Continue vs OpenCode
The line that matters isn't features — it's what a working month costs and where each tool bites. Data as of 2026-09-16 / 2026-09-16.
Continue
Continue Dev, Inc. · open-source
The open-source IDE assistant layer — autocomplete, chat, and agents over any model you point it at.
OpenCode
SST · open-source
Open-source, 2nd-gen terminal agent — provider-agnostic with AST-aware context and native prompt caching.
| Dimension | Continue | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0 (OSS) | $0 (OSS) |
| Pricing model | open-source | open-source |
| BYOK (own API key) | Yes | Yes |
| Limits score | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Privacy score | 9.0 | 9.0 |
| Quality score | 6.5 | 7.5 |
| Best for | Local-model route makes autocomplete + chat genuinely free, forever | 2nd-gen token architecture: ~1–3k system prompt + AST file reading = a $20 budget lasts all day |
| Watch out for | Free requires hardware honesty | Fast-moving releases can shift behavior under you |
Continue — score breakdown
Price / Value 9.0
Token & Rate Limits 8.0
Speed / Latency 6.5
Privacy & Retention 9.0
BYOK (Own API Key) 10.0
Output Quality 6.5
Stability 6.0
Ease of Setup 7.5
Billing Transparency 9.0
Support & Community 5.5
OpenCode — score breakdown
Price / Value 9.5
Token & Rate Limits 8.0
Speed / Latency 8.0
Privacy & Retention 9.0
BYOK (Own API Key) 10.0
Output Quality 7.5
Stability 7.0
Ease of Setup 7.0
Billing Transparency 9.0
Support & Community 5.0
Both reviews with sources and verification status: Continue · OpenCode