💡 The pitch

Copilot Pro+ is $39 a month. The free tier caps you at 2,000 completions and a couple of models.

This extension adds Cline's models to the Copilot Chat picker you already use. Two options, same API key. Cline is pay-per-use across 23 models from 12 providers (GPT, Gemini, Grok, Claude, DeepSeek, Qwen, Kimi, GLM, MiMo, MiniMax, Mistral, Llama, plus Sonar and Command R+). One of them, DeepSeek V4 Flash, costs nothing at $0 balance. ClinePass is a flat $9.99/mo subscription ($4.99 first month) for 10 open-weight models with 2 to 5 times the standard rate limits.

You keep the native Copilot UI, tool-calling, Agent Mode. You just get more models to pick from, and the bill often comes out lower than Pro+.

🔥 Why bother

Copilot's model picker is locked to whatever GitHub decides to offer. This extension opens it up.

⚡ Quick Start (60 sec)

1.  Install GitHub Copilot Chat (free) ──────────────────────────── ✓
2.  Install this extension ──────────────────────────────────────── ✓
3.  Get API key → app.cline.bot → Settings → API Keys ──────────── ✓
4.  Open Copilot Chat → model picker → "Add Models" → Cline ────── ✓
5.  Paste API key → pick a model → CHAT 🎉

📊 GitHub Copilot vs This Extension

GitHub Copilot has four tiers: Free, Pro ($10/mo), Pro+ ($39/mo), and Max ($100/mo). This is how BYOK via Cline stacks up:

Not a replacement. This extension extends Copilot Chat. You still need the free Copilot Chat extension and a GitHub account. BYOK models bypass Copilot billing entirely. You pay Cline directly, or nothing at all on the free model.

🧠 Models

Cline: Pay-Per-Use (23 models)

Models are billed per token. No subscription required, just an API key and credits.

⭐ Free model. deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash returns 200 OK even at $0 balance.

All model IDs validated directly against the Cline API. anthropic/claude-* models are NOT currently available on Cline's API despite being listed in their docs.

ClinePass: $9.99/mo Subscription (12 models)

Open-weight models with 2 to 5× rate limits vs direct API access. No per-token charges.

Subscribe at app.cline.bot/dashboard/subscription

ClinePass Reference Pricing

You pay a flat $9.99/mo. These per-token rates are for quota comparison only:

🔧 Settings

❓ FAQ

How is this different from the Cline extension? Cline is a full autonomous coding agent. File edits, terminal, browser, the works. This extension does something narrower: it puts Cline's models into the Copilot Chat picker you already have. Same Chat, same Agent Mode, more models to choose from.

Cline vs ClinePass? Same API key, same endpoint. Different billing. Cline is pay-per-use across 23 models (GPT, Gemini, Grok, and friends). ClinePass is $9.99/mo flat for 10 open-weight models with 2 to 5 times the rate limits.

Can I use this without paying? Yes. DeepSeek V4 Flash returns 200 OK at $0 balance. Create a key at app.cline.bot and you're in.

Does Agent Mode work? Yes. All models support tool calling. Both Chat and Agent Mode.

Why not just use Copilot's built-in models? Copilot Free gives you a couple. This adds 33 from 12 providers, with a free one included. Pay-per-use or flat subscription, your call.

Rate limits? ClinePass gives 2-5× the standard API limits. Measured over 5-hour rolling, weekly, and monthly windows. Check usage at app.cline.bot.

� Troubleshooting

Models missing from the picker on a fresh install or a second machine

VS Code Settings Sync does not sync SecretStorage for security reasons. When you install the extension on a new machine and sign in with Settings Sync, the extension downloads, but your API key does not — so provideLanguageModelChatInformation returns an empty list and the picker shows zero Cline / ClinePass models.

Fix:

1. Run Cline Copilot Chat: Set API Key from the Command Palette.
2. Paste your Cline API key (from app.cline.bot → Settings → API Keys).
3. Run Developer: Reload Window.

A warning toast with a Set API Key button now appears automatically the first time the extension activates without a key — you can skip step 1 and just click the button.

To verify the fix worked, open the Output panel (Cmd+Shift+U) and select the Cline Copilot Chat channel. You should see an activation banner ending with:

[activate] selectChatModels({ vendor: "cline" }): 13 model(s) visible to VS Code
[activate] selectChatModels({ vendor: "cline-pass" }): 10 model(s) visible to VS Code

The gear icon / "Manage Models…" does nothing when clicked

The gear icon invokes VS Code's built-in Manage Language Models command, whose precondition requires either an active Copilot entitlement or the github.copilot.clientByokEnabled context key. Since v0.1.4 the extension forces that context key to true when at least one model is registered, which keeps the gear clickable in most cases.

If it's still unresponsive after a window reload:

1. Run Developer: Reload Window — the context key is set on activation.
2. If still dead, sign in to GitHub Copilot Chat (a free personal GitHub account is enough — no Copilot Pro subscription required for BYOK). Signing in sets chatIsEnabled = true, which is the definitive fix.

Diagnosing "models not showing up"

Open the Output panel and select Cline Copilot Chat. The activation banner tells you exactly where the pipeline broke:

�📁 Project Structure

src/
├── extension.ts      # LanguageModelChatProvider, Cline vendor
├── providerTypes.ts  # Vendor constant
├── metadata.ts       # Model limits & capabilities
├── thinking.ts       # Thinking mode for 6 model families
├── streaming.ts      # SSE chat-completions streaming
├── errors.ts         # Error handling
└── retry.ts          # Retry logic

🛠️ Development

npm install          # Install dependencies
npm run compile      # Compile TypeScript
npm run watch        # Watch mode
# Press F5 to launch Extension Development Host

📄 License

MIT. See LICENSE.

💬 Community

GitHub Issues · X / Twitter · Reddit

If this saved you money or got a model working you needed, ⭐ star the repo.

📝 Found this useful? Leave a review on the VS Code Marketplace. It helps others find the extension.

🚀 Also from this publisher

Looking for OpenCode Zen / Go models in Copilot Chat? Check out OpenCode for Copilot Chat. 5,000+ installs, 30+ models, rotating free tier.