits. No API key setup needed.
- Free Credits: $20 in credits for new users to try models.
Cline Pricing
- Extension: Free (Apache 2.0)
- BYOK: Bring your own API key. Zero markup.
- Teams (free through Q1 2026, then $20/month): Centralized billing, team dashboard, role-based access. First 10 seats free.
Token Cost Reality
Since both tools are BYOK, your actual cost depends on which model you choose and how you use it. The extension itself costs nothing in either case. The main cost variable is your model choice:
- Claude Sonnet 4: $3/$15 per million input/output tokens
- DeepSeek V3: $0.27/$1.10 per million tokens
- Gemini 2.5 Flash: Free tier available, then $0.15/$0.60
Kilo Code's advantage is access to 500+ models through a single interface. Cline supports the same major providers but with fewer preconfigured options.
Agent Workflows
Kilo Code: Orchestrator Mode
Orchestrator mode is Kilo Code's flagship addition to the Cline foundation. It breaks complex tasks into subtasks and routes each to a specialist:
- Architect: Plans the approach without modifying files
- Coder: Implements changes with full tool access
- Debugger: Diagnoses failures, reads logs, proposes fixes
The Orchestrator handles task dependencies and context passing between agents. For a task like "refactor the auth module to use JWT," it plans the migration (Architect), implements each file change (Coder), and fixes test failures (Debugger) in a coordinated pipeline.
Memory Bank complements Orchestrator by persisting project context. Architectural decisions, coding conventions, and patterns are stored in Markdown files in your repo. New sessions start with full context instead of a blank slate.
Cline: Plan/Act + MCP Ecosystem
Cline's workflow is simpler: a binary Plan/Act toggle. Plan mode gathers information without modifying files. Act mode executes changes with human approval at each step. In CLI 2.0, you toggle with Tab and enable YOLO mode with Shift+Tab.
Where Cline excels is ecosystem depth. Its MCP Marketplace is the most established in the open-source agent space. You can ask Cline to "add a tool" and it auto-creates, configures, and installs an MCP server. Community tools cover databases, CI/CD, monitoring, and deployment.
Browser automation via Computer Use is another Cline strength. The agent launches browsers, interacts with web pages, captures screenshots, and uses visual information for debugging and testing.
Kilo Code: Orchestrator + Memory
Multi-agent coordination with Architect, Coder, and Debugger specialists. Memory Bank persists project context across sessions. Custom modes for specialized workflows.
Cline: Plan/Act + MCP Ecosystem
Binary Plan/Act workflow with human-in-the-loop approval. The most mature MCP marketplace for community tools. Strong browser automation via Computer Use.
Platform Support
This is one of Kilo Code's clearest advantages over Cline.
| Platform | Kilo Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| VS Code | Yes | Yes |
| JetBrains IDEs | Yes (IntelliJ, WebStorm, PyCharm, etc.) | No |
| CLI | Kilo CLI 1.0 (500+ models) | CLI 2.0 (Plan/Act, YOLO mode) |
| Slack | Yes (ship code from chat) | No |
| Web Interface | No | No |
If your team uses JetBrains IDEs, Kilo Code is the only option in this comparison. Cline is VS Code only. Kilo Code's Slack bot is unique too: you can describe a bug or feature in a Slack message and the bot creates a PR. This is valuable for non-technical stakeholders who need to trigger code changes.
Cline's CLI 2.0 is more mature than Kilo CLI 1.0, with real-time task planning, Plan/Act toggle via keyboard shortcuts, and YOLO mode for fully autonomous operation. Kilo CLI launched in February 2026 and is catching up.
When Kilo Code Wins
Complex Multi-Step Tasks
Orchestrator mode coordinates Architect, Coder, and Debugger across complex refactors and feature builds. Cline's Plan/Act is simpler but single-threaded.
Context Persistence
Memory Bank stores architectural decisions and project conventions in Markdown files. New sessions start with full context. Cline loses context between sessions.
JetBrains + Slack
Full JetBrains IDE support and a Slack bot for shipping code from chat. Cline is VS Code only with no Slack integration.
Model Breadth
500+ models from 60+ providers through a single interface. Run local models via Ollama. Cline supports major providers but with fewer preconfigured options.
When Cline Wins
Community & Ecosystem
58K+ GitHub stars, 5M+ installs. More tutorials, Stack Overflow answers, and third-party integrations than any other open-source coding agent. When you hit a problem, someone has solved it.
MCP Marketplace
The most mature MCP tool ecosystem. Auto-install servers by asking Cline to 'add a tool.' Community tools cover databases, CI/CD, monitoring, and deployment.
Browser Automation
Full Computer Use support. Cline launches browsers, clicks elements, types text, captures screenshots. Useful for end-to-end testing and interactive debugging.
CLI 2.0
More mature terminal interface with Plan/Act toggle via Tab, YOLO mode via Shift+Tab, and real-time task planning. Kilo CLI 1.0 is newer and still catching up.
Decision Framework
| Priority | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-agent orchestration | Kilo Code | Orchestrator coordinates Architect, Coder, Debugger |
| Largest community | Cline | 58K+ stars, 5M+ installs, most resources |
| Context persistence | Kilo Code | Memory Bank stores decisions across sessions |
| MCP ecosystem depth | Cline | Most mature marketplace, auto-install MCP servers |
| JetBrains support | Kilo Code | Full JetBrains plugin. Cline is VS Code only. |
| Browser automation | Cline | Stronger Computer Use implementation |
| Model breadth | Kilo Code | 500+ models from 60+ providers |
| CLI maturity | Cline | CLI 2.0 with Plan/Act toggle and YOLO mode |
| Slack integration | Kilo Code | Ship code from Slack messages. No Cline equivalent. |
| Team management | Cline | Teams plan with centralized billing and RBAC |
If Cline already works for your team and you do not need JetBrains support or multi-agent orchestration, there is no compelling reason to switch. If you need those features, Kilo Code is the fork that delivers them.
For the code transformations themselves, Morph Fast Apply processes 10,500+ tokens/sec with 98% accuracy. And WarpGrep adds fast semantic codebase search that works as an MCP tool with both Kilo Code and Cline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kilo Code a fork of Cline?
Kilo Code is a fork of Roo Code, which forked from Cline. The lineage is Cline (original, 2024) → Roo Code (first fork) → Kilo Code (fork of fork, $8M seed in late 2025). All three are open source under Apache 2.0.
Which has more users?
Cline has 5M+ installs across all platforms and 58K+ GitHub stars. Kilo Code has 1.5M+ users and 15.7K GitHub stars. Cline's larger numbers reflect its 18-month head start as the original tool.
What does Kilo Code add over Cline?
Orchestrator mode (multi-agent task coordination), Memory Bank (persistent project context), JetBrains IDE support, a standalone CLI, Slack bot integration, inline autocomplete, and 500+ preconfigured models from 60+ providers.
What does Cline have that Kilo Code lacks?
A larger community (3x the GitHub stars, 3x the installs), a more mature MCP marketplace, stronger browser automation via Computer Use, a more polished CLI 2.0, and a Teams plan with RBAC.
Are both free?
Yes. Both extensions are free and open source. Both support bring-your-own API keys with zero markup. Kilo offers Kilo Pass ($19/month) for managed credits. Cline offers a Teams plan (free through Q1 2026, then $20/month).
Can I switch between them?
Yes. They share core architecture and support the same model providers. API keys and VS Code configuration work with either tool. Avoid running both simultaneously to prevent conflicts.
Related Comparisons
Fast Code Edits for Any VS Code Agent
Morph Fast Apply processes 10,500+ tokens/sec with 98% accuracy. Works as an MCP tool with Kilo Code, Cline, or any VS Code agent.