Is Kilo Code a fork of Cline?

Kilo Code started by drawing on the Cline and Roo Code lineage and has since grown into its own codebase with different architecture, mode system, and roadmap. Both are Apache-2.0.

Does Cline support JetBrains?

No. Cline is VS Code only. Kilo Code runs natively in VS Code, all JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, Rider, etc.), and as a CLI — with shared context and Memory Bank across all three.

What modes does Kilo have that Cline doesn't?

Kilo adds Orchestrator mode for multi-agent task delegation, Architect mode for planning without code changes, and Debug mode for systematic troubleshooting. Cline has a single plan/act flow. Kilo also adds built-in subagents that are automatically delegated to from Code, Plan, and Debug agents.

Can I try Kilo Code without paying?

Yes. Kilo Code is free forever for individual developers. Use BYOK with any provider at zero platform fee, or run local models via Ollama and LM Studio. There is no credit card requirement and no usage quota on BYOK.

Is Kilo Code really open source?

Yes — Apache-2.0. You can inspect every prompt Kilo sends, audit how context is assembled, and fork the project on GitHub. There are no hidden server-side prompt rewrites.

Does Kilo Code support teams and enterprises?

Yes. Kilo Code for Teams adds centralized billing, usage analytics, and role-based access starting at $15 per user per month. Enterprise plans add SSO, SCIM, audit logs, and an SLA.

Kilo Code vs Cline

Kilo Code gives you Cline-grade autonomy plus specialized modes and a JetBrains + CLI surface.

See Full Comparison

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Quick Comparison

Agent modes

Kilo Code

Orchestrator + Architect + Debug + Code + Ask

Cline

Single plan/act flow

IDE coverage

Kilo Code

VS Code, JetBrains, CLI

Cline

VS Code only

Open source

Kilo Code

Apache-2.0

Cline

Apache-2.0

Team features

Kilo Code

Centralized billing, analytics, SSO

Cline

Individual focus

Parallel agents

Kilo Code

Agent Manager + CLI

Cline

Not available

	Kilo Code	Cline
Agent modes	Orchestrator + Architect + Debug + Code + Ask	Single plan/act flow
IDE coverage	VS Code, JetBrains, CLI	VS Code only
Open source	Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0
Team features	Centralized billing, analytics, SSO	Individual focus
Parallel agents	Agent Manager + CLI	Not available

Multiple specialized modes

Kilo ships with Orchestrator, Architect, Debug, Code, and Ask modes on top of Cline-style autonomy. Each mode has its own prompt, tools, and context policy.

JetBrains and CLI too

Cline is VS Code only. Kilo runs in VS Code, every JetBrains IDE, and as a CLI — with shared Memory Bank across them.

Fully open source (Apache-2.0)

Inspect every prompt, audit context windows, self-host if you want to. Nothing about how Kilo drives the model is hidden — the prompts, the context policy, and the tool layer are all readable in GitHub.

Why developers choose Kilo Code over Cline

Kilo Code bundles Cline-style autonomy plus Orchestrator, Architect, Debug, and Code modes.

Multiple specialized modes

Kilo ships with Orchestrator, Architect, Debug, Code, and Ask modes on top of Cline-style autonomy. Each mode has its own prompt, tools, and context policy.

JetBrains and CLI too

Cline is VS Code only. Kilo runs in VS Code, every JetBrains IDE, and as a CLI — with shared Memory Bank across them.

Fully open source (Apache-2.0)

Inspect every prompt, audit context windows, self-host if you want to. Nothing about how Kilo drives the model is hidden — the prompts, the context policy, and the tool layer are all readable in GitHub.

500+ models, zero markup

Route every mode — autocomplete, chat, and agents — through whichever model fits the task. Use BYOK with any provider at exact provider rates, or stay fully local with Ollama and LM Studio.

Trusted by developers at the world's most innovative companies

Complete Feature Comparison

An honest look at where Kilo wins, where Cline wins, and where they're comparable

Agent Modes & Capabilities

Primary agent modes

Kilo Code

Code, Plan, Debug, Ask + Orchestrator

Cline

Single plan/act flow

Built-in subagents

Kilo Code

Explore, General

Cline

Not available

Dedicated debug mode

Kilo Code

Cline

Multi-agent orchestration

Kilo Code

Cline

Custom agent modes

Kilo Code

Cline

Memory / context persistence

Kilo Code

Cline

Voice prompting

Kilo Code

Cline

MCP server support

Kilo Code

Cline

IDE & Platform Support

VS Code extension

Kilo Code

Cline

JetBrains IDEs

Kilo Code

Cline

CLI tool

Kilo Code

Cline

Cloud Agents

Kilo Code

Cline

Model Access & Flexibility

Total models available

Kilo Code

500+

Cline

500+

BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)

Kilo Code

Cline

Local models (Ollama, LM Studio)

Kilo Code

Cline

Zero markup

Kilo Code

Cline

Teams & Enterprise

Team management

Kilo Code

Cline

Centralized billing

Kilo Code

Cline

SSO / SAML

Kilo Code

Cline

Open source

Kilo Code

Cline

Apache-2.0

Agent Modes & Capabilities

Feature	Cline	Kilo Code
Primary agent modes	Single plan/act flow	Code, Plan, Debug, Ask + Orchestrator
Built-in subagents	Not available	Explore, General
Dedicated debug mode
Multi-agent orchestration
Custom agent modes
Memory / context persistence
Voice prompting
MCP server support

IDE & Platform Support

Feature	Cline	Kilo Code
VS Code extension
JetBrains IDEs
CLI tool
Cloud Agents

Model Access & Flexibility

Feature	Cline	Kilo Code
Total models available	500+	500+
BYOK (Bring Your Own Key)
Local models (Ollama, LM Studio)
Zero markup

Teams & Enterprise

Feature	Cline	Kilo Code
Team management
Centralized billing
SSO / SAML
Open source	Apache-2.0

Specialized agent modes Cline doesn't have

Orchestrator, Architect, Debug, Code, and Ask — each mode purpose-built for a different part of your workflow. Plus 500+ models and inline autocomplete.

Agentic Engineering

Glide through your workflow with a mode for every step

Ask mode

A knowledgeable technical assistant focused on answering questions without changing your codebase

Switch in under 5 minutes

No complicated setup. No vendor lock-in. No risk.

1

Install Kilo Code

Install from VS Code/JetBrains marketplace or via our CLI in one click.

1 min

2

Choose Your Models

Pick from 500+ models or use your existing API keys. Start with our recommendations.

1 min

3

Start Building

Everything works instantly. Try the agent modes to see what you've been missing.

Immediate

Install Kilo Code

Common Questions About Switching from Cline

Everything you need to know about moving to Kilo Code.

Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives

See how Kilo stacks up against every major AI coding assistant.

See all Kilo Code alternatives

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✓ No credit card required✓ Free forever for individuals✓ 500+ models, zero markup

Kilo Code vs Cline

Quick Comparison

Multiple specialized modes

JetBrains and CLI too

Fully open source (Apache-2.0)

Why developers choose Kilo Code over Cline

Multiple specialized modes

JetBrains and CLI too

Fully open source (Apache-2.0)

500+ models, zero markup

Trusted by developers at the world's most innovative companies

Complete Feature Comparison

Agent Modes & Capabilities

IDE & Platform Support

Model Access & Flexibility

Teams & Enterprise

Agent Modes & Capabilities

IDE & Platform Support

Model Access & Flexibility

Teams & Enterprise

Specialized agent modes Cline doesn't have

Glide through your workflow with a mode for every step

Ask mode

Switch in under 5 minutes

Install Kilo Code

Choose Your Models

Start Building

Common Questions About Switching from Cline

Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives

Kilo Code vs Cursor

Kilo Code vs GitHub Copilot

Kilo Code vs Windsurf

Kilo Code vs Claude Code

Ready to upgrade your AI coding experience?