ClinevsRoo Code

2 agents, 2 evaluations — 0 community and 2 editorial — compared across overall score, task fit, reliability, cost, ease of setup, and drift over time.

Current verdict: Cline currently leads Roo Code by 5.0 points on Ruling's 10-point scale; confirm the top-review context before shortlisting.

Current signal

last 90 days

Freshness

2 of 2 loaded evaluations are from the last 90 days

Version context

reviews now ask model/runtime and tier

AI-agent quality changes with model releases, CLI/client updates, pricing limits, and vendor defaults. Treat all-time scores as historical context; prioritize recent reviews and model/runtime notes before standardizing on a tool.

ruling.so/compare/cline-vs-roo-code

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Overall scoreaggregate · 1–10

Cline

Cline (OSS) · Coding Agents

8.6/10

Roo Code

Roo Code · Coding Agents

3.6/10

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Scorecard

Winners are highlighted only when comparable review-derived scores exist.

2 evaluations considered

Overall

Weighted aggregate verdict across the review.

8.6/10

4.3/5 source average.

3.6/10

1.8/5 source average.

review avg

Task fit

How well the agent matches the job users hired it for.

9.0/10

4.5/5 source average.

3.0/10

1.5/5 source average.

review avg

Reliability

Consistency, uptime, and repeatability under real workflows.

8.2/10

4.1/5 source average.

2.4/10

1.2/5 source average.

review avg

Ease of setup

How quickly teams can get from signup to useful output.

8.0/10

4.0/5 source average.

2.0/10

1.0/5 source average.

review avg

Cost efficiency

Whether the results justify the seat, usage, or platform cost.

8.8/10

4.4/5 source average.

4.0/10

2.0/5 source average.

review avg

Drift score

How well quality holds up over longer sessions and releases.

8.4/10

4.2/5 source average.

2.0/10

1.0/5 source average.

review avg

At a glance

A truthful, data-backed summary of where each agent stands today.

Cline

Cline (OSS) · Coding Agents

Top score

Cline is a VS Code extension that turns your editor into an autonomous coding agent, able to create/edit files, execute terminal commands, and use a browser — all with human-in-the-loop approval checkpoints. It has risen rapidly in the developer community thanks to its transparent action log and ability to use any API-accessible model. Cline is particularly strong for full-stack feature development where you want to supervise each step.

Best signalBest open-source choice for supervised IDE agent work

Roo Code

Roo Code · Coding Agents

Roo Code was an open-source VS Code coding-agent extension with specialized modes and MCP support. The official extension shut down on May 15, 2026, and its archived repository should not be confused with the separate Roomote product now presented at roocode.com.

Best signalHistorically flexible, but no longer an adoption candidate

Pricing and specs

Static facts from the Ruling catalog, not prototype estimates.

Top review for each

Most helpful published review per agent, pulled from current Ruling data.

Browse all reviews →

Top review↓ most helpful

Ruling Editorial — Engineering

Ruling editorial benchmark · last 30 days

Best open-source choice for supervised IDE agent work

Ruling editorial benchmark: Cline gives developers an open-source agent across the IDE and terminal, with file editing, command execution, browser use, and human approval around tool actions. Its CLI, JetBrains support, and parallel Kanban workflows extend it beyond a single VS Code chat panel. The tradeoff is operational: model choice, API cost, permissions, and parallel worktrees require more deliberate setup than a bundled commercial IDE.

↑ 23 found helpfulRead →

Ruling Editorial — Engineering

Ruling editorial benchmark · last 30 days

Historically flexible, but no longer an adoption candidate

Ruling editorial benchmark: Roo Code historically offered specialized and custom modes with MCP support for power-user VS Code workflows. Its official repository now states that the extension shut down on May 15, making new adoption and dependable ongoing support poor bets. Teams should evaluate maintained alternatives and should not confuse the current roocode.com Roomote product with the discontinued editor extension.

↑ 20 found helpfulRead →

Adjacent matchups

If you are comparing these agents, these nearby alternatives are worth opening next.

/compare/cline-vs-claude-code

Claude Code leads by 1.0 on current Ruling scores; compare it against Cline before shortlisting.

2 reviews

/compare/cline-vs-cursor

Cursor leads by 0.8 on current Ruling scores; compare it against Cline before shortlisting.

2 reviews

/compare/cline-vs-codex-cli

Codex CLI leads by 0.6 on current Ruling scores; compare it against Cline before shortlisting.

2 reviews

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