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BetterOpenSource

Aider vs Continue

A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.

Feature
SummaryAI pair programming in your terminal.Open-source autocomplete and chat for your IDE.
GitHub stars35K24.5K
LicenseApache 2.0Apache 2.0
LanguagePythonTypeScript
PricingFree & Open SourceFree & Open Source
Self-hostable
ReplacesClaude CodeGitHub Copilot, Claude Code
Rating4.8 / 54.6 / 5

Aider features

  • Edits multiple files in your local git repo
  • Auto-generates clear commit messages
  • Works with Claude, GPT, DeepSeek, and local models
  • Repo map gives the model whole-project context
  • Voice coding and image support

Continue features

  • Tab autocomplete with any model
  • Inline edits and chat in your editor
  • Custom context providers (docs, repos, issues)
  • VS Code and JetBrains support
  • Local models via Ollama for full privacy

Aiderpros & cons

Pros

  • Model-agnostic — bring any provider or local model
  • Tight git integration with clean diffs
  • Mature, fast, and scriptable

Cons

  • Terminal-first workflow isn't for everyone
  • You pay for whichever model API you use

Continuepros & cons

Pros

  • Highly customizable to your codebase
  • Works with local models for privacy
  • Cross-IDE support

Cons

  • Configuration depth has a learning curve
  • Best autocomplete needs a capable model

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