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Continue review

Open-source AI code assistant

4.6
Open Source— users
Open Source
67
ToolHund Score
Solid
Verified
Try ContinueFull tool page

Opens the official Continue website. ToolHund may earn a commission from eligible referrals at no extra cost to you.

Our verdict

Continue is an open-source autopilot for VS Code and JetBrains — bring your own model (OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, local) and customize the workflow.

ToolHund Score: 67/100 · Best for: Developers who want to plug any model (local or cloud) into VS Code and JetBrains.

Skip it if: Non-technical users wanting a hosted chat.

Independently reviewed by ToolHund editors · Last verified 2026-07-26. How we score →

Strengths
  • Open source
  • Self-hostable
  • Developer control
Weaknesses
  • Requires setup
  • Can be complex for beginners
  • Needs careful permissions

Who should choose Continue?

Developers who want to plug any model (local or cloud) into VS Code and JetBrains. The strongest fit is a buyer who will use Continue regularly for code work rather than as an occasional experiment.

Continue earns its place in a workflow when BYO model, VS Code & JetBrains, Local models via Ollama remove a repeated manual step. Its free access makes a real-workflow test possible before committing to a paid plan.

A practical three-step test

  1. STEP 1Run one real code task from your current workflow in Continue.
  2. STEP 2Check whether BYO model produces an output you can use without substantial rework.
  3. STEP 3Compare the result and time saved with at least one alternative before choosing a paid plan.

Pricing

Open source · Free
Strong for technical teams — no license fees, you pay for infra and model usage

Buying checklist

  • Use-case fit: Developers who want to plug any model (local or cloud) into VS Code and JetBrains.
  • Core capabilities: BYO model, VS Code & JetBrains, Local models via Ollama
  • Current listed pricing: Open source · Free
  • Reason to skip: Non-technical users wanting a hosted chat.

Continue is most compelling for developers who want to plug any model (local or cloud) into vs code and jetbrains. Start with the free option and upgrade only after it proves useful on a real task.

Features

  • BYO model
  • VS Code & JetBrains
  • Local models via Ollama
  • Custom slash commands

Continue vs top alternatives

ToolToolHund ScorePricingFree tierRating
Continue67/100Open source · FreeYes4.6/5
Cursor89/100Free · Pro $20/moNo4.9/5
GitHub Copilot85/100Free tier · Pro $10/moNo4.7/5
Lovable87/100Free · Pro $25/moNo4.8/5
Cursor
The AI-first code editor
GitHub Copilot
The original pair-programmer
Lovable
Build full apps from a prompt
v0 by Vercel
Prompt to shadcn UI

See all Continue alternatives →

Continue FAQ

What is Continue?

Open-source AI code assistant Continue is an open-source autopilot for VS Code and JetBrains — bring your own model (OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, local) and customize the workflow.

Is Continue free?

Yes — Continue offers a free tier or free trial. Current pricing: Open source · Free.

How much does Continue cost?

Continue pricing: Open source · Free. See the ToolHund review for plan details and value analysis.

What is Continue best for?

Developers who want to plug any model (local or cloud) into VS Code and JetBrains..

What are the best Continue alternatives?

The closest alternatives in the Code category are Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Lovable.

How does ToolHund score Continue?

Continue scores 67/100 on the ToolHund rubric, which weighs capability, pricing honesty, traction and ecosystem.

Read the ToolHund scoring methodology →