SideCar
SideCar: A capable open-source coding agent for small teams that prefer local control. Ranked #40 of 103 in AI Coding Assistants by our editors (5.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for small teams preferring local open-source tools.
At a glance
- Editor score5.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSmall teams preferring local open-source tools
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Coding agentYes
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Autonomous loop can read, edit, test, diagnose, and iterate
- Supports local Ollama models plus many hosted model connections
- Security scanning, semantic search, and shadow workspaces are included
Where it doesn't
- Supported IDE is limited to Visual Studio Code
- Paid third-party model APIs can add usage costs
- Company-size fit is focused on solo users and small teams
Our verdict on SideCar
SideCar is a free, open-source AI coding assistant delivered as a self-hosted Visual Studio Code extension. It is aimed at solo developers and small teams that want local deployment options and control over how models connect to their development workflow. The published Free plan includes the VS Code extension, local Ollama model support, and no subscription. SideCar runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and can operate locally without sending code to a cloud provider when configured with local models.
Its standout capability is an autonomous coding loop that can read code, plan changes, edit files, execute shell commands and tests, diagnose errors, and iterate. Inline completions, inline chat editing, semantic search using embeddings, project documentation indexing, and code-analysis tools extend the workflow beyond basic chat assistance. Review, audit, cautious, autonomous, manual, and plan modes provide different levels of control, while shadow workspaces and buffered file changes help separate proposed changes from the working files. Security scanning checks for secrets and common vulnerabilities.
SideCar also connects with Ollama, Anthropic API, OpenAI, Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, Google Gemini, Groq, Kickstand, LM Studio, vLLM, and llama.cpp, giving teams a broad choice of local, hosted, and OpenAI-compatible model sources. Git, database, web search, diagnostics, and MCP support add scope for repository and development tasks. The tradeoff is focus: the supported IDE is Visual Studio Code, and the published fit is for solo and small teams rather than larger organizations. SideCar suits developers who value open source, self-hosting, and configurable approval controls; teams seeking a broader IDE footprint or a larger-company fit should look elsewhere.
Questions about SideCar
Does SideCar have a free plan? Yes, there is a free plan.
What does SideCar run on? Windows, macOS and Linux. It runs self-hosted and as a desktop app.
What does SideCar integrate with? 11 integrations, including Ollama, Anthropic API, OpenAI, Fireworks AI and OpenRouter.
Who is SideCar built for? Solo users and small businesses (our editorial estimate).
Your product? Our editors can test SideCar in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
SideCar pricing
All 1 SideCar plans and prices →
SideCar fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Code completion | Yes |
| Chat assistance | Yes |
| Coding agent | Yes |
| Supported IDEs | Visual Studio Code |
| Codebase indexing | Yes |
| Terminal access | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Desktop |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 11 integrations: Ollama, Anthropic API, OpenAI, Fireworks AI, OpenRouter, Google Gemini … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | github.com |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
SideCar integrations
SideCar lists 11 integrations on its own site.
- Ollama
- Anthropic API
- OpenAI
- Fireworks AI
- OpenRouter
- Google Gemini
- Groq
- Kickstand
- LM Studio
- vLLM
- llama.cpp
Alternatives to SideCar
- GitHub CopilotA broad coding assistant with a free entry point and agent workflows.9.3
- Claude CodeA strong fit for multi-step coding work across codebases, tools, and pull requests.9.2
- DevinA broad autonomous coding workspace with usage-based plan differences.9.1
See all SideCar alternatives →
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used SideCar for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
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