# AI code review tools: CLI vs GitHub App vs IDE

> Where an AI code review runs decides when it fires, what it sees and who holds the key. A sourced guide to the CLI, GitHub App and IDE shapes.

Last verified October 13, 2026

Canonical URL: https://commitbrief.com/compare/ai-code-review-tools/

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An AI code review tool reads a code change with a large language model and reports the defects it finds, usually with a suggested fix. The tools on the market come in three shapes, and the shape matters more than the feature list: a command-line tool you run yourself, a GitHub App (or equivalent) that reviews pull requests, and an extension inside your IDE. Many products ship more than one shape.

This guide was checked on 2026-10-13 against the vendors' own documentation, listed under Sources. CommitBrief is a command-line tool and is written by the people who make it, so read the CLI section with that in mind.

## The three shapes at a glance

| | CLI | GitHub App or PR bot | IDE extension |
|---|-----|----------------------|----------------|
| When it fires | When you run it: before a commit, on a range, or in CI | When a pull request opens or updates, or when someone requests it | While you edit, or when you request a review of your changes |
| What it reviews | A diff you point at | The pull request | The open file or your local changes |
| Who holds the model key | Usually you (bring your own provider) | Usually the vendor | Usually the vendor or your subscription |
| Setup | Install a binary and configure a provider | Install an app on the repository | Install an extension and sign in |
| Typical cost shape | Your provider's token bill | Per-seat or per-review subscription | Part of a subscription |
| Where it can block a merge | CI exit code | A status check or required review | Nowhere, by itself |

The rows describe the shapes in general; the examples below show how real products fill them in.

## Examples, from the vendors' own pages

- **CodeRabbit** spans all three: a web app connected to GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps and Bitbucket, an IDE extension for VS Code, Cursor and Windsurf, and a CLI for pre-commit reviews ([docs](https://docs.coderabbit.ai/)). Pricing is per developer per month ([pricing](https://www.coderabbit.ai/pricing)).
- **GitHub Copilot code review** works on GitHub.com, GitHub CLI and Mobile, and in VS Code, Visual Studio, Xcode and JetBrains IDEs. Model switching is not supported, and by default its reviews do not count toward required approvals ([docs](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/code-review)).
- **Qodo** reviews pull requests when they are published or updated ([docs](https://docs.qodo.ai/code-review)). **PR-Agent** is its MIT-licensed, community-maintained open-source project that runs as a CLI, GitHub Action, Docker image or webhook with your own model key ([repo](https://github.com/qodo-ai/pr-agent)).
- **Greptile** reviews pull requests from Greptile Cloud or a self-hosted deployment ([docs](https://www.greptile.com/docs/introduction)), billed per seat with credits per review ([pricing](https://www.greptile.com/pricing)).
- **CommitBrief** is a CLI with an official GitHub Action. It reviews staged changes, a range or a pull request with the provider you configure, including local Ollama ([which command](/docs/1.x/which-command/), [GitHub Action](/docs/1.x/github-action/)).

## How to choose

**Choose a GitHub App when the pull request is the unit of review.** It fires without anyone remembering, applies one standard to every contributor, and costs nothing in setup per developer. The price is that it fires after the work is pushed, usually through a vendor's service and key.

**Choose an IDE extension when you want feedback while the code is still in your editor.** It is the closest to the keystroke. It is also the most tied to one editor and one subscription.

**Choose a CLI when you want the review before the pull request exists, or want to control the model and the data.** It fires when you decide, works in a pre-commit hook or any CI system, and its exit code is a gate any pipeline understands. See [review before you commit](/docs/1.x/pre-commit-review/). The price is that nobody runs it for you unless you wire it into a hook or CI.

These are not exclusive. A common arrangement is a CLI before the commit and a pull request bot after the push, because they catch the change at different moments.

## What none of them replaces

Every tool here finds patterns and typical bug shapes. None judges whether the change is the right change, and all of them produce false positives, so a finding is a prompt to look, not a verdict. A human reviewer who starts from a cleaner diff does a better job; that is the realistic gain.

For side-by-side tables, see [CommitBrief vs CodeRabbit](/compare/commitbrief-vs-coderabbit/), [CommitBrief vs Copilot code review](/compare/commitbrief-vs-copilot-code-review/), [CommitBrief vs Qodo and PR-Agent](/compare/commitbrief-vs-qodo-pr-agent/) and [CommitBrief vs Greptile](/compare/commitbrief-vs-greptile/).

## Sources

- [CodeRabbit documentation, overview](https://docs.coderabbit.ai/)
- [CodeRabbit CLI documentation](https://docs.coderabbit.ai/cli/)
- [CodeRabbit pricing](https://www.coderabbit.ai/pricing)
- [GitHub Docs, About GitHub Copilot code review](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/code-review)
- [GitHub Docs, Using GitHub Copilot code review](https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/code-review/using-copilot-code-review)
- [PR-Agent repository (Qodo)](https://github.com/qodo-ai/pr-agent)
- [Qodo documentation, code review](https://docs.qodo.ai/code-review)
- [Greptile documentation, introduction](https://www.greptile.com/docs/introduction)
- [Greptile pricing](https://www.greptile.com/pricing)
- [CommitBrief documentation, which command do I need](https://commitbrief.com/docs/1.x/which-command/)
- [CommitBrief documentation, review before you commit](https://commitbrief.com/docs/1.x/pre-commit-review/)
- [CommitBrief documentation, GitHub Action](https://commitbrief.com/docs/1.x/github-action/)