Pick Aider if
developers who already live in git and a TTY and will paste an API key.
Read the Aider pageAider vs Continue
Our take
Pick Aider if developers who already live in git and a TTY and will paste an API key. Pick Continue if developers who want the OSS extension and will point it at their own model. Skip Aider if people who want an IDE Agent sidebar (Cursor, Cline, Continue) and will not run aider in a repo. Skip Continue if people who want a maintained commercial IDE agent (Cursor, GitHub Copilot).
Aider
git-native AI pair programmer in the
Best for
Aider An agent that lives in git
Continue An OSS Copilot-shaped sidebar you configure yourself
Free plan
Aider $0 · apache-2.0. pip / aider-install
Continue $0 · apache 2.0. You pay the model provider
Lowest paid
Aider Not published by the vendor
Continue Not published by the vendor
Coding agent
Aider
Continue User Settings
Runs where
Aider
Continue Hosted
Watch out
Aider $0 is the CLI, not Sonnet
Continue The repo is read-only
Last checked
Aider 2026-10-20 · aider.chat
Continue 2026-10-19 · continue.dev
Which one, then?
Pick Continue if
developers who want the OSS extension and will point it at their own model.
Read the Continue page