Continue is an open-source IDE plugin that brings AI chat, edit, and autocomplete to VS Code and JetBrains. Aider is a CLI-first AI pair programmer that works directly in your terminal with git integration. Continue wins on IDE integration. Aider wins on autonomy and git-native workflows.
Use this section when you want the comparison to answer a real decision, not just list specs.
Developers who want an open-source AI coding assistant they can customize and self-host
Completely free and open-source. You provide your own API keys or run local models. Enterprise support available.
Best use cases
Main tradeoffs
Why it stands out
Developers who prefer terminal-based AI pair programming directly in their Git workflow
Free and open-source. You pay only for the LLM API usage to your chosen provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.).
Best use cases
Main tradeoffs
Why it stands out
Pick the use case that matches your needs to find the right tool.
Open-source Copilot replacement
Drop-in IDE plugin with model choice and full source code.
Terminal-native git workflows
Auto-commits each change for clean history and easy rollback.
Self-hosted setups with local models
Strong local model support and customizable in-IDE config.
Open Source
Completely free and open-source. You provide your own API keys or run local models. Enterprise support available.
Free and open source. download and use without restrictions
Open Source
Free and open-source. You pay only for the LLM API usage to your chosen provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.).
Free and open source. download and use without restrictions
Developers who want an open-source AI coding assistant they can customize and self-host
Developers who prefer terminal-based AI pair programming directly in their Git workflow
Interface
License
Models
Git Integration
Pricing
Best For
Multi-file Edits
Local Models
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Pick Continue if you want an open-source alternative to Copilot inside your IDE. Pick Aider if you prefer a terminal-first workflow and want git commits handled automatically.