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BetterOpenSource

Continue vs Tabby

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

Feature
SummaryOpen-source autocomplete and chat for your IDE.Self-hosted AI coding autocomplete.
GitHub stars24.5K31K
LicenseApache 2.0Source Available
LanguageTypeScriptRust
PricingFree & Open SourceFree & Open Source
Self-hostable
ReplacesGitHub Copilot, Claude CodeClaude Code, GitHub Copilot
Rating4.6 / 54.5 / 5

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

Tabby features

  • Self-hosted, even fully offline
  • Context-aware code completion
  • Repository and issue context
  • Runs on consumer GPUs
  • IDE extensions for VS Code and JetBrains

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

Tabbypros & cons

Pros

  • Keeps code on your own infrastructure
  • No per-seat SaaS pricing
  • Good for regulated, air-gapped teams

Cons

  • Completion quality depends on your hardware
  • Self-hosting adds operational overhead

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