Continue vs Relay Agents: 2026 comparison
Open-source coding agent for VS Code and JetBrains — bring your own model, customize every prompt.
Human-in-the-loop workflow agents that connect 100+ apps with approvals.
Continue vs Relay Agents — specs
| Spec | Continue | Relay Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Agent Rank | 75 / 100 (A) | 72 / 100 (A) |
| Autonomy | Semi-autonomous | Semi-autonomous |
| Pricing | Free · OSS | Freemium · from $18 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Capabilities | Code, Tool use, Memory | Tool use, Memory |
| Integrations | 3 apps | 4 apps |
| Verified | Verified | Verified |
| Released | Feb 2025 | Mar 2025 |
Agent Rank breakdown
- Autonomy fit
- 8
- Capabilities
- 6
- Integrations
- 4
- Pricing value
- 10
- Polish & maturity
- 7
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
- Autonomy fit
- 8
- Capabilities
- 4
- Integrations
- 8
- Pricing value
- 8
- Polish & maturity
- 5
- Verifiability
- 10
Auto-computed from autonomy, capabilities, integrations, pricing, maturity and editorial verification. Updated every deploy. How is this computed?
Pros & cons
- +Apache 2.0 — fully open source; auditable end-to-end
- +Works with any OpenAI-compatible API endpoint, including local LLMs
- +JetBrains support that Cursor and Cline lack
- −Smaller community than Cursor or Cline
- −Less polished than Cursor; requires more configuration
- −No native MCP server marketplace — manual config required
- +Strongest human-in-the-loop pattern of any no-code agent
- +Connects 100+ apps with conditional logic and approval gates
- +Free tier is real — not a trial in disguise
- −AI features are lighter than purpose-built agent platforms
- −Per-seat pricing scales fast for larger teams
- −No native phone / voice support
Pricing
- +Apache 2.0 license
- +BYO model API key
- +VS Code + JetBrains support
- +Shared models + assistants
- +Org-wide rules and prompts
- +Usage analytics
- +200 runs/mo
- +All app integrations
- +2,000 runs/mo
- +Multi-step approvals
- +Conditional branching
- +Shared workflows
- +Audit log
- +Role-based access
Which one should you pick?
Pick Continue if cost is the main constraint or if auditability or self-hosting matters.
Try Continue →Pick Relay Agents if its specific capabilities (Tool use, Memory) match what you need.
Try Relay Agents →Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked
Should I pick Continue or Relay Agents in 2026?+
Pick Continue if cost is the main constraint or if auditability or self-hosting matters. Pick Relay Agents if its specific capabilities (Tool use, Memory) match what you need. Most working teams running both can use Continue for primary work and Relay Agents for the workflows where its specific strengths matter.
What's the price difference between Continue and Relay Agents?+
Continue starts at Free · OSS; Relay Agents starts at Freemium · from $18. Continue is the cheaper entry option. For team deployments the TCO can differ — use the AI Agent Rank TCO calculator for your specific volume.
Which is more autonomous, Continue or Relay Agents?+
Both Continue and Relay Agents are Semi-autonomous agents — neither has a meaningful autonomy advantage over the other. The decision should hinge on capabilities and pricing instead.