Continue
Open-source VS Code extension — plug any LLM into your editor.
8.1/10
Effortball score
Weighted across capability, reliability, ease of use, value and integrations.
What it does
Continue is an open-source VS Code and JetBrains extension that lets you plug any LLM into your editor: Claude, GPT-4, Llama, Gemini, or local models via Ollama. It's a Copilot alternative with full model transparency and privacy control.
The most flexible AI coding extension for VS Code. Model-agnostic by design, Continue turns your editor into a BYOK platform. Setup requires more configuration than Copilot, but the model freedom is unmatched.
— Effortball, reviewer verdict
Best for
Developers wanting full model control, open-source guarantees, and the ability to run locally via Ollama
Website
Last tested
Aug 30, 2026
How it scores
Deterministically calculated from these five weighted sub-scores. See the rubric and weights.
The line call
In
- Developers wanting full model control, open-source guarantees, and the ability to run locally via Ollama
Out
- Developers who want a polished out-of-box experience with zero configuration