Aider
by Aider-AI
AI pair programming in your terminal
Reviewed by the the30top research team · Last reviewed 2026-10-27
Overview
Aider runs in the terminal, maps your whole codebase, edits files with your chosen LLM and commits each change to git with a descriptive message. It supports 100+ programming languages, lints and tests after each change, and accepts images, web pages and voice input. It is free software, but you supply and pay for your own model API access, and its site does not offer hosted plans or team controls.
Our verdict
A mature, no-frills tool that rewards terminal-comfortable developers. It is a tool, not a platform, so teams will need to add their own governance.
Best for
Developers who like git-centred, terminal workflows and want to choose their own model.
Avoid if
You need a managed product with a GUI, SSO or vendor support.
Pros
- Free and Apache-2.0 licensed
- Clean git history by default
- Works with almost any LLM, including local
Cons
- No hosted option or team controls
- You manage API keys and costs
- Terminal-only workflow
Key capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is Aider free?
Aider is free open source software under the Apache-2.0 license. You pay your LLM provider for API usage.
Does Aider commit to git?
Yes. Aider automatically commits its changes to git with descriptive commit messages.
Which models work with Aider?
It works best with Claude, DeepSeek and OpenAI models, and can connect to almost any LLM, including local models.