Cline vs WorkOS — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Cline starts at Free. WorkOS starts at $125/mo. Cline is $125/mo cheaper on the entry tier than WorkOS.
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Cline (Per Usage) — Cline bills purely on usage. There is no fixed per-seat fee, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how much you consume.
- WorkOS (Unknown model) — WorkOS bills on a fixed plan from $125/mo, so the listed price is what you pay regardless of volume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
Open-source autonomous coding agent that runs in VS Code as an extension. Cline itself is free — users bring their own LLM API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Groq, OpenRouter, local models via Ollama). Cost is entirely determined by underlying LLM token usage. Popular with developers who want an agent-first coding experience but prefer to pay direct LLM costs rather than a marked-up subscription.
Enterprise-ready authentication + user management, positioned as the alternative to building SSO/SCIM/directory sync from scratch. Distinctive per-connection pricing model — $125/mo per SSO connection (vs Clerk's bundled 1 free SSO on Pro). AuthKit free for first 1M users. Popular with B2B SaaS that need to close enterprise deals requiring SAML, SCIM, and audit logs — the "unlock enterprise revenue" tool.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Cline monthly | Cline annual | WorkOS monthly | WorkOS annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Cline (extension) / AuthKit Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | — / SSO | — | — | $125 | $125 |
| Mid tier | — / Directory Sync | — | — | $125 | $125 |
| Pro / power | — / Audit Logs | — | — | $125 | $125 |
| Teams | Teams / — | $20 | $20 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise / Custom Domains | Custom | Custom | $99 | $99 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Cline is worth it if… developers who already have LLM API access and want an autonomous coding agent without a subscription markup. The BYOK model is the differentiator — typical monthly cost is $5-50 in Claude Sonnet tokens depending on usage, which beats most $20-60/mo subscription tools if you're a light user.
WorkOS is worth it if… B2B SaaS companies (Series A-Series D) that need to add enterprise features (SSO, SCIM, audit logs, admin portal) to their product — particularly to close enterprise deals that require SAML/OIDC. Startup tier covers small SaaS; Enterprise for high-volume with custom pricing.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Cline over WorkOS if…
Choose Cline if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, a free entry tier).
- You match the profile Cline is built for: developers who already have LLM API access and want an autonomous coding agent without a subscription markup.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose WorkOS if…
- You're comfortable with WorkOS's from $125/mo entry point.
- You match the profile WorkOS is built for: B2B SaaS companies (Series A-Series D) that need to add enterprise features (SSO, SCIM, audit logs, admin portal) to their product — particularly to close enterprise deals that require SAML/OIDC.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Cline | WorkOS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Entry price | Free | $125/mo |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Usage | — |
| Last verified | September 20, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 20, 2026. Tracked daily.