Bonfire Terminal vs Continue
Continue is an open-source, hybrid AI coding assistant for IDEs, free as OSS with paid team plans, BYO key and a local-model option. It lives inside your editor for code completion. Bonfire Terminal instead is a standalone sovereign terminal agent, local-first, one-time license, keys billed at raw provider cost.
Bonfire Terminal vs Continue: the 16-factor comparison
| Rating factor | Continue | Bonfire Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Category | AI Coding Assistant | AI Terminal / Local Agent |
| Popularity | GitHub 35k stars | Growing · indie |
| Hosting architecture | Hybrid | On-Device Local |
| Licensing model | Open Source | One-Time Perpetual |
| Data / training policy | BYO key; local option | Fully local — nothing leaves device |
| Offline capability | Partial | Yes |
| Pricing tier range | $0 OSS / paid teams | One-time license |
| Execution unit cost | Pay-Per-Token | Unlimited Local Compute |
| API-key markup | No | No — BYO key at cost |
| Supported LLM providers | Any;OpenAI;Anthropic;Local | OpenAI; Anthropic; Google; Local; Any |
| Auth / permission types | API Key;Local/None | API Key; Local/None |
| Phone / messaging bridges | None | Telegram; WhatsApp |
| Speech recognition engine | None | Whisper (local) |
| Local media processing | No | Yes |
| Sovereign score | 66 / 100 | 93 / 100 |
The sovereignty gap
Where Continue lands on each weighted pillar (its bar) — the red marker is Bonfire's score. Auto-derived from the 16 factors above.
Which should you choose?
Choose Continue if…
Choose Continue if you want an open-source, IDE-embedded coding assistant with autocomplete and chat inside VS Code or JetBrains.
Choose Bonfire Terminal if…
Choose Bonfire Terminal if you want a standalone private agent for tasks beyond coding, with messaging bridges and speech.
Bonfire Terminal vs Continue: FAQ
Is Continue private?
Continue supports BYO keys and local models, so it can be private, though it runs as an IDE extension. Bonfire Terminal is local-first as a standalone terminal, keeping your data and BYO provider key on-device rather than embedded in your editor's context.
Is Bonfire Terminal cheaper than Continue?
Continue is free as open source but bills pay-per-token and has paid team plans. Bonfire Terminal is a one-time perpetual license with no subscription, routing LLM usage through your own key at raw provider cost with no markup.
Can Bonfire Terminal replace Continue?
Partly, since Continue is purpose-built for in-editor coding. Bonfire Terminal is a general agent that also handles code but through a terminal rather than IDE autocomplete. If you want broader agentic work beyond the editor, Bonfire fits better.
What can Bonfire Terminal do that Continue can't?
Bonfire Terminal offers Telegram and WhatsApp bridges, local Whisper speech, and local media processing as a standalone agent. Continue focuses on IDE coding and offers no messaging bridges, speech engine, or media handling.
How do I switch from Continue to Bonfire Terminal?
Install Bonfire Terminal and add your existing LLM key, which carries over since both are BYO-key. Coding tasks you ran inside Continue become terminal instructions in Bonfire, alongside broader agentic and media work outside the editor.
Does Bonfire Terminal work offline vs Continue?
Continue is partially offline-capable with local models. Bonfire Terminal is likewise local-first, running its agent, Whisper speech, and media processing on-device, so core functions keep working offline when configured with a local model.