Codex vs Continue: Side-by-Side Comparison 2026
Codex vs Continue comparison for 2026. Features, pricing, AI capabilities, and editor support analyzed side by side to help you choose the right coding tool for your workflow.
Codex is an AI agent and a CLI-based coding agent from OpenAI — asynchronous autonomous coding agent. Continue is an editor extension from Continue — open-source ai coding extension.
Codex🏆 Approved
OpenAI's autonomous coding agent. Available via web, desktop app (macOS), CLI (macOS/Linux/Windows), and VS Code extension.
- ✓ Code completions
- ✓ AI chat
- ✓ Agentic mode
- ✓ Multi-file editing
- ✓ Terminal commands
Free / $8/mo · 6 plans
Continue
Open-source AI IDE extension for VS Code and JetBrains. Configurable model, RAG, and rules. Pay-as-you-go ($3/M tokens) or Team at $20/seat/month with included credits.
- ✓ Code completions
- ✓ AI chat
- ✓ Agentic mode
- ✓ Multi-file editing
- ✓ Terminal commands
$20/mo · 3 plans
| Feature | Codex | Continue |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Agent / CLI | Extension |
| Starting Price | Free | $20/mo |
| Model Family | GPT / Codex | Multi-model (any) |
| Open Source | Yes (CLI) | Yes (Apache 2.0) |
Pricing verified May 4, 2026. Codex pricing | Continue pricing
Key Differences
- Category: Codex is an AI agent and a CLI-based coding agent; Continue is an editor extension.
- Free tier: Codex has a free tier; Continue does not.
- Starting price: Codex starts at $8/mo; Continue starts at $20/mo.
- Model family: Codex uses GPT / Codex; Continue uses Multi-model (any).
- Open source: Codex: Yes (CLI). Continue: Yes (Apache 2.0).
- Platforms: Codex runs on Linux, Web, Windows (experimental), macOS; Continue runs on Linux, Windows, macOS.
- Provider: Codex is built by OpenAI; Continue is built by Continue.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Codex if you want asynchronous coding tasks you can fire off and review when ready. Choose Continue if you want open-source AI coding with full control over model and context. Read our full reviews to see which fits your workflow.