CLI Comparison

Kilo CLI vs Claude Code

Two powerful CLI coding assistants. See how Kilo CLI offers more model choice, specialized modes, and transparent pricing.

Install Kilo CLI
See CLI Documentation

See Kilo CLI in Action

Best for:

Claude Code

  • You exclusively use Claude models and never need alternatives
  • Your organization already has Anthropic enterprise agreements in place
  • Projects where rate limits aren't a concern

Kilo CLI

  • You want freedom to use 500+ models including Claude
  • You prefer pay-as-you-go vs monthly subscriptions
  • You value open source transparency
  • You want dedicated workflow modes for different development phases
  • You need SOC 2 compliance without vendor lock-in

Feature-by-feature comparison

A detailed comparison of model selection, pricing, workflow modes, and platform features.

Models Supported
ClaudeClaude Code
Anthropic models only
KiloKilo CLI
500+ (Claude Opus 4.6, GPT-5.2, Gemini, DeepSeek, local models, and more)
Pricing
ClaudeClaude Code
$17-200/month subscription
KiloKilo CLI
Zero markup—pay exact API rates
Open Source
ClaudeClaude Code
❌ No
KiloKilo CLI
✅ Yes
SOC 2 Compliant
ClaudeClaude Code
✅ Yes
KiloKilo CLI
✅ Yes
Workflow Modes
ClaudeClaude Code
Single mode
KiloKilo CLI
5 modes + custom workflows
Local Models
ClaudeClaude Code
❌ Not supported
KiloKilo CLI
✅ Supported
IDE Extension
ClaudeClaude Code
✅ VS Code, JetBrains
KiloKilo CLI
✅ VS Code and JetBrains

Why Developers Choose Kilo CLI Over Claude Code

Use Any Model, Not Just Anthropic Models

Claude Code restricts you to Anthropic's models. Kilo CLI supports 500+ models. Use Claude Opus 4.6 when it's the best fit, GPT-5.2 for another task, or DeepSeek when cost matters—all from the same interface.

Zero Markup Pricing

Claude Code charges $17-200/month in subscriptions. With Kilo CLI, you pay exactly what the API provider charges—nothing more. Heavy Claude Code users report spending $100-200/month; with Kilo CLI, you control your costs.

Dedicated Workflow Modes

Kilo CLI offers 5 purpose-built modes—Ask, Architect, Code, Debug, and Orchestrator—plus custom workflows designed for different development phases.

Open Source Transparency

Kilo CLI is fully open source. You can inspect the code, contribute improvements, and trust exactly what's running on your machine. Claude Code is proprietary.

The CLI is one part of the platform. With Kilo, You Also Get:

Cloud Agents

Access Kilo from the web without a local machine. Run resource-exhaustive tasks in the cloud and sync results back to your local environment.

View Documentation

IDE Extensions

Seamlessly switch between CLI and IDE. VS Code, JetBrains—same agent, same sessions, same context.

View Documentation

Deploy

One-click deployments from within Kilo. Push to production with the same context and workflow you used to build.

View Documentation

App Builder

Visual editor to prototype apps. See changes live and iterate quickly. Export to Kilo when you're ready to move beyond visual editing.

View Documentation

Managed Indexing

Semantic search across your repositories for context-aware responses. Build on top of your existing codebase with full understanding.

View Documentation

Agent Manager

Stop and start agents in one click. Switch contexts easily between different tasks without losing progress.

View Documentation

Sessions

Persistent across all interfaces, resume and share from anywhere. Your context and progress carry seamlessly between App Builder, IDE, CLI, and Cloud.

View Documentation

Voice Prompting

Speak your prompts naturally. No typing needed—just talk and code.

View Documentation

Code Reviews

Automatic PR reviews with the same models and credits. Inline GitHub comments, configurable review styles.

View Documentation

Try Kilo CLI Today

500+ models. 5 workflow modes + custom workflows. Zero markup pricing. Open source.

Install Kilo CLI
See CLI Documentation