Should I use Aider or Continue?

Use Aider if you work in a terminal and want automatic git commits plus a repository map for large codebases; use Continue if you need a bring-your-own-model assistant inside VS Code or JetBrains. Continue's repository is archived read-only, so weigh that before committing a team to it.

Is Aider cheaper than Continue?

No — Aider and Continue are both free under Apache 2.0, so with either tool you pay only the API usage of the LLM provider you connect. Aider's repository map can keep that token spend lower on large codebases.

Can Continue replace Aider?

Partly — Continue covers model-agnostic AI coding in VS Code, JetBrains, and a CLI, but the Continue listing data describes no equivalent to Aider's automatic git commits or repository map. Because the Continue repository is archived, Continue will not gain those features.

Is Continue still being developed?

No — Continue Dev, Inc. was acquired by Cursor, and the Continue GitHub repository was archived as read-only after a final 2.0.0 release. The Continue code is still free to clone, fork, and run from the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, and npm.

Does Aider work as a VS Code extension?

No — Aider runs in a terminal inside a project's git repository and has no built-in GUI or IDE-native experience. Continue is the one of the two that installs as a VS Code extension or JetBrains plugin.

Aider vs Continue (2026)

By Noahlast updated October 23, 2026

Verdict: Choose Aider if you work in a terminal and want a model-agnostic pair programmer that maps large repositories and commits every accepted edit to git. Choose Continue if you want the same bring-your-own-model approach inside VS Code or JetBrains and can live with a project that was archived read-only after Cursor acquired Continue Dev, Inc. Both are free under Apache 2.0, so the deciding factor is interface versus maintenance: Continue runs in your editor, but no company is fixing its bugs anymore.

Aider

A free, open-source terminal AI pair programmer that edits your codebase directly and auto-commits to git, using your own LLM API keys.

Pricing: Free
License: Open source

Best for developers comfortable in a terminal who want a model-agnostic AI coding assistant without a subscription, paying only for the LLM tokens they actually use

5/5 on Product Hunt (1 reviews)

Visit aider.chat Read our review

Continue

An open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, and the terminal that connects to any LLM, now archived after Cursor acquired the company behind it.

Pricing: Free
License: Open source

Best for developers who want an editor-agnostic AI coding agent they can point at any LLM, including self-hosted models, and who are comfortable adopting a project with no active company behind it

Visit continue.dev Read our review

Which should you choose?

Choose Aider if…

wins 3/6 use cases

You work in a terminal and want an assistant that edits files directly inside your git repository
You want every accepted AI edit committed to git automatically so changes stay easy to review and revert
You work on a large existing codebase and need Aider's repository map to keep the LLM within context limits
You want to add images, web pages, or voice input as extra context while you code
You are picking a tool for the long term and want to avoid Continue's archived, read-only repository

Choose Continue if…

wins 2/6 use cases

You want the assistant inside VS Code or a JetBrains IDE rather than in a separate terminal window
You want AI configuration stored in version-controlled files that live next to your code
You want one project that ships a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, and a standalone CLI (@continuedev/cli)
You are comfortable running or forking an archived Apache 2.0 project that has no company behind it

Aider vs Continue: feature comparison

Feature	Aider	Continue
Starting price	Yesfree, plus your own LLM API costs	Yesfree, plus your own LLM API costs
Free tier	Yesno subscription fee	Yesfree forever, no usage limits
Platforms	YesWindows, macOS, Linux	YesWindows, macOS, Linux
License	Yesopen source, Apache-2.0	Yesopen source, Apache 2.0
Terminal / CLI	Yescore interface (pip install aider-chat)	Yesstandalone CLI via npm (@continuedev/cli)
Editor integration	Noterminal only, no GUI or IDE plugin	PartialVS Code extension and JetBrains plugin (JetBrains now a secondary priority)
LLM providers	YesAnthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, local models via Ollama	YesOpenAI, Anthropic, locally hosted models
Automatic git commits	Yesevery accepted edit is committed	Unknown
Large-codebase context	Yesrepository map sends a condensed map plus relevant files	Unknown
Version-controlled configuration	Unknown	Yesconfig lives in files, not a vendor dashboard
Images, web pages and voice input	Yesall three accepted as context	Unknown
Project status	Yes6.8 million weekly installs reported	Norepository archived read-only after Cursor acquisition
Anonymous telemetry removed	Unknown	Yesin the final 2.0.0 release
Support	Partialcommunity only, no paid SLAs	Nono company responding to issues after the archive
GitHub stars	Yes48.4k	Yes35,600 (archived repository)
Learning curve	Partialmoderate	Partialmoderate

Aider vs Continue: pricing

Every tier both tools publish, as we last checked them — not just the entry price.

Aider

Open sourceFree to install and use (pip install aider-chat); cost is limited to the LLM API usage of whichever provider you configure (Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, local models, etc.).Free

Verified October 1, 2026

Continue

Open sourceFree forever under Apache 2.0; no paid tier, subscription, or usage limits. Distributed via the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, and npm (@continuedev/cli).Free

Verified October 1, 2026

Aider vs Continue pricing: which costs less?

Aider and Continue cost the same to install, because both are free under the Apache 2.0 license and the only ongoing cost with either is the API usage billed by the LLM provider you configure.

Aider installs with pip install aider-chat and charges nothing itself, so its total cost scales with token usage, from near-free on cheap models to significant spend with frontier models on large codebases. Aider's repository map sends a condensed map plus the most relevant files instead of the whole project, which keeps token costs down. The Continue extension and CLI are free with no usage limits through the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, and npm. Continue.dev's pricing page also lists a Team tier at $20/seat/month with $10 monthly credits per seat for a separate cloud agent platform, which the open-source code does not require.

Which is easier to use, Aider or Continue?

Continue is easier to adopt for developers who work in an editor, because Continue installs as a VS Code extension or JetBrains plugin, while Aider runs only in a terminal; both carry a moderate learning-curve rating.

Aider has no built-in GUI or IDE-native experience, which is a barrier for developers who expect an editor-integrated assistant like Cursor or GitHub Copilot. Both tools need setup before they do anything: Aider users manage and secure their own LLM API keys and billing, and Continue requires a manually configured LLM provider and API key. Continue's JetBrains plugin is now a secondary priority, and the Continue project recommends its CLI for JetBrains users instead.

Is Aider or Continue the safer long-term choice?

Aider is the safer long-term choice, because the Continue GitHub repository was archived read-only after Cursor acquired Continue Dev, Inc., so no company is fixing new bugs or adding model support to Continue.

Continue shipped a final 2.0.0 release that removed anonymous telemetry and pulled out hosted authentication, then the repository (35,600 stars) was archived. The Continue code stays free to clone, fork, and run, and installs remain on the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, and npm. Aider's repository has 48.4k GitHub stars, and Aider reports 6.8 million weekly installs and roughly 15 billion tokens processed weekly. Aider offers community support only, with no vendor selling paid enterprise support or SLAs.

Which handles large codebases better, Aider or Continue?

Aider has the documented edge on large codebases, because its repository map gives the LLM a condensed view of the whole project plus the most relevant files, and the Continue listing data describes no equivalent feature.

Aider analyzes the project structure rather than sending every file, which lets the model reason about code it has not seen in full and keeps large repositories within context limits. Aider supports over 100 programming languages and commits each accepted edit to git automatically, so a long session leaves a reviewable, revertible history. Continue's strengths sit elsewhere: an editor-native workflow and configuration kept in version-controlled files.

Strengths and weaknesses

Aider

Pros

No subscription fee; Apache-2.0 licensed and free to self-host indefinitely.
Works with any LLM provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, DeepSeek, local models), avoiding vendor lock-in.
Automatic git commits on every edit keep changes reviewable and revertible.
Repository mapping lets it work effectively on large, existing codebases, not just greenfield projects.

Cons

Terminal-only interface with no native GUI, a steeper adjustment for developers used to IDE-integrated tools.
Actual cost is variable and provider-dependent, since Aider itself doesn't charge but token usage does.
Requires users to separately manage and secure their own LLM API keys and billing.
Community support only, since there is no vendor offering paid enterprise support or SLAs.

Continue

Pros

Free and open source under Apache 2.0 with no pricing tiers or usage limits.
Works with any LLM provider, including locally hosted models, avoiding vendor lock-in.
Available as a VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and standalone CLI, covering multiple workflows.
Configuration lives in version-controlled files rather than a vendor dashboard.

Cons

Archived as read-only on GitHub after Cursor's acquisition, so no new features or bug fixes are shipping from the original team.
Requires manually configuring an LLM provider and API key before it does anything, unlike bundled assistants that work out of the box.
The JetBrains plugin is now a secondary priority; the project recommends the CLI instead.

Which fits your use case?

Use case	Pick	Why
Developer who works mainly in VS Code and wants an in-editor assistant with their own model	Continue	Continue installs as a VS Code extension and routes to any configured LLM; Aider has no IDE-native experience.
Terminal-first developer working in a large existing repository	Aider	Aider's repository map keeps large codebases within context limits, and Aider edits files directly from the terminal.
Team standardizing on an AI coding tool for the next few years	Aider	Continue's repository is archived read-only after the Cursor acquisition, so Continue gets no new fixes or model support.
Developer who wants every AI change versioned and easy to roll back	Aider	Aider commits every accepted edit to git automatically; the Continue listing data describes no automatic commits.
Team that wants AI assistant settings checked into the repository	Continue	Continue keeps its configuration in version-controlled files rather than a vendor dashboard.
Developer running local models to avoid API bills	Tie	Aider works with local models through Ollama or similar, and Continue supports locally hosted models; both are free under Apache 2.0.

Neither a match?

Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.

5 alternatives to Aider 4 alternatives to Continue

Popular comparisons

Aider vs Continue: migration FAQ

Should I use Aider or Continue?: Use Aider if you work in a terminal and want automatic git commits plus a repository map for large codebases; use Continue if you need a bring-your-own-model assistant inside VS Code or JetBrains. Continue's repository is archived read-only, so weigh that before committing a team to it.
Is Aider cheaper than Continue?: No — Aider and Continue are both free under Apache 2.0, so with either tool you pay only the API usage of the LLM provider you connect. Aider's repository map can keep that token spend lower on large codebases.
Can Continue replace Aider?: Partly — Continue covers model-agnostic AI coding in VS Code, JetBrains, and a CLI, but the Continue listing data describes no equivalent to Aider's automatic git commits or repository map. Because the Continue repository is archived, Continue will not gain those features.
Is Continue still being developed?: No — Continue Dev, Inc. was acquired by Cursor, and the Continue GitHub repository was archived as read-only after a final 2.0.0 release. The Continue code is still free to clone, fork, and run from the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, and npm.
Does Aider work as a VS Code extension?: No — Aider runs in a terminal inside a project's git repository and has no built-in GUI or IDE-native experience. Continue is the one of the two that installs as a VS Code extension or JetBrains plugin.