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Best AI for Coding Tool 2026

The AI Coding Tool Built on Trust and Transparency

Open IDE and CLI clients. Provider-rate inference. 500+ hosted models, plus supported BYOK and local options. Choose the workflow and provider that fit your project.

5M+
Downloads
500+
AI Models
0%
Token Markup
Open Source
MIT IDE/CLI clients
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See Pricing Comparison

Kilo Desktop for code and data

Beta

Use the Kilo agent in a desktop workspace, or keep your existing VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and Cloud workflows. Desktop runs the Kilo CLI engine and supports 500+ hosted models through Kilo Gateway, your provider keys, and local inference.

Available for macOS Apple Silicon, Windows, and Linux. The built-in local model server, notebooks, and conda environments require a Kilo account. Local inference is not a guarantee of an entirely offline or air-gapped application. See requirements.

Get Kilo Desktop (Beta)
Explore Desktop documentation

Compare the whole cost, not just the seat

Platform
Free for individuals. Teams is $15/user/month; Enterprise is custom. SSO, SCIM, and audit logs are Enterprise features, not included in Teams.
Inference
Use available free models, local inference, or BYOK. Kilo Gateway charges provider rates with no inference markup. Kilo Pass is an optional credit subscription.
Cloud compute
Cloud Agents and hosted Code Reviews have separately priced compute in addition to model inference. Check current pricing and any applicable beta offer. BYOK does not remove compute charges.

Credit purchase processing fee: 5%. Applies to card purchases that add credits, including top-ups and Kilo Pass. Excludes seat subscriptions and non-card payments. See full pricing.

Open-source scope: VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients are MIT-licensed; Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under a separate license. These licenses do not establish the license of every Desktop component. See component licenses.

Kilo details reviewed . Competitor review dates are listed separately.

Four reasons developers choose Kilo Code

Not just another AI coding tool. A fundamentally different approach.

Open IDE and CLI Clients

Inspect and customize MIT-licensed VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under separate terms; Desktop licensing is not established by those licenses.

Compare client licenses separately from hosted service terms

Transparent Inference Pricing

Individual platform access is free. Gateway inference uses provider rates. Cloud compute, paid team seats, and optional Kilo Pass are separate parts of the cost.

5% processing fee on card credit purchases, including Pass; excludes seats and non-card payments

500+ Models — Including Free

Access supported frontier models (Claude Sonnet 5, GPT-5.5, Gemini), any available free models, and compatible local inference through Ollama or LM Studio.

Model capabilities and autocomplete support vary by workflow

Ships Fast, Listens Faster

15k+ developers in our Discord shaping the roadmap. Weekly releases. Features ship in days, not quarters. Community-driven development where your feedback becomes reality.

Built with the community, not behind closed doors
Get Started with Kilo

Trusted by developers at the world's most innovative companies

Pricing should be simple and transparent

Separate platform access, inference, cloud compute, and credit purchase fees when comparing total cost. Optional subscriptions and team plans serve different needs.

Kilo Code

What you see is what you pay

$0/mo
Individual platform access
0%
Markup on AI tokens
Pay-as-you-go
500+ hosted models; Kilo Pass is an optional credit subscription

Individual platform access is free. Teams costs $15/user/month; Enterprise is custom. Paid inference and cloud compute are separate. Kilo Gateway charges provider rates with no inference markup; a 5% processing fee applies to card purchases of credits, including optional Kilo Pass. Seat subscriptions and non-card payments are excluded from that processing fee. BYOK covers inference through your provider, not Kilo cloud compute.

Already paying for OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google?

Bring supported API keys to compatible Kilo workflows. Provider subscriptions are not automatically interchangeable with API access. Model and autocomplete compatibility vary, and cloud compute remains separately billable even when inference uses your own key.

Compare that to other AI coding tools
Cursor plans
SubscriptionFree and paid plans
Token pricingIncluded and additional usage
ModelsMultiple providers
Copilot plans
SubscriptionFree and paid plans
Token pricingPlan allowances + AI usage
ModelsMultiple providers; supported BYOK
Windsurf plans
SubscriptionPlan-dependent
Token pricingAgent/model-dependent usage
ModelsMultiple providers
Claude Code plans
SubscriptionSubscription or API access
Token pricingPlan limits or provider usage
ModelsClaude model family

Why developers are switching to Kilo

No subscription required
Free individual platform access; inference and compute separate
Zero token markup
Provider inference rates; 5% processing fee on card credit purchases
500+ models
Hosted catalog plus compatible BYOK/local inference
Works in your existing IDE
Desktop (beta), VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and Cloud
Open IDE and CLI clients
MIT clients; source-available Gateway/Cloud backend under separate terms
Local model support
Ollama and LM Studio; review other service and tool data flows separately
Bring supported provider keys
Model, tool-use, and autocomplete requirements vary
Teams at $15/user/month
Inference and compute separate; Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM, and audit logs
Get Started with Kilo

500+ models. Use the right one for the job.

Choose from Kilo's hosted catalog or configure a compatible provider or local model. Other tools also offer model choice; compare tool support and feature coverage.

Frontier Models

Choose supported models including Claude Sonnet 5, GPT-5.5, Gemini, and Grok. Availability and feature support vary.

Free & Budget Models

Explore budget models and any currently available free models. Free availability can change; check the model listing before starting a task.

Local Models

Run compatible Ollama or LM Studio models for local inference. Connected tools, account services, and hosted features have separate data flows.

Supported BYOK Workflows

Use supported provider keys and compatible endpoints. Not every model supports tools or autocomplete; hosted compute is separate from inference billing.

Specialized agents for every part of your workflow

Purpose-built agents that go beyond basic chat. Each agent is optimized for a specific development task.

Code Agent

Autonomous multi-file coding agent. Writes, edits, and refactors code across your project with full context awareness.

Native Sub-Agent Delegation

Breaks complex projects into subtasks and delegates to specialized sub-agents. Manages the full lifecycle from planning to deployment.

Plan Agent

Researches your codebase and creates detailed implementation plans before writing a single line of code. Plan with confidence.

Debug Agent

Systematic troubleshooting with automatic error detection, test execution, and intelligent recovery. Finds bugs so you don't have to.

Ask Agent

Ask questions about your codebase, get explanations, learn patterns. A knowledgeable pair programmer that understands your project.

Custom Agents

Create custom agents for your workflow and share team configurations. Compare tool permissions and delegation behavior with the other agent platforms you use.

Sources for refreshed claims

Plan links above provide current terms. This refresh does not certify every competitor feature or a universal cost advantage.

Common Questions

Everything you need to know about Kilo Code.

Kilo combines MIT-licensed VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients with 500+ hosted models, supported BYOK/local inference, and specialized agents. Desktop beta is an optional workspace. Gateway and Cloud backend code use separate source-available terms; those licenses do not establish Desktop licensing.

Individual platform access is free. Teams costs $15/user/month; Enterprise is custom. Paid inference and cloud compute are separate. Kilo Gateway charges provider rates with no inference markup; a 5% processing fee applies to card purchases of credits, including optional Kilo Pass. Seat subscriptions and non-card payments are excluded from that processing fee. BYOK covers inference through your provider, not Kilo cloud compute.

Different tasks need different models. Evaluate Claude Sonnet 5, GPT-5.5, available free models, or compatible local inference for your workload. Other tools also support multiple models and some support BYOK/local endpoints. Catalog size alone does not establish quality or feature compatibility.

Yes. Kilo supports documented providers and compatible endpoints. Tool use and autocomplete have model- and surface-specific requirements, so BYOK does not mean every key works with every feature. Hosted compute remains billable. Copilot also documents VS Code and CLI BYOK; compare the exact scope you need.

Kilo supports compatible local inference via Ollama and LM Studio, and Desktop beta has a managed local model server. Hosted features, account services, and connected tools have separate data flows. Local execution is not local inference, and local-model support is not unique to Kilo.

MIT-licensed VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients let you inspect and customize client behavior. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under separate terms. Open client source is useful for review, but is not a guarantee about every hosted service, Desktop component, or provider data policy.

Cursor combines an integrated editor and Tab autocomplete with CLI and cloud agents. Copilot has broad IDE support, GitHub workflows, CLI, MCP, multiple models, and supported BYOK/local paths. Kilo emphasizes 500+ hosted models, MIT-licensed IDE/CLI clients, and separately metered inference and compute. Compare current plan terms and your actual workflow.

Kilo Teams costs $15/user/month for centralized billing, analytics, shared agents, and collaboration controls. Inference and cloud compute are separate, including with BYOK. Enterprise adds SSO, SCIM, and audit logs. Compare total cost and required controls rather than ranking by seat price alone.

Compare Kilo Code with Other Tools

See how Kilo Code stacks up against other AI coding assistants

Kilo Code vs Cursor

Compare Kilo Code with Cursor across desktop apps, IDEs, models, BYOK, agents, cloud workflows, pricing, and enterprise controls.

GitHub Copilot vs Kilo Code

Compare GitHub Copilot and Kilo across desktop apps, IDEs, agents, CLI, models, local use, pricing, review, and governance.

Kilo Code vs Cline

Compare Kilo and Cline across Desktop beta apps, IDEs, CLI, cloud sessions, models, BYOK, orchestration, teams, and pricing.

Kilo Code vs Devin Desktop

Compare Kilo with Devin Desktop, formerly Windsurf, across IDEs, local and cloud agents, models, pricing, and teams.

Kilo Code vs Roo Code

Roo Code was discontinued May 15, 2026. Compare its preserved capabilities with maintained Kilo workflows and plan a safe migration.

Kilo Code vs Continue

Continue joined Cursor and is no longer actively maintained. Compare its preserved IDE, CLI, YAML, and local-model capabilities with Kilo.

Kilo Code vs Gemini Code Assist

Compare Kilo with paid Gemini Code Assist across IDEs, models, agents, quotas, Google Cloud integration, data controls, and pricing.

Kilo Code vs OpenAI Codex

Compare Kilo and Codex across desktop apps, IDEs, CLI, cloud, hosted models, local providers, subagents, open source, pricing, and governance.

Kilo Code vs Claude Code

Compare Kilo and Claude Code across Desktop, IDEs, CLI and cloud workflows, including model choice, subscription entitlements, extensibility and usage costs.

Kilo Code vs Roomote

Compare Kilo Desktop beta, IDE and CLI workflows with Roomote, a source-available cloud coding agent offering self-hosting, BYOK and parallel tasks.

Kilo Code vs Tabnine

Compare Kilo with Tabnine across agentic coding, IDE and CLI workflows, model choice and private enterprise deployments. Pricing depends on the offered contract.

Kilo Code vs Augment Code

Compare Kilo with Augment Cosmos, Auggie CLI and IDE integrations: context, custom agents, parallel cloud work, flat-team pricing and the Harness asset-sale agreement.

Kilo Code vs Lovable

Kilo Code plugs into your real IDE and codebase — Lovable is a hosted AI app builder optimized for greenfield prototyping.

Kilo Code vs Replit

Use Kilo inside your existing editor and infrastructure vs Replit's hosted browser IDE.

The Open-Source Google Antigravity Alternative

Compare Google Antigravity with Kilo Code for agentic coding across Desktop beta, VS Code, JetBrains, CLI and cloud, with supported BYOK and local models.

Kilo Code vs Warp

Compare Kilo's IDE integrations, CLI, Desktop beta and Cloud Agents with Warp's terminal-first agent environment. Model access and billing depend on the workflow.

Kilo Code vs Amp Code

Compare Amp apps, orbs, BYOK, and teams with Kilo Desktop, IDEs, CLI, and Cloud

Kilo Code vs Grok Build

Compare terminal agents, provider choice, and automation

Kilo Code vs JetBrains AI and Junie

Compare native JetBrains workflows, model access, and pricing

Kilo Code for JetBrains IDEs

AI coding assistant for IntelliJ, PhpStorm, WebStorm, and Rider

Kilo CLI vs Claude Code

Compare Kilo CLI with Claude Code for terminal-first AI coding

Kilo CLI vs Aider

Compare model choice, workflows, and pricing for command-line agents

Kilo CLI vs Codex CLI

See how Kilo CLI compares with OpenAI Codex CLI

Kilo CLI vs Gemini CLI

Compare Google Gemini CLI with Kilo CLI and 500+ models

Kilo CLI vs OpenCode CLI

Compare Kilo CLI with the upstream OpenCode CLI and subscriptions

Kilo Code vs Google Antigravity

Compare models, pricing, agent workflows, and product surfaces

Kilo Autocomplete vs Cursor Tab

Feature-by-feature comparison for AI code completions

Kilo Autocomplete vs GitHub Copilot

Compare autocomplete quality, pricing, and IDE support

Kilo Autocomplete vs Codeium

Compare Kilo Code autocomplete with Codeium completions

Kilo Code Reviews vs Greptile

Compare AI code review workflows, model choice, and pricing

Graphite vs Kilo Code Reviews

Compare Graphite PR workflows with Kilo Code Reviews

See all Kilo Code alternatives

Ready to try AI coding without the lock-in?

Join 5M+ developers. Open source. Zero markup. 500+ models.

Get Started with Kilo
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✓No credit card required✓Free individual platform; provider usage separate✓Zero markup on tokens✓Open source