PearAI
PearAI is an open-source VS Code fork with chat, inline edit, and autocomplete. github.com/trypear/pearai-app had 706 stars, license MIT. The AI submodule is a Continue fork.
Compare Continue if you wanted the thinner open IDE agent, Cursor if you wanted a priced IDE, and Cline if you wanted a $0 individual VS Code agent.
Key Features
- Editor can stay free: Homepage says download for free and use BYOK. That is not unlimited frontier models.
- Router is a product, not a census: Marketing still says PearAI Router / PearAI Model picks a coding model through one subscription.
- Continue fork, not a new runtime: The app repo points at pearai-submodule as a Continue fork. Treat Continue as the closer open alternative.
- Creator / Agent / Launch copy is coming-soon: The homepage still labels Creator, Login, and Launch as coming soon, and Agent as powered by Roo Code / Cline. Do not sell those as shipped SKUs.
Use Cases
- People who will stay on the free editor with their own keys.
- People comparing PearAI vs Continue after they see the submodule credit.
Limitation: The pricing route on the public page did not render a dollar table in static HTML. Home-page model scores (94.10 vs GPT-4o) are marketing, not a bench we re-ran.
Pricing
trypear.ai and trypear.ai/pricing on 2026-08-17.
| Piece | Price | Notes from those pages |
|---|---|---|
| PearAI editor | $0 download | Open-source VS Code fork. BYOK. |
| PearAI Model / Router | Paid add-on | Marketed as one subscription. No public $15 row in the HTML on the public page. |
| GitHub | MIT | pearai-app 706 stars on the check date. |
If a leftover blog still says Maker is ~$15 forever, treat this table as the source and recheck the signed-in screen.
Getting Started
- Download from trypear.ai.
- Start on BYOK before you assume a Router seat.
- Confirm Continue if you only needed the open agent layer.
- Do not paste $15 Maker into a deck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the editor still free?
Yes. The homepage still says download for free. Models are BYOK or a paid Router.
Is Maker still $15?
Confirm the signed-in pricing screen.
Same as Cursor or Continue?
No. Cursor is a priced IDE. Continue is the closer open agent. PearAI is a VS Code fork that embeds a Continue submodule.
Alternatives
- Continue: Open IDE agent, the submodule PearAI forked.
- Cursor: Anysphere IDE with Individual $20 / Pro $40.
- Cline: $0 individual VS Code/CLI agent.
Tips
- Quote free editor + paid Router, not a $15 census.
- Do not treat coming-soon Creator/Launch tiles as shipped.
- Confirm the signed-in price before you sell a Maker SKU.
Conclusion
PearAI is a MIT VS Code fork with a free editor and a paid Router, not an audited $15 Maker census. Start at trypear.ai, then decide whether Continue already covers the agent layer you need.
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