Updated for 2026
Traevs
Cline
Not sure which fits your workflow in 2026? Compare pricing, features, and trade-offs — then switch tools below to explore more options in this category.
ai-ide
Trae
Trae is China's first AI-native IDE, launched by ByteDance in January 2025 (International) and March 2025 (Domestic), competing with Cursor and Windsurf. Key features: dual development modes (IDE & SOLO), natural language coding support, and built-in major AI models
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Cline
Cline is a widely used open-source VS Code coding agent with autonomous edits, terminal tools, MCP, and bring-your-own models. One of the most popular AI coding tools on VS Code.
Visit ClineBasics
| Feature | Trae | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2024 |
| Company | ByteDance | Cline |
| Country | China | United States |
| Region / Availability | Global (strong China availability) | Global |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | Trae | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Model | freemium | open-source |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Starts at | $3/mo | $0/mo |
| Plan 1 | Free: Free | Open Source: Free |
| Plan 2 | Lite: $3/moInfinite auto-completion, multi-mode support, 2 concurrent cloud tasks. | ClinePass: $9.99/moCline's official paid plan includes multiple built-in models. |
| Plan 3 | Pro: $10/moMore credits, unlimited auto-completion, multi-mode support, 10 concurrent cloud tasks. | Model usage: 自定义模型价格Pay your model provider |
| Plan 4 | Pro+: $30/mo3.5x Pro credits. | — |
| Plan 5 | Ultra: $100/mo20x Pro credits, priority access to advanced models. | — |
Feature checklist
| Feature | Trae | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Visual IDE UI | ✓ | ✓ |
| OS Platforms | macOS / Windows / Linuxhttps://www.trae.ai/download | macOS / Windows / Linux (via VS Code) |
| Third-party Models | ✓https://docs.trae.cn/ide_models | ✓https://cline.bot/models |
| MCP / Plugins | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skills Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| VS Code Extension | ✓https://www.trae.cn/plugin | ✓ |
| JetBrains Plugin | ✓https://www.trae.cn/plugin | ✓https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/28247-cline |
| AI Autocomplete | ✓ | ✗ (Not supported, but can be paired with completion plugins like Copilot or Continue for support.) |
| Chat / Inline Agent | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-file Edit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codebase Indexing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terminal Integration | ✓ | ✓https://cline.bot/cli |
| Local LLM Support | ✓https://docs.trae.cn/ide_models | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✓https://github.com/cline/cline |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Privacy Mode | ✓ | ✓ |
| VS Code Compatible | ✓ | ✓ |
| Autonomous Agent | ✓ | ✓ |
| Git Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Use Case | ByteDance AI IDE for everyday coding with strong China-region availability | VS Code agent extension for autonomous edits with bring-your-own models |
Pros & cons
Trae
- Dual-mode switching: IDE mode and AI Agent task mode
- Modern AI IDE feature set
- Fast iteration from ByteDance engineering
- Data residency concerns for some teams
- English docs / community still growing
- Enterprise SSO story less mature
Cline
- Open-source ai agent inside VS Code
- Custom models and MCP are highly flexible
- Active community and fork ecosystem
- Not a standalone IDE — requires VS Code
- Setup and guardrails are more DIY
- UX polish trails commercial AI IDEs
Dimension scores
Editorial 0–10 scores across shared dimensions — higher is better for that axis.
| Dimension | Trae | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | 7.5 | 8.2 |
| Privacy | 6.5 | 9.0 |
| Value | 8.0 | 9.5 |
| Depth | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Ecosystem | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| DX | 7.5 | 7.5 |
- Trae
- Cline
FAQ
Is Trae better than Cline? (2026)
It depends on workflow. Trae emphasizes bytedance’s ai-native ide focused on builder velocity. Cline emphasizes open-source coding agent that runs as a vs code extension with mcp and byo models. Use the feature checklist above for your stack.
Which use cases fit Trae vs Cline?
- Trae: ByteDance AI IDE for everyday coding with strong China-region availability
- Cline: VS Code agent extension for autonomous edits with bring-your-own models
What are the main differences between Trae and Cline?
- OS Platforms: Trae (macOS / Windows / Linux) vs Cline (macOS / Windows / Linux (via VS Code))
- AI Autocomplete: Trae (yes) vs Cline (no (Not supported, but can be paired with completion plugins like Copilot or Continue for support.))
- Open Source: Trae (no) vs Cline (yes)
- Team Collaboration: Trae (yes) vs Cline (no)
How do Trae and Cline compare on pricing?
Trae pricing overview:
- Has a free tier
- Pricing model: freemium
- Starting from ~$3/mo
- Plan Free: Free
- Plan Lite: $3/mo
- Plan Pro: $10/mo
Cline pricing overview:
- Has a free tier
- Pricing model: open source
- Starting from ~$0/mo
- Plan Open Source: Free
- Plan ClinePass: $9.99/mo
- Plan Model usage: 自定义模型价格
Always verify current prices on the vendor site before buying.
Do Trae and Cline offer a free tier?
- Trae: Has a free tier
- Cline: Has a free tier
Are Trae and Cline open source?
- Trae: no
- Cline: yes
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Related alternatives
Disclaimer:Not Financial or Investment Advice, Educational/Dev Tool Comparison Only. Information may change; always verify pricing on the vendor site before purchasing.