Zed vs Continue
Zed: A fast, open-source code editor with built-in AI agents and real-time collaboration. Continue: Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains with any model you like. Here is how they compare on features, pricing, platforms, pros and cons.
Quick verdict
Zed
Best for: Developers who want speed and AI without a heavy editor.
Stands out for: Extremely responsive; Open source.
Continue
Best for: Teams that want a customisable, model-agnostic assistant.
Stands out for: Open source and flexible; Works with local models.
Side-by-side comparison
| Visit zed.dev (opens in a new tab) | Visit continue.dev (opens in a new tab) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A fast, open-source code editor with built-in AI agents and real-time collaboration. | Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains with any model you like. |
| Pricing | Free + PaidEditor is free and open source; paid plan adds hosted AI usage | Open source |
| Free to use | Yes | Yes |
| Category | AI Coding | AI Coding |
| Editor rank | #20 in category | #23 in category |
| Made by | Zed Industries | Continue Dev |
| Best for | Developers who want speed and AI without a heavy editor. | Teams that want a customisable, model-agnostic assistant. |
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Zed vs Continue: questions
Is Zed better than Continue?
Neither wins for everyone. Our editors rank Zed slightly higher overall in AI Coding, but Continue can be the better fit: Teams that want a customisable, model-agnostic assistant.
Which is free, Zed or Continue?
Both can be used without paying: Zed is free + paid and Continue is open source. Paid plans add more usage or features.
Can I use Zed and Continue together?
Yes. Many people keep both and pick per task, for example ask the agent to make changes across a project with Zed, and use a local model for private code completion with Continue.