Authorization & Model Selection - Cline

Cline connects to AI models through a provider. You have two paths:

<CardGroup cols={2}> <Card title="Cline Provider" icon="bolt"> Sign in with Google, GitHub, or email. No API keys to manage — access multiple models with built-in billing, free options, and early access to new releases.

**Best for:** Most users, fastest setup

</Card> <Card title="Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)" icon="key"> Use 3rd party provider or API keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, or any supported provider. Run models locally with Ollama or LM Studio for complete privacy.

**Best for:** Enterprise, custom billing, local models

</Card> </CardGroup> <Tip> **Watch:** [Selecting Your Model](https://youtu.be/GuPmu5TVtfA) walks through choosing and configuring your first model. </Tip>

Setup Steps

<Steps> <Step title="Open Settings"> Click the settings icon in the top-right of the Cline panel. </Step> <Step title="Select a Provider"> Choose from the **API Provider** dropdown: - **Cline** — simplest setup, no API key needed - **OpenRouter** — many models, one API key - **Anthropic** — direct Claude access - **Ollama / LM Studio** — run models locally </Step> <Step title="Authenticate"> **Cline Provider:** Click **Sign In** and authenticate via Google, GitHub, or email. See [OAuth details](#how-oauth-works) below.

**BYOK:** Paste your API key from your provider's dashboard.

**Local:** No key needed — just ensure your local server is running.

<Note>
API keys are stored in your system's credential manager and sent only to your selected provider. They are never logged or transmitted to Cline's servers.
</Note>

</Step> <Step title="Choose a Model"> Select a model from the **Model** dropdown. Consider: - **Context window** — how much code the model can process at once - **Speed** — smaller models respond faster - **Cost** — varies by model; local models are free </Step> <Step title="Verify"> Send any message. If Cline responds, you're ready. </Step> </Steps>

Cline Provider

The Cline Provider gives you one account, one billing relationship, and access to models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and more.

No API key juggling — one sign-in, multiple models
Built-in billing — add credits once, use across all models
Free models — search "free" in the model selector to find no-cost options tagged FREE
Stealth models — early access to new releases before they're widely available
Always current — new models added as they launch

Adding Credits

Click Add Credits in Cline settings or visit your account dashboard. Credits work across all available models.

How OAuth Works

<Steps> <Step title="Sign In"> Click **Sign In** in Cline settings. Your browser opens to `app.cline.bot`. </Step> <Step title="Authenticate"> Choose Google, GitHub, or email. </Step> <Step title="Return to IDE"> After authentication, you're redirected back with an authorization code. </Step> <Step title="Secure Storage"> Tokens are stored in your IDE's native secret storage (VS Code Secrets, JetBrains Credential Store, etc.). </Step> </Steps>

Bring Your Own Key (BYOK)

Use your own API keys when you need specific billing arrangements, higher rate limits, access to beta models, or local privacy.

Cloud Providers

Provider	Best For	Setup Guide
OpenRouter	Multiple models, competitive pricing	Setup
Anthropic	Direct Claude access	Setup
Claude Code	Claude Max/Pro subscription	Setup
OpenAI	GPT models	Setup
Google Gemini	Large context windows	Setup
AWS Bedrock	Enterprise	Setup
DeepSeek	Great value	Setup

Local Models

Run models on your own hardware for complete privacy and zero per-request costs.

Provider	Best For	Setup Guide
Ollama	Easy setup, wide model selection	Setup
LM Studio	GUI-based model management	Setup

Local models require sufficient hardware (especially GPU memory). See Running Models Locally for requirements.

Which Model Should I Choose?

Priority	Recommended Model
Reliability	Claude Sonnet 4
Value	Qwen3 Coder
Speed	Cerebras GLm 4.6
Privacy	Any Ollama/LM Studio model
Existing subscription	Claude Code with Max/Pro

<Note> Learn more about LLMs and models in [Chapter 2 of AI Coding University](https://cline.bot/learn). </Note>

CLI Authentication

bash

# Authenticate from the terminal
cline auth

# Shorthand
cline a

Opens a browser for OAuth, same as the IDE extension. Your session persists until you sign out.

Account Management

Balance & usage: Open Cline settings — your credit balance is at the top. Click View Usage for transaction history.
Switch organization: Go to Cline settings → Switch Organization to change which billing account is charged.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Fix
"Unauthorized: Please sign in"	Session expired. Click Sign In to re-authenticate.
Browser doesn't open	Check default browser settings. Copy the URL from the Cline output panel manually.
Frequent re-authentication	Check org security policies. Ensure you're not clearing IDE secrets. Try a full sign-out/sign-in.
Can't access organization	Verify membership at app.cline.bot. Ask your admin about permissions. Sign out and back in.

Next Steps

Your First Project — build something with Cline
Core Workflows — patterns you'll use daily
Customization — tailor Cline to your workflow