// head_to_head
Cline vs OpenAI Codex
Plans, included models and benchmark scores for Cline and OpenAI Codex, side by side — and which to pick for what.
All coding toolsPlans checked 2026-10-27
Which to choose
- You want the strongest model for coding work: Cline. Its best included model, Claude Fable 5.1, scores 97.7 on LiveBench coding against 96.0 for GPT-6.1 Sol on OpenAI Codex.
- You don’t want a subscription: Cline. Cline has no paid individual plan; you pay only for model usage.
- You want to switch between labs’ models: Cline. Cline works with any model you have a key for.
Side by side
| Cline | OpenAI Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Cline (open source) | OpenAI |
| Where you use it | VS Code extension and CLI | Terminal, IDE extension, desktop app and cloud tasks |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Paid from | Tokens only | $8/mo · Go |
| Best coding model | Any model | 96.0GPT-6.1 Sol |
| Best agentic model | Any model | 77.5GPT-6 Astra |
| Own API key | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | No |
Cline plans and models
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Free | Free extension and CLI; inference at cost or with your own key |
| Enterpriseteam | Customcustom | SSO, RBAC, centralised billing, SLA |
| Model | Coding | Long-horizon agentic | Same work via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1 | 97.7 | 77.9 | $6,540/mo |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 96.3 | 72.8 | $2,672/mo |
| DeepSeek V4.1 Flash 1017 | 96.0 | 40.9 | $171.36/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 96.0 | 68.7 | $1,336/mo |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | 94.7 | 63.4 | $1,336/mo |
Any model you have a key for — you pay the provider directly at cost.
OpenAI Codex plans and models
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout |
| Go | $8/mo | GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout |
| Plus | $20/mo | About 15–160 GPT-6.1 Sol messages per five hours; weekly limits may apply |
| Pro | from $100/mo$200 and $500 tiers | No five-hour limit |
| Businessteam | $25/moper user · $20 billed annually | Same five-hour estimates as Plus |
| Model | Coding | Long-horizon agentic | Same work via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 96.0 | 68.7 | $1,336/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Terra | 94.3 | 48.6 | $668.00/mo |
| GPT-6 Astra | 93.7 | 77.5 | $6,960/mo |
| GPT-6 Luna | 84.5 | 30.9 | $69.60/mo |
Cline vs OpenAI Codex FAQ
Is Cline or OpenAI Codex cheaper?
Cline has no paid individual plan — you pay only for tokens.
Which is better if you want the strongest model for coding work?
Cline. Its best included model, Claude Fable 5.1, scores 97.7 on LiveBench coding against 96.0 for GPT-6.1 Sol on OpenAI Codex.
Which is better if you don’t want a subscription?
Cline. Cline has no paid individual plan; you pay only for model usage.
Do Cline and OpenAI Codex have free plans?
Cline: yes. OpenAI Codex: yes.
Where these numbers come from
- Plans and prices — each vendor's own pricing page, checked 2026-10-27: Cline, OpenAI Codex. Usage allowances change often; check before you buy.
- Model scores — LiveBench coding and long-horizon agentic categories for the models each plan includes, live from the same data as the leaderboard. A tool's own agent loop matters too; these scores rate the model, not the tool.
- “Same work via API” — a heavy coding-agent month (40K tokens in, 4K out, 20K requests, 70% cached input) at OpenRouter list price, for comparing a subscription against paying per token.