Head to head · Coding · updated Oct 17, 2026
Continue vs Cursor
Continue scores 89 to Cursor's 62 on public evidence for AI code editor, and they rank #1 and #3 there. Both are free to start. Numbers below are the same public signals the ranking uses, recomputed nightly — nothing here is sponsored.
Continue
Open-source AI code assistant extension that lets you wire any model into VS Code or JetBrains.
+ Works with local Ollama models or any API, with fully customisable config.
− Setup is more fiddly than Copilot and autocomplete quality depends entirely on the model you choose.
Cursor
A VS Code fork with built-in AI autocomplete, chat, and an agent mode that edits across your codebase.
+ Tab autocomplete predicts multi-line edits across files better than any competitor.
− Usage-based pricing changes and request limits on Pro have repeatedly frustrated heavy users.
Side by side
public evidence| Continue | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence score / 100 | 89 | 62 |
| GitHub stars | 36,234 | closed source |
| Hacker News stories, 30d | 43 | 72 |
| Release-feed mentions, 30d | 1 | 1 |
| Last activity | 0 days ago | 1 days ago |
| Pricing | Open source · Free; optional hosted plans | Free tier · Pro $20/mo |
| Platforms | vscode-extension, jetbrains-plugin, cli | mac, windows, linux |
| Maker | Continue | Anysphere |
Which one?
Pick Continue if
- you want the stronger public evidence (89 vs 62)
- you want open source — self-host it, read it, fork it
- you need it on cli, jetbrains-plugin, vscode-extension
- a bigger GitHub community matters (36,234 vs 0 stars)
Best for developers who want to self-host or mix models.
Pick Cursor if
- you need it on linux, mac, windows
Best for developers who want the most polished AI editor today.