Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, terminal and desktop, with bring-your-own-model support.
Free stops at: Inference billed at cost or via your own API keys
Listed Not yet reviewed
Free no paid plan listed
Head-to-head · profiles checked Oct 2, 2026
Cline vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) in 2026: open-source agent or paid IDE
Pick Cline for an open-source agent where you bring your own model keys, and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) for a full desktop IDE with bundled quotas. Cline is free for individual developers, ClinePass costs $9.99/month, and model inference is billed separately. Devin Desktop has a Free plan, Pro at $20/month and Max at $200/month. Neither profile states training use or retention.
Starting priceFree; ClinePass $9.99/mo · Free; Pro $20/moCline · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Free tierYes · YesCline · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Plans documented3 · 5Cline · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
PlatformsDesktop, CLI, VS Code, SDK · Desktop, JetBrains plugin, CLICline · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
We based this comparison on our Cline profile verified 2026-10-02 and our Devin Desktop profile verified 2026-10-01, both built from official vendor pages; it uses no third-party benchmarks and no vendor paid for placement.
Is Cline better than Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)? The short answer
Cline is the pick if you want an open-source (Apache 2.0) coding agent that runs in VS Code, JetBrains, a terminal or a desktop app and uses your own model keys, so you pay the model provider instead of a seat fee. Devin Desktop, the product formerly called Windsurf, is a full desktop IDE with an Agent Command Center, a Free plan, Pro at $20/month and Max at $200/month, where model access is bundled into quotas. Neither profile states training use or retention, so check the vendors' policies before you open private code. Choose Cline for model choice and control of spend, and Devin Desktop for an all-in-one IDE with plan-based quotas.
Based on our Cline profile verified 2026-10-02 and our Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) profile verified 2026-10-01; no benchmark was run.
Cline and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf), as their sites look today
Our own captures of each vendor's public pages. Click a frame for the full-size image.
Cline or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): which to use, by task
If you only want the answer, this is the table. Everything below is the evidence from the two documented profiles.
| You want to | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Try an AI coding agent for free | Either | Cline's extension is free but you pay for inference; Devin Desktop has a Free plan with a light agent quota |
| Use your own API keys and models | Cline | Cline works with Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, Azure, Vertex, Ollama, DeepSeek and xAI keys |
| Work in a full IDE with debugging | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Devin Desktop is an IDE with autocomplete, debugging and syntax highlighting |
| Refactor across many files | Either | Cline shows diffs with checkpoints; Devin Desktop lists agentic multi-file code changes |
| Run an agent from the terminal or CI | Cline | Cline documents CLI use in scripts and CI; Devin Desktop lists a CLI but no CI use |
| Plan a change before editing | Cline | Cline has Plan and Act modes with per-step approval |
| Manage several agents on a board | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Devin Desktop's Agent Command Center tracks agent status in Spaces and Kanban boards |
| Autocomplete as you type | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Devin Desktop lists unlimited tab completions on every plan; Cline's profile lists none |
| Set a fixed monthly cost | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Devin Desktop sells fixed plans such as Pro at $20/month; Cline's inference cost varies with token usage |
| Roll out SSO and audit logs | Either | Cline Enterprise adds SSO, RBAC and audit logs; Devin Desktop Enterprise adds SAML/OIDC SSO |
Who should pick which
Pick Cline if
- You want an open-source coding agent under Apache 2.0
- You want to bring your own API keys and pay the model provider directly
- You work in VS Code, a terminal or a desktop app, or need the CLI and SDK for scripts and CI
- You can wait for a quote: SSO, audit logs and the JetBrains extension are Enterprise only
Pick Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) if
- You want a full desktop IDE with autocomplete, debugging and an Agent Command Center
- You prefer a flat plan with agent quotas: Free, Pro at $20/month or Max at $200/month
- You want unlimited tab completions and inline edits, even on the Free plan
- Your team wants Teams billing ($80 base plus $40 per full dev seat) with an admin dashboard
What Cline does better, and what Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) does better
Cline
- Open source under Apache 2.0, so teams can inspect and modify the source
- Bring-your-own-key use with many providers, including local runtimes such as Ollama
- Plan and Act modes with checkpoints and per-step approval
- CLI and SDK for scripts, CI and embedding an agent in your own product
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
- A full IDE with autocomplete, debugging and syntax highlighting
- Agent Command Center with Spaces and Kanban boards for several agents
- Unlimited tab completions and inline edits on every plan
- Fast Context, which finds the files and lines an agent needs automatically
Cline vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) pricing: plans and free tiers
| Plan | Tool | Price | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cline Open Source | Cline | Free | Inference billed at cost or via your own API keys |
| ClinePass | Cline | $9.99/mo | 2-5x the usage on popular open coding models compared to standard API rates |
| Cline Enterprise | Cline | Custom (contact sales) | Contact sales |
| Devin Desktop Free | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Free | Light agent quota (daily and weekly reset), limited models, up to 10 concurrent sessions |
| Devin Desktop Pro | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | $20/mo | Increased quotas, full model availability, up to 10 concurrent sessions |
| Devin Desktop Max | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | $200/mo | Significantly higher quotas than Pro, unlimited concurrent sessions |
| Devin Desktop Teams | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | $80/mo team base + $40 per full dev seat | Up to 200 users, unlimited concurrent sessions |
| Devin Desktop Enterprise | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | Custom (contact sales) | Custom quotas, unlimited users with custom terms |
USD as published on each vendor's pricing page, checked Oct 2, 2026. Cline pricing in full · Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) pricing in full
Usage limits: what the vendors state
| Cline | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | |
|---|---|---|
| Messages / rate limits | No quota; inference is billed per use by the model provider. ClinePass gives 2-5x the usage on popular open coding models compared with standard API rates | Daily and weekly agent quotas that refresh automatically; extra usage on paid plans is billed at API pricing |
| Context / file size | Not stated | Not stated; Fast Context finds the files and lines agents need |
| Seats / team | Team features, SSO and RBAC need Enterprise (contact sales) | Teams: up to 200 users; Enterprise: unlimited users with custom terms |
| Concurrent sessions | Not stated | Up to 10 on Free and Pro; unlimited on Max and Teams |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Cline | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-file edits | Yes, with diffs and checkpoints | Yes (agentic multi-file changes) |
| Terminal commands | Yes, with approval per command | Not stated |
| Plan mode | Yes (Plan and Act) | Not stated |
| Autocomplete and inline edits | Not stated | Yes, unlimited on all plans |
| Agents / tools | MCP marketplace, rules via .clinerules, skills | Local and cloud agents via Agent Client Protocol |
| Full IDE | No, it runs inside editors such as VS Code, plus a desktop app and CLI | Yes (desktop IDE) |
| API / SDK | Yes, SDK documented | Not stated |
| JetBrains | Yes, on Enterprise | Yes, plugin available |
Privacy and data training
| Cline | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) | |
|---|---|---|
| Training on your data | Not stated | Not stated |
| Retention | Not stated | Not stated |
| Business controls | Client-side architecture; limit inference providers and authentication logs (Enterprise) | Centralized admin controls (Teams and Enterprise); SAML/OIDC SSO and dedicated deployment (Enterprise) |
Taken from each vendor's published policy pages at the time of our check. Policies change; the source links are at the bottom.
Switching between Cline and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): what carries over
Cline → Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Carries over
- Natural-language task descriptions
- Git repositories and project files
- Choice of Claude, GPT or Gemini models
- Bring-your-own-key billing from your provider
- Plan and Act modes with checkpoints
- Open-source code you can modify
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) → ClineCarries over
- Natural-language task descriptions
- Git repositories and project files
- Choice of Claude, GPT or Gemini models
- The built-in IDE and Agent Command Center
- Unlimited tab completions
- Fixed monthly plans with agent quotas
Pros and cons
Cline
- Open source under Apache 2.0
- Free for individual developers
- Bring your own API keys
- You pay for model inference separately
- Desktop app version listed as 0.0.41
- JetBrains extension, SSO and team features need Enterprise
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
- Free plan with unlimited tab completions
- Downloads for macOS, Windows and Linux
- Pro at $20/month with full model availability
- Free plan has light agent quota and limited models
- Max plan costs $200/month
- Teams plan has $80 base plus $40 per seat
The two tools
from $20/mo
AI coding IDE, formerly Windsurf, now Devin Desktop: manage local and cloud coding agents inside a full IDE.
Free stops at: Light quota for agent usage, resets daily and weekly, Limited model availability
Listed Not yet reviewed
Verified windsurf.com (opens Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) website in a new tab)
Free · paid from $20/mo US · checked Sep 29
Cline or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): how to choose
- Want to use your own API keys with any provider: choose Cline
- Want a full IDE with an agent board and autocomplete: choose Devin Desktop
- Need a fixed monthly price: choose Devin Desktop; Cline's inference cost varies with usage
- Need the CLI or SDK in CI scripts: choose Cline
- Need SSO: both sell it on Enterprise, so ask each vendor for a quote
- Handle private code: neither profile states training or retention terms, so read both policies first
Frequently asked questions
Is Cline free compared with Windsurf?
Both have a free entry point. Cline's open-source extension is free for individual developers, but model inference is billed separately by the provider you choose. The Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) Free plan has a light agent quota and limited models, with unlimited tab completions and inline edits.
Is Windsurf now Devin Desktop?
Yes. Our profile lists the product as Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf), and the windsurf.com site shows Devin Desktop branding. Plans and settings migrate from Windsurf automatically, according to the vendor's page.
How much does Cline cost per month?
The Open Source plan is free for individual developers and you pay only for model inference. ClinePass is a flat $9.99 per month subscription that gives 2-5x the usage on popular open coding models compared with standard API rates. Enterprise pricing is contact-sales only.
Does Cline or Windsurf train on my code?
Neither profile states training use or retention. With your own API keys, Cline sends content to the model provider you select instead of to Cline. For Devin Desktop, the old Windsurf privacy page returned 404 when we checked, so read the current policy before using private code.
Sources
- https://cline.bot/
- https://cline.bot/pricing
- https://cline.bot/privacy
- https://docs.cline.bot/cline-overview
- https://devin.ai/pricing
- https://devin.ai/desktop
- https://windsurf.com
- https://windsurf.com/download
Only official vendor pages. No third-party benchmarks, forum threads or press were used. How we review.