TODO for AI
vs Aider
The original open-source pair-programming CLI, git-native, any model. Here is where each one wins, with numbers, and who should pick which.
Any provider (BYOK)
Every providerWho should pick which
- You want a minimal, scriptable CLI
- You want to watch every edit as it happens
- You want to delegate, not pair
- You want browser and business tools in the same agent
- You want a managed cloud machine
What Aider is, and where it stops
Aider is the original open-source AI pair programmer and still one of the most token-efficient. It is git-native, works with any model, and is scriptable from the shell. Many developers who dislike "agents" like Aider precisely because it does one edit at a time and shows its work.
That is the point and the limit. Aider pairs, it does not delegate. You are in the loop for every step, there is no browser, no cloud, no scheduling, and it is strictly about code.
Developers who want a lightweight, transparent CLI pair programmer.
Three reasons Aider users look elsewhere
Aider waits for you. It does not take a task and come back with the result.
No browser, no business tools, no persistent machine.
Per-developer keys and per-developer bills.
Six dimensions that decide it
What each one ships
What it costs
Free, Apache 2.0. Tokens billed by your provider.
Hobby free (Sonnet only), Starter $20, Pro $100, Ultra $200. Paid plans include every model from every vendor.