Continue.dev Review (2026): The Free GitHub Copilot Alternative Worth Trying

If you've been looking for a way to add AI-powered coding assistance to your workflow without vendor lock-in or recurring subscriptions, Continue.dev deserves a serious look.

It's an open-source AI coding assistant that integrates directly into VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, letting you connect any language model you want—from cloud providers like OpenAI and Anthropic to local models running on your own hardware.

For the directory entry, start here:

• Continue.dev on Vibe Coding

If you're comparing options:

• Continue.dev alternatives

What is Continue.dev?

Continue.dev is an open-source project (Apache 2.0 license) that turns your IDE into an AI-powered coding environment. Unlike proprietary tools that lock you into specific models and pricing tiers, Continue lets you:

1. Choose your own LLM: Connect OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, DeepSeek, Groq, or run models locally via Ollama
2. Keep code private: Run entirely local if you need to—no code leaves your machine
3. Customize everything: Build your own agents, workflows, and integrations

The core value proposition is flexibility. You get the benefits of AI coding assistance while maintaining control over your data, costs, and tool choices.

Who should use Continue.dev?

Continue.dev is a strong fit if you are:

• A privacy-conscious developer who doesn't want to send code to external servers
• Someone who wants to experiment with different LLMs without switching tools
• A developer who prefers open-source tools with community-driven development
• A team that needs self-hosted solutions for compliance reasons
• A builder who wants to customize agents for specific workflows

It's less ideal if you want a zero-config, plug-and-play experience. GitHub Copilot or Cursor will get you started faster if configuration isn't your thing.

Key features

1) Multi-LLM support

The standout feature is model flexibility. You can connect:

• Cloud providers: OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4o), Anthropic (Claude), Mistral, Groq, DeepSeek
• Local models: Via Ollama, LM Studio, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint
• Custom endpoints: Point to any API that speaks the OpenAI format

This means you can start with a cloud model for convenience, then switch to local execution when you need privacy or want to reduce costs.

2) Three workflow modes

Continue.dev offers three distinct modes for different tasks:

• Chat: Interactive conversation for code explanations, debugging help, and general queries
• Plan: Break down complex tasks into steps before execution
• Agent: Autonomous execution with full codebase access for refactoring, PR reviews, and multi-file changes

The agent mode is where Continue really shines for vibe coding workflows—it can understand your codebase context and make coordinated changes across files.

3) Privacy-first architecture

When using local models, your code never leaves your machine. Even with cloud models, Continue is transparent about what gets sent where, and you can configure exactly what context to include.

Telemetry is collected by default for usage analytics, but it's:

• Anonymized (no code content)
• Fully opt-out via config

4) IDE integration

Continue works as a native extension in:

• VS Code: Full feature support with sidebar, inline completions, and chat
• JetBrains IDEs: IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, etc.

The experience feels native to each IDE rather than bolted on.

5) Customizable agents

Beyond the built-in modes, you can build custom agents for specific tasks:

• Automated code reviews
• Refactoring workflows
• Test generation
• Documentation updates

This extensibility is what makes Continue particularly valuable for teams with specific workflows.

What's not great

No tool is perfect. Here's what to consider:

• Setup complexity: Getting started requires more configuration than Copilot or Cursor. You'll need to set up API keys or local models before you can use it.
• Inconsistent feature polish: Some features feel more polished than others. The core autocomplete and chat work well, but edge cases can feel rough.
• No mobile or web version: It's IDE-only—no browser extension or standalone app.
• Limited to VS Code and JetBrains: No native Vim, Neovim, or other editor support yet.
• Community-dependent: As open-source, development pace depends on community contributions.

Pricing

Continue.dev is free and open-source. There are no paid tiers.

The costs you might incur:

• Cloud LLM APIs: If you use OpenAI, Anthropic, etc., you pay their standard API rates
• Local compute: If running local models, you need adequate hardware

For many developers, this makes Continue significantly cheaper than subscription-based alternatives—especially if you already have API keys or local inference set up.

Continue.dev vs GitHub Copilot

Aspect	Continue.dev	GitHub Copilot
Price	Free (pay for LLM APIs)	$10-19/month
Model choice	Any LLM	GitHub's models only
Privacy	Full local option	Cloud-based
Setup	Requires configuration	Plug and play
Open source	Yes (Apache 2.0)	No
IDE support	VS Code, JetBrains	Broader (VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, etc.)

Bottom line: Choose Continue if you value flexibility and privacy. Choose Copilot if you want instant setup and don't mind the subscription.

Continue.dev vs Cursor

Aspect	Continue.dev	Cursor
Type	IDE extension	Full IDE (VS Code fork)
Price	Free	Free tier + $20/month Pro
Model choice	Any LLM	Built-in + some custom
Agentic features	Agent mode	Composer agent
Privacy	Local models available	Privacy mode available

Bottom line: Continue is for developers who want to stay in their existing IDE with maximum flexibility. Cursor is for those who want an all-in-one AI-native IDE experience.

How to get started

Quick setup with cloud models

1. Install the Continue extension from VS Code or JetBrains marketplace
2. Open the Continue sidebar
3. Add your API key (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) in the config
4. Start chatting or using autocomplete

Local model setup (privacy-first)

1. Install Ollama on your machine
2. Pull a model: ollama pull codellama or ollama pull deepseek-coder
3. Configure Continue to use your local endpoint
4. Your code never leaves your machine

Configuration file

Continue uses a config.json file for all settings. This is where you define:

• Which models to use for chat vs autocomplete
• Context settings (how much code to include)
• Custom agents and workflows
• Telemetry preferences

Practical workflows for vibe coding

Workflow A: Quick questions while coding

Use Chat mode when you hit a problem:

1. Select confusing code
2. Ask "What does this do?" or "Why might this fail?"
3. Get context-aware explanations without leaving your editor

Workflow B: Refactoring with agents

For larger changes:

1. Describe what you want to refactor in the Agent panel
2. Let the agent analyze your codebase
3. Review proposed changes before applying
4. Iterate with feedback

Workflow C: Code review assistance

Create a custom agent for PR reviews:

1. Configure an agent with review guidelines
2. Point it at changed files
3. Get structured feedback on potential issues

Alternatives to Continue.dev

Depending on your priorities:

• Lowest cost: Aider (CLI-based, also open-source)
• Best for enterprises: GitHub Copilot Business, Cody Enterprise
• Local-first: Tabby (self-hosted completions)
• All-in-one IDE: Cursor, Windsurf
• Best for beginners: GitHub Copilot (easiest setup)

For a full comparison:

• Continue.dev alternatives

Verdict

Continue.dev is the best option for developers who want AI coding assistance without giving up control. The ability to choose any LLM, run locally for privacy, and customize everything makes it uniquely flexible.

The trade-off is setup time. If you want something that "just works" out of the box, look at Copilot or Cursor. But if you're willing to spend 15-30 minutes on configuration, Continue offers a powerful, free, and privacy-respecting alternative.

Try it

• Directory page: Continue.dev on Vibe Coding
• Official website: continue.dev
• Documentation: docs.continue.dev
• GitHub: github.com/continuedev/continue