Claude Code vs Cline: pricing, limits & real cost
Prices verified 2026-10-18
Key differences
- How usage is metered — Claude Code: Usage multiplier (absolute capacity not disclosed); Cline: Pay-as-you-go at provider cost.
- Cline publishes a dollar-denominated allowance, so cost can be estimated from tokens; Claude Code does not disclose absolute capacity.
Estimated monthly cost by usage profile
Model used: Claude Sonnet 5.5 (or each vendor's own model family if it doesn't offer it). Token-per-hour figures are assumptions; open the calculator to change them.
| Profile | Claude Code | Cline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light: 1 h/day, 5 days/wk API-equivalent ≈ $25/mo | Max 5x — $100/mo Capacity not disclosed — flat price shown | Open source — $13–$38/mo Computed from published $ rates | Tweak → |
| Medium: 3 h/day, 5 days/wk API-equivalent ≈ $191/mo | Max 20x — $200/mo Capacity not disclosed — flat price shown | Open source — $95–$286/mo Computed from published $ rates | Tweak → |
| Heavy: 6 h/day, 6 days/wk API-equivalent ≈ $1,104/mo | Max 20x — $200/mo Capacity not disclosed — flat price shown | Open source — $552–$1,655/mo Computed from published $ rates | Tweak → |
For plans that don't disclose capacity we show the cheapest plan priced at or above your API-equivalent usage. This is a heuristic, not a guarantee you won't hit limits.
Claude Code plans
| Plan | Price | Included | Limits / reset | Overage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | No Claude Code | — | — | Verified 2026-10-18 |
| Pro | $20 /mo $200/yr annual | Claude Code; >=5x Free per session $17/mo when billed annually ($200 upfront). Fable model only via usage credits. | 5h session + weekly | Usage credits at standard API rates | Verified 2026-10-18 Capacity not disclosed |
| Max 5x | $100 /mo | 5x Pro usage; plus monthly Claude Platform API credits (see notes) Monthly only. Fable usable at 50% of weekly limits. | 5h session + weekly | Usage credits at API rates | Verified 2026-10-18 Capacity not disclosed |
| Max 20x | $200 /mo | 20x Pro usage; plus monthly Claude Platform API credits (see notes) Monthly only. | 5h session + weekly | Usage credits at API rates | Verified 2026-10-18 Capacity not disclosed |
| Enterprise | $20 /seat | Seat + usage billed at API rates | — | — | Verified 2026-10-18 |
Cline plans
| Plan | Price | Included | Limits / reset | Overage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open source | $0 | Free extension; pay inference at cost or BYOK | — | Provider API rates | Verified 2026-10-18 |
Sources
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