Continue vs Zed AI
Honest breakdown of Continue (open-source ai assistant for vs code and jetbrains. customizable rules, models, contexts.) and Zed AI (native, blazing-fast collaborative editor with built-in ai assistant.). Last refreshed 2026-04-30.
| Aspect | Continue | Zed AI |
|---|---|---|
| Category | extension | ide |
| Pricing | Free | Free + $20/mo |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 (editor); proprietary AI features |
| Models |
|
|
| Integrations |
|
|
| Best for |
|
|
When to pick Continue
- · JetBrains users
- · Teams who want shared prompt library
- · Privacy-conscious devs
When to pick Zed AI
- · Performance-obsessed devs
- · Pair-programming-heavy teams
- · Rust/Go/system devs