As AI-powered developer tools continue to reshape how we write code, Cursor and Continue stand out as two prominent solutions in the market.
Both offer AI-powered code assistance and IDE integration, but while Cursor operates as a full VS Code fork with deep AI integration, Continue takes a more platform-agnostic approach as an open-source extension.
In addition to these AI code assistants, maintaining high-quality code is a crucial factor in any development workflow. Greptile complements these tools by providing AI-powered code reviews that help identify bugs, enforce best practices, and ensure your code stays clean and maintainable.
This comparison will help you understand the key differences between Cursor and Continue, and make an informed decision for your development needs.
🛠️ Feature Comparison
📝 Code Completion
Cursor
Cursor offers sophisticated code completion through its Cursor Tab feature, providing multi-line code suggestions and modifications. The system can suggest entire code blocks and even modify existing code based on context. Users receive 2,000 completions with the free tier and unlimited completions with Pro. The completion system is deeply integrated with the editor and can understand linter errors and recent changes.
Continue
Continue provides intelligent inline code completion with real-time suggestions as you type. The system includes tab completion support and status bar integration, allowing developers to easily enable or disable suggestions. Being open-source, the completion system can be customized and extended according to specific needs.
💬 AI Chat Capabilities
Cursor
Cursor's AI chat integration is comprehensive, featuring context-aware code discussions with support for multiple AI models. The chat system preserves history, automatically includes relevant file context, and offers web search capabilities. Users can generate code blocks and instantly apply them, with a customizable chat interface.
Continue
Continue offers an integrated AI chat interface within the IDE environment, focusing on contextual code assistance without requiring window switching. The system supports follow-up questions and iterative improvements, providing real-time responses to coding queries. The chat integration is streamlined and focused on maintaining developer workflow.
📂 Context Awareness
Cursor
Cursor employs automatic indexing of codebases for improved context understanding, using embeddings-based search for accurate code references. The system allows customizable indexing rules via .cursorignore and maintains a privacy-focused design without storing plaintext code.
Continue
Continue's context awareness is built into its core functionality, providing contextual understanding across your codebase. The system offers customizable context integration and can be configured to understand project-specific patterns and requirements, making it highly adaptable to different development environments.
🔒 Privacy and Security
Cursor
Cursor prioritizes privacy with an optional Privacy Mode that prevents code storage. The system processes sensitive information locally and maintains transparent data handling policies. No permanent storage of plaintext code occurs, and users have control over codebase indexing configurations.
Continue
As an open-source solution, Continue provides complete transparency in its code handling. Users can audit the source code for security concerns and modify it according to their needs. The open nature of the project ensures that security practices are community-reviewed and maintainable.
💸 Pricing
Cursor
- Hobby
- Free for individual users
- Pro two week trial
- 2000 completions
- 50 slow premium requests
- Pro
- $20 per month
- Unlimited completions
- 500 fast premium requests
- Unlimited slow premium requests
- 10 o1-mini uses per day
- Business
- $40 per user, per month
- Enforce privacy mode org-wide
- Centralized team billing
- Admin dashboard with usage stats
- SAML/OIDC SSO
Continue
- Free Open Source
- Free forever
- Real-time code suggestions
- Automated refactoring
- Testing and debugging assistance
- Seamless IDE integration
- Enterprise
- Enhanced features
- Scalability
- Enhanced security and privacy
- Dedicated support
- Collaboration tools
🏆 Verdict: Which One Should You Pick?
Both Cursor and Continue offer powerful AI-driven development tools, but the right choice depends on your specific needs and workflow.
Choose Cursor if:
- You prefer an all-in-one solution with deep AI integration within VS Code.
- You need advanced features like real-time code completions, test generation, and terminal integration.
- You are working in a commercial environment and need professional-grade tools, team billing, and SSO support.
Choose Continue if:
- You value the flexibility and customization that comes with an open-source tool.
- You work with multiple IDEs, such as JetBrains or VS Code, and need cross-platform support.
- You are looking for a free, scalable solution that can be tailored to your project’s needs with community-driven development.
Regardless of your choice, keeping your codebase clean and secure is essential. Greptile provides AI-powered code reviews to help ensure better code quality, security, and maintainability for your projects.