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AI · head to head

Aider vs Sourcegraph Cody

A

Aider

AI

AI pair programming in your terminal

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sourcegraph Cody logo

Sourcegraph Cody

AI

Enterprise AI coding assistant with whole-codebase context

From
$59/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Aider has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Aider requires comfort working in a terminal rather than a graphical IDE; Sourcegraph Cody no longer available to individual developers or small teams after free and Pro tiers were discontinued in mid-2025
  • They diverge on capability: Aider covers Multi-LLM support, Sourcegraph Cody covers Multi-repository context.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aider and Sourcegraph Cody actually diverge.

Attributes where Aider and Sourcegraph Cody differ
AttributeAiderSourcegraph Cody
Starting priceFree$59/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcequote
Free tierYesNo
Platformsmac, linux, windows, apiweb, windows, mac, linux
Founded20232013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (AI).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aider

  • Multi-LLM support
  • Repository mapping
  • Git integration
  • Voice-to-code
  • Lint and test automation
  • Image and web context
  • Free provider access
  • Editor file-watching

Only in Sourcegraph Cody

  • Multi-repository context
  • Large context window
  • Context filters
  • Model flexibility
  • IDE integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aider

  • Editing an existing codebase from the terminalnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Pairing with an LLM on a new projectnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Automating git-committed code changesnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Working across many programming languagesnot Sourcegraph Cody
  • Bringing your own LLM API key to a coding workflownot Sourcegraph Cody

Sourcegraph Cody

  • Cross-repository code understanding for large engineering orgsnot Aider
  • AI-assisted code review and refactoring at enterprise scalenot Aider
  • Enforcing data-boundary controls when using third-party LLMsnot Aider
  • Codebase-aware chat and autocomplete for developersnot Aider

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aider

  • Requires comfort working in a terminal rather than a graphical IDE
  • Has no hosted or managed version, so users must supply and pay for their own LLM API access separately
  • Depends heavily on the chosen underlying model's quality, so results vary by which LLM is configured
  • Lacks a built-in autonomous multi-step task runner comparable to agent-style products

Sourcegraph Cody

  • No longer available to individual developers or small teams after free and Pro tiers were discontinued in mid-2025
  • Priced substantially higher than many competing AI coding assistants, with Enterprise plans typically requiring annual contracts
  • Sourcegraph has shifted its individual-developer focus to a separate product, Amp, creating uncertainty about Cody's long-term product priority
  • Requires integration with Sourcegraph's broader code intelligence platform rather than working as a lightweight standalone extension

Pricing, plan by plan

Aider

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Aider review.

Sourcegraph Cody

$59/month
  • Enterprise$59/month
    • Whole-codebase AI context
    • Context filters for sensitive code
    • Multi-repository analysis

Which should you pick?

Choose Aider if

  • You need multi-llm support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on mac, linux, windows, api.
  • You also want repository mapping.
Aider review

Choose Sourcegraph Cody if

  • You need multi-repository context.
  • You work on web, windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want large context window.
Sourcegraph Cody review

Questions people ask

Is Aider or Sourcegraph Cody better?
Neither clearly leads. Aider starts at Free and Sourcegraph Cody at $59/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aider or Sourcegraph Cody?
Aider has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Aider and $59/month for Sourcegraph Cody.
Does Aider or Sourcegraph Cody run on more platforms?
Aider runs on mac, linux, windows, api. Sourcegraph Cody runs on web, windows, mac, linux.
Can I use Aider for free?
Yes. Aider has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sourcegraph Cody starts at $59/month.
What is Aider best used for?
Aider is most often used for editing an existing codebase from the terminal, pairing with an llm on a new project, automating git-committed code changes, working across many programming languages. Of those, editing an existing codebase from the terminal and pairing with an llm on a new project are not what Sourcegraph Cody is typically brought in for.
What can Aider do that Sourcegraph Cody cannot?
Aider covers Multi-LLM support, Repository mapping, Git integration, Voice-to-code. Sourcegraph Cody covers Multi-repository context, Large context window, Context filters, Model flexibility.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aider: Is Aider free to use?

Aider itself is free and open source, released under the Apache 2.0 license. Users must separately supply and pay for API access to the LLM they choose to use with it.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: Is Sourcegraph Cody still available to individual developers?

No, as of mid-2025 Cody Free and Pro plans were discontinued; Cody is now sold only as part of Sourcegraph's Enterprise plan, which requires an annual contract.

Source
Aider: Which LLMs can I use with Aider?

Aider connects to OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, GROQ, DeepSeek, Ollama, Azure, Cohere, xAI, GitHub Copilot, Vertex AI, Amazon Bedrock, OpenRouter and most other LLM providers via API keys.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: How much does Sourcegraph Enterprise cost?

Enterprise plans start around $16,000 and scale with team size and seat count, including bundled AI credits; exact pricing requires a sales quote.

Source
Aider: Can I use Aider for free without paying for an LLM API?

Yes, Aider can be used at no cost through OpenRouter's free model access (subject to daily usage limits) or Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro Exp, which the docs note performs well without a paid API key.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: How does the AI credit system work on Enterprise plans?

Each plan includes a pooled allocation of AI credits shared across the organization; credits do not expire and roll over at renewal, with volume credit add-ons available.

Source
Aider: How does Aider handle version control?

Aider automatically stages and commits each change it makes to a connected git repository, generating a descriptive commit message for every edit so changes stay reviewable and reversible.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: What happens if my organization exceeds its credit allocation?

Sourcegraph's pricing page addresses overage and offers additional volume credit buckets for teams that need more than their committed allocation.

Source
Sourcegraph Cody: Is a free trial available for Sourcegraph Enterprise?

Sourcegraph's pricing page lists free trial availability as one of its published FAQ topics for prospective Enterprise customers.

Source
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