Continue vs Cursor: Side-by-Side Comparison 2026
Continue vs Cursor comparison 2026. Side-by-side features, pricing & capabilities.
Continue is an editor extension from Continue — open-source ai coding extension. Cursor is an AI IDE from Cursor (Anysphere) — the ai-first code editor.
Continue
Continue — AI Code Assistant from Continue. Open Source IDE Extension.
- ✓ Code completions
- ✓ AI chat
- ✓ Agentic mode
- ✓ Multi-file editing
- ✓ Terminal commands
$20/mo · 3 plans
Cursor
AI-powered code editor built on VS Code with deep AI integration for code generation, editing, and chat.
- ✓ AI autocomplete
- ✓ Chat with codebase
- ✓ Multi-file editing
- ✓ Terminal commands
- ✓ Code explanation
Free / $20/mo · 6 plans
| Feature | Continue | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Extension | AI IDE |
| Starting Price | $20/mo | Free |
| Model Family | Multi-model (any) | Multi-model |
| Open Source | Yes (Apache 2.0) | No |
Pricing verified Mar 20, 2026. Continue pricing | Cursor pricing
Key Differences
- Category: Continue is an editor extension; Cursor is an AI IDE.
- Free tier: Cursor has a free tier; Continue does not.
- Model family: Continue uses Multi-model (any); Cursor uses Multi-model.
- Open source: Continue: Yes (Apache 2.0). Cursor: No.
- Provider: Continue is built by Continue; Cursor is built by Cursor (Anysphere).
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Continue if you want open-source AI coding with full control over model and context. Choose Cursor if you want a full-featured AI IDE for professional development. Read our full reviews to see which fits your workflow.