Continue
Open-source AI coding extensions for VS Code and JetBrains, a CLI and cloud agents that run source-controlled AI checks on every pull request.
- Free plan
- Agentic tool
- Vendor-sourced
- Verified 13 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this profile
- 6 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- Vendor and official documentationHow this profile was compiled
- Not an endorsementStack18 has not tested this product
What is Continue?
Continue is an open-source (Apache 2.0) AI coding platform. It provides VS Code and JetBrains extensions and a CLI that work with any model, including local ones, and cloud agents that run markdown-defined checks on pull requests as GitHub status checks.
- Best forTeams that want AI quality gates in CI
- PricingFree open-source extensions; Starter $3 per million tokens; Team $20 per seat; Company custom. Free plan available.
- Main limitationHosted agents and inference are paid.
- AlternativesCline · Kilo Code · Roo Code · compare all
Continue overview: who it is for and what it does.
Continue began as an open-source IDE assistant and has expanded into what it calls Continuous AI: agents and AI checks defined in markdown inside your repository, which run on every pull request and show up as GitHub status checks, like CI for code standards.
The extensions and CLI are free and model-agnostic, working with hosted providers or local models through Ollama or LM Studio. Paid plans cover hosted agents and inference: Starter is pay-as-you-go at $3 per million tokens, Team is $20 a seat with $10 of credits per seat, and Company adds SAML or OIDC SSO.
Main problem it solves
Lets teams enforce code standards with AI checks in CI and use any model in their IDE without vendor lock-in.
Typical customer segment
Individual developers through companies; Company plan for SSO.
Target users
- Teams that want AI checks in CI
- Developers who prefer open-source, model-agnostic tools
- Organisations running local models
Primary use cases
- Source-controlled AI checks on pull requests
- Agent and chat in VS Code or JetBrains
- Background agents triggered by Slack, Sentry or Snyk
- Local-model coding
What makes it distinct
- Open source under Apache 2.0.
- AI checks defined in markdown and run as GitHub status checks.
- Any model, including local models.
Continue features explained.
IDE and CLI
- Extensions
- Open-source VS Code and JetBrains extensions with agent, chat and autocomplete.
- CLI
- A command-line agent.
Continuous AI
- AI checks
- Markdown-defined checks in the repository that run on pull requests as status checks.
- Cloud agents
- Agents connected to Slack, Sentry and Snyk.
Teams
- Shared agents
- Create and share private agents and control which ones a team can use.
- Company SSO
- SAML or OIDC single sign-on on the Company plan.
Continue pricing and plans.
Prices from a vendor-published source. Checked 13 Nov 2026 against Continue (continue.dev) · Ry Walker Research · Milestone.
Pricing model
Free open-source extensions; pay-as-you-go tokens for hosted agents; per-seat Team plan with included credits; custom Company plan.
Free plan
Yes. The extensions and CLI are free and open source, and the Solo hub plan is $0; you pay for models you use.
Free trial
Not documented in the sources reviewed.
Continue plans and prices (USD)
-
Solo / open source
Free
n/a
Open-source extensions and CLI; bring your own models.
-
Starter
$3 per million tokens
Pay as you go
Create and run agents, connect Slack, Sentry and Snyk, buy credits for frontier models.
-
Team
$20 per seat per month
Monthly
Includes $10 of credits per seat; manage and share private agents.
-
Company
Custom
Custom
Custom SSO with SAML or OIDC.
Prices from continue.dev/pricing as summarised in April 2026 and later trackers.
Prices change. Confirm current plans and terms on the vendor's site before you decide.
Visit official website (external) ↗See alternativesContinue integrations, API and platforms.
Important integrations
- VS Code
- JetBrains IDEs
- GitHub (status checks)
- Slack
- Sentry
- Snyk
- Ollama and LM Studio
Supported platforms
- VS Code
- JetBrains IDEs
- CLI
- Cloud agents
API
Open source; agents and checks configured as files in the repository.
Data import and export
Not reviewed for this profile.
Integration availability can depend on plan. Confirm with the vendor before you rely on a specific connector.
How Continue works as an AI product.
Attributes are listed only where documented. We do not infer autonomy levels, certifications or model capabilities.
Classification: Agentic tool. A human-directed tool that can plan, edit and run actions, with the user reviewing or approving changes. Developer: Continue Dev, Inc..
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Supported models | Any provider or local model, assigned per task. [3] [2] |
| Tools and integrations | MCP tool management, Slack, Sentry and Snyk integrations. [1] [4] |
| Ability to execute actions | Agents edit code and run checks; checks report as GitHub status checks. [2] |
| Execution environment | Locally in the IDE or CLI, or in Continue's cloud for agents and checks. [6] |
| Human-in-the-loop controls | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Permissions and access | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Memory and context | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Deployment options | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Data handling and privacy | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Security and compliance | SAML or OIDC SSO on the Company plan. [5] |
| Pricing and usage limits | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Languages and platforms | Not documented in the sources reviewed. |
| Limitations and known constraints | Setup decisions are needed to get value; documentation is lighter than some commercial tools. [3] |
Primary tasks
- AI checks in CI
- IDE agent and chat
- Background agents
Best-fit workflows
- Teams codifying review standards
- Open-source and local-model users
- Multi-IDE organisations
Continue pros and cons.
Strengths, limitations and best fit. Each point cites a source; editorial summaries are not customer reviews.
Strengths
Limitations
Best for
- Teams that want AI quality gates in CI
- Developers who want open-source, model-agnostic tools
- Organisations using local models
May be less suited to
- Teams wanting a fully managed AI editor
- Users who want zero configuration
Top Continue alternatives and competitors.
Continue alternatives
Developers look for Continue alternatives when they want a more opinionated managed agent, a dedicated AI…
Explore →Related productCline
An open-source AI coding agent for VS Code and the terminal that asks before each action and works with…
Explore →Related productKilo Code
An open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the CLI, cloud and Slack, with 500+ models at provider…
Explore →Related productRoo Code
An open-source VS Code coding agent with custom modes, MCP, bring-your-own-key models and optional cloud…
Explore →Continue compared with similar AI coding agents.
Summaries come from each profile. This is a side-by-side aid, not a ranking.
| Product | Interface | Model choice | Free tier | Pricing model | Human oversight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continue | VS Code and JetBrains extensions, CLI, cloud agents | Any model, including local | Yes (open source) | Free software; PAYG tokens or Team seats | Checks reported as GitHub status checks |
| Augment Code | VS Code, JetBrains, CLI and Slack | Frontier models; credit cost varies | No (trial reported) | Credit-based subscriptions | Not documented in sources reviewed |
| Blackbox AI | VS Code agent, IDE, web and CLI | Several model vendors | Unclear after late-2026 change | Enterprise committed spend (earlier $10 to $40) | Not documented in sources reviewed |
| Cline Compare | VS Code extension and CLI | Many providers, bring your own key | Yes (open source) | Free software; pay model usage | Per-action approval and checkpoints (third-party) |
| GitHub Copilot | IDE extensions, CLI, desktop app and GitHub.com | Several vendors' models, plus third-party agents | Yes (Copilot Free) | Subscription with monthly AI credits | Approvals, rollback and credit limits documented |
| Junie | JetBrains IDEs, beta CLI and GitHub Action | Any model through BYOK, plus JetBrains AI models | Yes (BYOK or AI Free) | JetBrains AI credits or BYOK | Not documented in sources reviewed |
Continue vs competitors: head-to-head comparisons.
Continue discussions and buying questions.
Continue questions and answers
What is Continue used for?
Continue is an open-source (Apache 2.0) AI coding platform. It provides VS Code and JetBrains extensions and a CLI that work with any model, including local ones, and cloud agents that run markdown-defined checks on pull requests as GitHub status checks.
Is Continue free?
Yes. The extensions and CLI are free and open source, and the Solo hub plan is $0; you pay for models you use.
How much does Continue cost?
Free open-source extensions; Starter $3 per million tokens; Team $20 per seat; Company custom.
Which models does Continue support?
Any provider or local model, assigned per task.
What are the limitations of Continue?
Hosted agents and inference are paid. Getting value requires configuration choices. SSO requires the Company plan.
Which platforms does Continue run on?
Continue is documented as available on: VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, CLI, Cloud agents.
Is Continue an AI agent or an AI assistant?
We classify Continue as: Agentic tool. A human-directed tool that can plan, edit and run actions, with the user reviewing or approving changes. The classification is based on vendor documentation and is not an endorsement.
What are the main alternatives to Continue?
The main alternatives to Continue covered on Stack18 are Cline, Kilo Code, Roo Code and GitHub Copilot. See the Continue alternatives guide for a side-by-side table.
When was the Continue profile last verified?
Sources for this profile were last reviewed on 13 Nov 2026. 6 sources are listed under Sources, and prices and plans can change, so confirm with the vendor.
Where this information comes from.
- Continue pricing Continue (continue.dev) Official Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Continue research Ry Walker Research Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Continue.dev features and pricing Milestone Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Continue Review (2026) ToolPick Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Continue AI Tools Atlas Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Hugging Face vs Continue RFP Wiki Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
Further official pages: Continue pricing (external)
Plans, features and status were checked against Continue's published pages and the third-party sources listed. Agent behaviour was not tested, and security certifications were not independently verified.
Stack18 has not tested this product or received anything from the vendor for this profile. Editorial summaries of vendor information are not endorsements. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.
Evaluating Continue?
Check the vendor's current pricing and terms, compare it with similar products, or read how others approach the decision. If off-the-shelf is not the answer, Stack18 builds around how your business works.
Logos provided by Logo.dev. Product names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners and appear for identification only; they do not imply endorsement.