# Aider: what AI models say (September 2026)

Source: Memetik Index, https://www.memetik.ai/vendors/aider
Website: https://aider.chat

Aider was named in 26 of 50 AI answers across 1 category. Best position: AI coding agents, 52% answer share, ranked #6, named first in 0%.

## What Aider is

Aider is a terminal tool for AI pair programming on code projects. It is for people who want to work with AI while using a local Git repository.

Aider connects to cloud and local language models and maps the codebase to give them context on larger projects. It edits code in the local repository, then can lint and test changes automatically. When those checks find problems, it can fix them.

(From Aider's own website, read 2026-09-02.)

## By category

| Category | Rank | Answer share | Named first | Models |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI coding agents (https://www.memetik.ai/index/ai-coding-agents) | #6 of 12 | 52% | 0% | GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Luna, Claude Opus 5, Claude, Claude Fable 5, Gemini, Gemini 3.5 Flash, Perplexity, Sonar Reasoning Pro |

## What the models said

> "If you live in the terminal, start with a terminal/CLI agent like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex CLI, Aider, OpenCode, or Gemini CLI."
> — Sonar Reasoning Pro, AI coding agents

> "Choose Aider or Cline if you want total control over which LLMs you use without subscription lock-in."
> — Gemini, AI coding agents

> "Open-source or cost-sensitive setup: use Cline or Aider if you want model flexibility and more control over spending."
> — Perplexity, AI coding agents

> "If you want to pay exactly for the tokens you use, swap in niche or local open-source models, and have 100% control over your data, running Aider or Cline is incredibly powerful."
> — Gemini 3.5 Flash, AI coding agents