Continue: The "Build Your Own" AI Copilot You Actually Own
Most AI coding tools are like expensive cable subscriptions: you pay a monthly fee, you get what they give you, and you don’t ask questions. Continue is different. It’s the open-source equivalent of cutting the cord—a completely free extension for VS Code and JetBrains that lets you decide which AI brain powers your code.
Here is the kicker: The software itself is 100% free with no usage limits. You aren't paying for the tool; you only pay for the "fuel" (API keys) you put inside it, or nothing at all if you run models locally on your own machine.
🛠️ What It Actually Does
Continue sits in your sidebar (like ChatGPT) and your text editor (like Copilot), acting as a bridge between your code and literally any AI model you want.
- Model Agnosticism: You can toggle between Claude 3.5 Sonnet for complex logic and a cheap model like GPT-4o Mini for quick fixes. – You stop overpaying for simple tasks and get the best-in-class model for hard ones.
- Context Awareness: It can index your entire codebase, documentation, and open files. – The AI understands how
utils.jsbreaksapp.tsxwithout you having to copy-paste 50 files. - Local Privacy Mode: Connect it to Ollama or LM Studio to run models like Llama 3 entirely offline. – Your proprietary code never leaves your laptop. Zero data leaks.
- Autocomplete & Edit: It offers "tab-to-complete" suggestions and a "Highlight code + Ask AI to fix" feature. – It replicates the $20/month Copilot experience using your own terms.
The Real Cost (Free vs. Paid)
Continue is "free as in speech," not just "free as in beer." The extension costs nothing. However, because it doesn't host the AI for you, you must provide the connection.
| Plan | Cost | Key Limits/Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | $0 | Unlimited features. You must bring your own API Key (OpenAI, Anthropic) or run a local model (Ollama). |
| Team | $10/mo | Adds a centralized "Hub" to sync configuration, prompts, and secrets across a team. |
| Your "Fuel" | Variable | $0/mo if using local models (requires decent RAM/GPU). ~$5-10/mo if using API keys heavily. |
The Catch: This is not a "one-click" magic wand. You have to be comfortable generating an API key from OpenAI or installing Ollama. If you want a setup where you never have to think about "tokens" or "configs," this might feel like a chore.
How It Stacks Up
While big tech wants you to rent their AI, Continue lets you own the pipeline.
- vs. GitHub Copilot ($10/mo): Copilot is smoother and requires zero setup—it just works. However, Copilot locks you into OpenAI's models. Continue lets you use Claude (which many devs argue is better for coding in late 2025) or free local models.
- vs. Cursor (App): Cursor is a full code editor (a fork of VS Code) that feels more "native" and powerful for heavy refactoring. Continue is just an extension. If you don't want to switch editors, Continue is the answer. If you want the absolute most powerful AI integration and don't mind changing IDEs, Cursor wins.
- vs. Windsurf: Windsurf is another "AI Editor" competitor. Continue stands out because it doesn't try to be a new editor; it respects the workflow you already have.
The Verdict
Continue represents a vital shift in the "Practical AI" era. We are moving from a world where we rent intelligence ($20/month subscriptions) to one where we curate it.
By decoupling the interface (the coding tool) from the intelligence (the model), Continue future-proofs your workflow. When GPT-5 drops, you don't have to wait for Microsoft to update Copilot; you just plug in the new key. It forces you to be a slightly more technical user, but in exchange, it gives you the one thing Silicon Valley hates giving away: control.
