Is GitHub Copilot or Cline free?

Both have a free option. GitHub Copilot has a free plan: Copilot Free $0 with monthly usage limits (checked 2026-10-18). Cline has a free plan: Free: open-source extension, bring your own API key (checked 2026-10-18).

Which free plan includes more?

It depends on what you need; here is what each free plan includes. GitHub Copilot: 2,000 completions per month; Access to entry level models (source: github.com, checked 2026-10-18). Cline: Free: open-source extension, bring your own API key (source: cline.bot, checked 2026-10-18).

How do I get each for free?

GitHub Copilot: Create a free GitHub account (email, Google or Apple); Verify your email address; Pick Copilot Free ($0) and open it in VS Code or on github.com (checked 2026-10-18). Cline: Install the Cline extension in VS Code; Connect a model provider or your own API key (checked 2026-10-18).

GitHub Copilot vs Cline: free plans compared

Both are in AI Coding Assistants. Here is what each gives you for free, from the vendors’ pricing pages, with the date we last verified each offer (latest 2026-10-18).

GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot is GitHub's AI coding assistant for editors, the terminal, desktop and github.com. It offers completions, chat, agents and code review.; How to get GitHub Copilot free Free GitHub Copilot alternatives
Cline: Cline is an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, the terminal and desktop, with Plan and Act modes and MCP support. It is free for individuals; you pay only for model inference.; How to get Cline free

Free plans compared: GitHub Copilot, Cline
	GitHub CopilotAI Coding AssistantsTry	ClineAI Coding AssistantsTry
Free plan	Free forever 2,000 completions per month Access to entry level models	Free forever Free: open-source extension, bring your own API key
How long it's free	Free forever	Free forever
Cheapest paid plan	$10/moPro	Not in our data
Best for	Write code with AI, Review code & PRsDevelopers, Students	Write code with AI, Build AI agentsDevelopers
Limitations	Users with Copilot Business or Enterprise seats are not eligible for Copilot Free	Model inference is not included
How to get it free	Free account · email, Google or Apple 1Create a free GitHub account (email, Google or Apple) 2Verify your email address 3Pick Copilot Free ($0) and open it in VS Code or on github.com Get the free plan	Self-host 1Install the Cline extension in VS Code 2Connect a model provider or your own API key Get the free plan
Free offer verified	2026-10-18	2026-10-18

GitHub Copilot vs Cline: common questions

Is GitHub Copilot or Cline free?: Both have a free option. GitHub Copilot has a free plan: Copilot Free $0 with monthly usage limits (checked 2026-10-18). Cline has a free plan: Free: open-source extension, bring your own API key (checked 2026-10-18).
Which free plan includes more?: It depends on what you need; here is what each free plan includes. GitHub Copilot: 2,000 completions per month; Access to entry level models (source: github.com, checked 2026-10-18). Cline: Free: open-source extension, bring your own API key (source: cline.bot, checked 2026-10-18).
How do I get each for free?: GitHub Copilot: Create a free GitHub account (email, Google or Apple); Verify your email address; Pick Copilot Free ($0) and open it in VS Code or on github.com (checked 2026-10-18). Cline: Install the Cline extension in VS Code; Connect a model provider or your own API key (checked 2026-10-18).

GitHub Copilot vs Cline: common questions

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