What is the difference between Continue and Bolt.new?

Continue focuses on Multi-LLM support and is free, while Bolt.new specializes in Full-stack app generation and is freemium. Both are AI Coding tools.

Is Continue or Bolt.new better?

It depends on your needs. Continue excels at Fully open source, while Bolt.new is known for No local setup needed. Compare their features above to decide which fits your workflow.

Continue vs Bolt.new

AI Coding tools comparison · Updated 2026

Choosing between Continue and Bolt.new? Both are popular AI Coding tools. Continue is free to use and focuses on Multi-LLM support. Bolt.new starts at Freemium and specializes in Full-stack app generation. Here's a detailed side-by-side comparison to help you decide.

At a Glance

	Continue	Bolt.new
Category	AI Coding	AI Coding
Pricing	free	freemium
Starting Price	Free	Freemium
Best For	coding, open-source, ide-extension	coding, app-builder, full-stack
Features	6 listed	6 listed

Continue

Open-source AI code assistant connecting any LLM to VS Code and JetBrains.

AI Coding free

Visit Continue → Alternatives

Bolt.new

AI full-stack app builder running entirely in the browser with instant deploy.

AI Coding freemium

Visit Bolt.new → Alternatives

Feature Comparison

Continue	Bolt.new
✓ Multi-LLM support	✓ Full-stack app generation
✓ Autocomplete	✓ In-browser execution
✓ AI chat	✓ Instant deployment
✓ Inline editing	✓ Multi-framework support
✓ Custom slash commands	✓ Live preview
✓ Context providers	✓ File system management

Pricing Comparison

Continue

free

Free and open source. Use with any LLM provider or local models.

Bolt.new

freemium

Free tier with limited tokens. Pro at $20/mo. Teams at $40/mo per user.

Pros & Cons

Continue

Pros

+ Fully open source
+ Extremely customizable
+ Works with any LLM
+ Active development

Cons

− Requires configuration
− No built-in model hosting
− Quality depends on chosen LLM

Bolt.new

Pros

+ No local setup needed
+ Full-stack capability
+ Instant preview and deploy
+ Multiple framework support

Cons

− Token limits on free tier
− Can struggle with complex apps
− Limited backend complexity

The Verdict

Both Continue and Bolt.new are strong AI Coding tools. Continue stands out for Fully open source, making it ideal if that's your priority. Bolt.new excels at No local setup needed, which may be more important for your workflow. Price-wise, Continue is free while Bolt.new is freemium, so budget may also factor in.