Aider

Open-source AI pair programmer in your terminal — git-first edits, BYO API key, 100+ languages, voice + image input, zero subscription.

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About Aider

Aider is the open-source AI pair programmer that lives in your terminal. Every AI edit becomes a Git commit with a descriptive message — making rollback and code review trivial via standard Git tools. Supports 100+ languages, connects to Claude 3.7 Sonnet, OpenAI, local Ollama, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Voice coding, vision-model image input, in-chat URL fetching, and a benchmark suite all built in. Aider itself is free; you pay only for API tokens ($30–$60/mo typical, $3–$25/day for active devs). Best fit for git-heavy workflows and developers who care about code review.

Key Features

Open-source, free CLI tool
Every AI edit becomes a reviewable Git commit
Supports 100+ programming languages
BYO key: Claude, OpenAI, OpenRouter, Ollama, Bedrock, Vertex
Voice coding and image (vision) input
In-chat URL fetching
Auto-runs linters and tests, fixes detected problems
Benchmark suite for code-edit accuracy

Use Cases

Pair program in the terminal with Claude or GPT
Make every AI edit a Git commit
Run local models via Ollama for zero API cost
Coding with voice input
Auto-lint and auto-test AI changes
Replace IDE-bound AI tools with a CLI workflow

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Open source and genuinely free (BYO key only)
  • Git-first workflow keeps human reviewers in control
  • Supports local models for zero API cost
  • 100+ language coverage

Cons

  • CLI only — no GUI for newcomers
  • Requires comfort with terminal + git
  • BYO API costs can climb on heavy use ($3–$25/day)
  • Lacks editor integrations of Cursor / Windsurf