Cline vs Continue in 2026: VS Code AI Extensions Compared (Features, Pricing, Use Cases)

Summary

These two tools started as similar VS Code AI extensions but have diverged sharply. Cline doubled down on autonomous coding. Continue pivoted to CI enforcement. Choosing between them is straightforward once you understand what each does now.

What Each Tool Does in February 2026

Feature Comparison

Autonomous Coding: Where Cline Pulls Ahead

Cline's Plan and Act modes are its defining feature. Plan mode separates strategy from execution: the AI analyzes requirements, reads the codebase, and builds a step-by-step implementation plan without modifying anything. Act mode then executes that plan, editing files and running commands with human approval at each step.

# In VS Code, Cline sidebar:
# 1. Switch to Plan mode
# → AI reads codebase, identifies relevant files
# → Proposes implementation strategy
# → No files modified yet

# 2. Review and approve the plan

# 3. Switch to Act mode
# → AI executes step by step
# → Each file edit requires your approval
# → Terminal commands require your approval
# → Checkpoints let you roll back any step

Continue's IDE extension has an agent mode, but it is not the company's focus. The agent can handle multi-file refactoring and respond to natural language instructions, but Cline's depth of autonomous capability (browser automation, MCP tools, checkpoints, per-task cost tracking) is substantially greater.

IDE Extension vs CI/CD Platform

The most important distinction: Cline helps you write code. Continue helps you enforce standards on code that has already been written.

# .continue/checks/security-review.md
---
name: Security Review
model: claude-sonnet-4.6
---

Review this PR for security issues:
- SQL injection vulnerabilities
- Exposed secrets or API keys
- Missing input validation
- Insecure deserialization

# This file lives in your repo, version-controlled,
# and runs automatically on every PR as a GitHub status check.

Model Support and Flexibility

Both tools are model-agnostic, but Cline offers broader provider support out of the box.

Cline's standout model feature: you can use a different model for Plan mode vs Act mode. Use a reasoning-heavy model (Claude Opus, o3) for planning and a faster, cheaper model (Sonnet, GPT-4o) for execution. This optimizes both quality and cost.

Pricing Comparison

Decision Framework: When to Use Each

Using Cline and Continue Together

Since these tools now serve different purposes, they pair well. Cline handles the coding. Continue enforces quality after the code is pushed.

# Step 1: Use Cline to write code
# In VS Code, ask Cline to implement a feature
# Plan mode → review strategy → Act mode → code written

# Step 2: Push to GitHub
git push origin feature/new-auth

# Step 3: Continue runs automatically on the PR
# .continue/checks/security-review.md → GitHub status check
# .continue/checks/style-guide.md → GitHub status check
# .continue/checks/test-coverage.md → GitHub status check

# Result: Cline's code gets reviewed by Continue's AI checks
# Both tools are open-source. Both use your own API keys.

This workflow gives you the best of both: autonomous coding speed from Cline, plus automated quality enforcement from Continue. Neither tool conflicts with the other because they operate at different stages of the development lifecycle.

For a broader look at AI coding options, see our guides on Cursor alternatives, GitHub Copilot alternatives, and Cline vs Cursor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cline or Continue better for AI coding in 2026?

For AI-assisted coding in your editor, Cline is the better choice. It's an autonomous coding agent with Plan/Act modes, browser automation, MCP integration, and 5M+ installs. Continue pivoted to a CI-first code enforcement platform. The IDE extension still works, but Continue's core product is now automated PR checks.

Is Cline free?

The VS Code extension is free and open-source. You bring your own API key and pay the model provider directly. Cline's team features (Open Source Teams) are free through Q1 2026, then $20/month with the first 10 seats always free. Enterprise pricing is custom.

What happened to Continue.dev?

Continue pivoted in mid-2025 from an IDE autocomplete/chat extension to a CLI-first platform for source-controlled AI code checks. Each check is a markdown file in .continue/checks/ that runs as a GitHub status check on PRs. The VS Code and JetBrains extensions still exist, but the company's focus shifted to CI/CD enforcement.

Can I use Cline and Continue together?

Yes. They complement each other well since they serve different purposes. Use Cline for autonomous coding in your editor. Use Continue's CLI to enforce team standards on every PR. Cline writes the code; Continue checks it.

Does Continue still work as a VS Code extension?

Yes. Continue's VS Code and JetBrains extensions still offer autocomplete, chat, and agent mode. But the company's primary product is now the Continue CLI for CI-enforceable code checks. The IDE extension receives less investment than the CLI product since mid-2025.