Both are open-source coding agents. Cline runs inside VS Code and works with many model providers; Codex CLI is OpenAI's terminal agent.
| Cline 4.1.24 | OpenAI Codex CLI 0.162 | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | VS Code extension | Terminal (CLI/TUI) |
| Latest release we track | 4.1.24 (13 Oct 2026) | 0.162.0 / 0.162.1 (8–9 Oct 2026) |
| Newest notable change | New default model (Claude Sonnet 5.5) and refreshed provider catalog | Managed Git worktrees and task pinning |
| Models | Many providers (bring your own key) | OpenAI (ChatGPT plan or API key) |
| AgentPick Score | 92/100 | 93/100 |
| Try it | Official source ↗ | Official source ↗ |
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Choose Cline if you live in VS Code and want to pick your model provider. Choose Codex CLI for a terminal workflow and parallel tasks via worktrees.
Cline 4.1.24Verdict: A maintenance release: mostly model-catalog and default changes. Check your model selection after updating, since defaults changed for many providers.
Test notes: The verdict is based on the linked public release notes only.
Pricing: Open source (you pay for model usage)
OpenAI Codex CLI 0.162Verdict: Worktree support is the headline: it makes running parallel agent tasks on one repo cleaner. Worth updating if you run Codex on several tasks at once.
Test notes: The verdict is based on the linked public release notes only.
Pricing: Open source (needs a ChatGPT plan or API key)
Every row comes from the sources linked on each card. Last updated 15 Oct 2026.
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