Side by side
| Feature | Cline | Ollama |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Open-source AI coding agent for editors, terminal and SDK that plans and executes multi-file code changes with any model. | Runs open AI models locally or in the cloud via an API, for developers and teams wanting privacy and control. |
| Price from | not listed | 20 USD/mo |
| Free plan | yes | yes |
| Platforms | web, mac, windows, linux, api, chrome | web, api |
| API | yes | yes |
Cline: key features
- Plan and Act modes with step approval or auto-approve
- Coordinated multi-file edits with diffs, checkpoints and undo
- Runs bash commands and reacts to terminal output
- MCP integration and custom tools via SDK
- Multi-agent teams and scheduled runs
- Works with any model, including local Ollama and LM Studio
Ollama: key features
- Run open models locally on your own hardware
- Cloud-hosted models accessible via API
- Tool calling support on tested cloud models
- Model downloads from a public library
- Concurrent model runs on higher plans
- Team billing and administration with shared usage credits
FAQ
Is Cline or Ollama better?
It depends on the job - compare prices, free plans and features in the table above.
Are Cline and Ollama free?
Cline: Yes, there is a free plan. The open source extension is free for individual developers; you pay only for AI inference, either with your own API keys or via the Cline provider. Ollama: Yes, there is a free plan. Free plan includes running models locally, starter usage credits, and access to starter models. Adding credits unlocks all models.