Aider vs Continue: Which AI Tool Is Right for Your Hardware?
Side-by-side comparison of local model support, GPU requirements, OpenRouter compatibility, pricing, and setup difficulty. Find which tool fits your workflow and hardware.
Aider
AI pair programming in your terminal. The most local-model-friendly coding agent with a tiny ~2K token system prompt and deep git integration.
Continue
Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains. Tab autocomplete, chat, and agent mode with separate models per role — like a local Copilot.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Aider | Continue |
|---|---|---|
| Type | coding agent | coding agent, developer tool |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | open-source | open-source |
| Platforms | cli, macos, linux | vscode, jetbrains |
| Local models | Yes | Yes |
| OpenRouter | Yes | Yes |
| Ollama | Yes | Yes |
| GPU needed | Yes | No |
| CPU-only | Yes | Yes |
| Setup | medium | medium |
Which should you choose?
Choose Aider if
- Pair programming with local models on modest hardware
- Git-integrated workflows with auto-commit
- Working with any editor (not just VS Code)
Choose Continue if
- Copilot-like autocomplete with local models for privacy
- Multi-model workflows (local autocomplete + cloud agent)
- Teams wanting IDE integration without vendor lock-in
Hardware requirements
Aider
Aider is the most efficient coding agent for local models. Its ~2K system prompt means you can run 7B models on 8 GB VRAM and 14B models on 12-16 GB VRAM. Configure Ollama context window higher than the default 2K tokens.
Continue
8 GB VRAM for 7B autocomplete/chat models. 16 GB for 14B agent mode. Agent mode with local models requires explicit tool_use capability config.
Full compatibility details
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local models: Aider or Continue?
- Both Aider and Continue support local models via Ollama. The choice depends on your specific workflow and hardware.
- Do I need a GPU for Aider vs Continue?
- Aider: Aider is the most efficient coding agent for local models. Its ~2K system prompt means you can run 7B models on 8 GB VRAM and 14B models on 12-16 GB VRAM. Configure Ollama context window higher than the default 2K tokens. Continue: 8 GB VRAM for 7B autocomplete/chat models. 16 GB for 14B agent mode. Agent mode with local models requires explicit tool_use capability config.
- Which is cheaper: Aider or Continue?
- Both Aider (open-source) and Continue (open-source) have comparable pricing models.