kitio.aiAider vs MartinLoop
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Aider is completely free, while MartinLoop is freemium.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Repository map
- Automatic git commits
- Architect mode
- Voice coding
- Any LLM provider
- Governed agent loops
- Run receipts
- Cost history
- Claude Code and Codex CLI support
- Hosted run dashboard
| Feature | Aider | MartinLoop |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source AI pair programming in your terminal | Keeps unattended AI coding agent runs bounded and checked |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Free | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free | $49/mo |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes |
| Made by | Paul Gauthier | MartinLoop |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Aider is completely free, while MartinLoop is freemium.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Open Source Core
Free
- Full CLI
- Runs on your machine
- Apache 2.0 license
Pro
$49/mo
- Hosted dashboard
- Run receipts and cost history
- 30-day log retention
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Compliance exports
- SLA and dedicated support
- Procurement-friendly contracts
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Aider
- Completely free and open source
- Clean git history of AI edits
- Works with almost any model
- Few new features since 2025
- Terminal-only workflow
MartinLoop
- Full CLI is free and open source
- Works with several agent CLIs
- Tracks what each run cost
- Dashboard requires the $49 Pro plan
- Growth tier not yet available
- Still a pre-1.0 release
Which one should you choose?
Choose Aider if you want:
- Completely free and open source
- Clean git history of AI edits
- Works with almost any model
Watch out: few new features since 2025.
Choose MartinLoop if you want:
- Full CLI is free and open source
- Works with several agent CLIs
- Tracks what each run cost
Watch out: dashboard requires the $49 pro plan.
Aider vs MartinLoop FAQ
What is the difference between Aider and MartinLoop?
Aider: Open-source AI pair programming in your terminal. MartinLoop: Keeps unattended AI coding agent runs bounded and checked. Both are coding tools.
Is Aider or MartinLoop cheaper?
Aider is completely free, while MartinLoop is freemium.
Do Aider and MartinLoop have free plans?
Aider: Yes, fully free. MartinLoop: Yes.
Who makes Aider?
Aider is made by Paul Gauthier, based in United States.
Who makes MartinLoop?
MartinLoop is made by MartinLoop.
Which should I choose, Aider or MartinLoop?
Choose Aider if you value completely free and open source and clean git history of ai edits. Choose MartinLoop if you value full cli is free and open source and works with several agent clis.