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Kilo Code vs Lovable

Kilo Code is an agent inside your real codebase and IDE — not a hosted no-code app builder.

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Quick Comparison

Pricing
Kilo Code
Free individual platform + usage
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.
Lovable
$25–$50 for 100 credits
AI Models
Kilo Code
500+, switch anytime
Lovable
Fixed selection
Works on existing codebases
Kilo Code
Yes — any repo
Lovable
Optimized for greenfield
Continue in IDE
Kilo Code
Native — no export needed
Lovable
Export to GitHub required
Client licensing
Kilo Code
MIT extension and CLI; hosted terms differ
Lovable

Your real codebase, your real IDE

Kilo edits files in your existing repository through VS Code, JetBrains, CLI or Desktop beta. Lovable operates inside its own hosted browser environment on generated scaffolds.

500+ hosted models, plus BYOK and local inference

Choose Kilo Gateway, your own provider credentials, or a compatible local model. Model capabilities and tool support vary; a large catalog does not mean every model fits every workflow.

Open clients with clear license boundaries

The VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients are MIT-licensed. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under a separate repository license, not a promise that every hosted service or Desktop component is MIT-licensed.

Lovable alternative: why developers switch to Kilo Code

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

Your real codebase, your real IDE

Kilo edits files in your existing repository through VS Code, JetBrains, CLI or Desktop beta. Lovable operates inside its own hosted browser environment on generated scaffolds.

500+ hosted models, plus BYOK and local inference

Choose Kilo Gateway, your own provider credentials, or a compatible local model. Model capabilities and tool support vary; a large catalog does not mean every model fits every workflow.

Open clients with clear license boundaries

The VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI clients are MIT-licensed. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under a separate repository license, not a promise that every hosted service or Desktop component is MIT-licensed.

From prototype to production — no export cliff

Use Cloud Agents from your browser, then review the repository in your IDE, CLI or Desktop beta. Lovable projects can be moved through GitHub when you want an external coding workflow.

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.

  • Interactive Python notebooks

    Edit and run notebook cells alongside the agent, with outputs visible next to the conversation.

    Notebook documentation

  • Managed conda environments

    Manage Python environments and packages in the app, with access to Anaconda's 19,000 vetted packages.

    Environment documentation

  • Local inference when it fits

    Import a compatible GGUF model into the built-in local model server. Hardware and tool-calling support determine which tasks work well.

    Local inference documentation

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.

Trusted by developers at the world's most innovative companies

Complete Feature Comparison

An honest look at where Kilo wins, where Lovable wins, and where they're comparable

Platform & Environment

Works in your own IDE
Kilo Code
Lovable
Works on existing codebases
Kilo Code
Lovable
Optimized for greenfield
Browser-based building
Kilo Code
Lovable
Continue in IDE after building
Kilo Code
Lovable
Export to GitHub required
CLI support
Kilo Code
Lovable

AI & Model Flexibility

AI model choice
Kilo Code
500+
Lovable
Fixed selection
BYOK support
Kilo Code
Lovable
Local models
Kilo Code
Lovable

Pricing

Pricing model
Kilo Code
Provider-rate inference; separate fees and compute
Lovable
$25–$50 for 100 credits
Usage cap
Kilo Code
Usage balance, provider limits and configured budgets
Lovable
Credit limit
Client licensing
Kilo Code
MIT extension and CLI clients
Lovable

Deployment & Production

One-click deploy
Kilo Code
Lovable
Live preview
Kilo Code
Lovable
Deploy to any platform
Kilo Code
Lovable
Limited
Long-lived production codebases
Kilo Code
Lovable
Optimized for prototypes

Specialized agents built into Kilo Code

Code, Plan, Debug, and Ask cover the primary workflow. Code, Plan, and Debug can delegate isolated work to Explore, General, or custom subagents, while Agent Manager coordinates parallel VS Code sessions across git worktrees.

Adopt Kilo alongside Lovable

Validate models, permissions, reusable instructions, and team workflows before removing your current tool. Choose Kilo Desktop beta for a code-and-data workspace, or install Kilo in the editor and terminal you already use.

1

Install Kilo Code

Install a VS Code or JetBrains integration, the CLI or Desktop beta, or configure Cloud Agents for a hosted workflow.

1 min
2

Open or clone your project

Open your existing repo or clone your Lovable project from GitHub. Kilo works with any codebase.

1 min
3

Start Building

Prompt Cloud Agents from your browser or work with agents in your IDE — your choice. No export cliff.

Immediate

Common Questions About Switching from Lovable

Everything you need to know about moving to Kilo Code.

Yes — that is the main difference. Kilo works directly in your existing repository inside VS Code or JetBrains. Lovable is optimized for generating new apps from scratch in its hosted environment.

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. Compare actual task costs with Lovable's credits and hosting requirements rather than assuming either model is always cheaper.

With Kilo you never export — your project lives in your own IDE and git repo from day one. With Lovable, when you outgrow the builder you must export to GitHub and switch tools.

Kilo does not include a built-in hosting product. Your project lives in your own git repo from day one, so you can deploy to Vercel, Netlify, AWS, Railway, or your existing pipeline.

Yes. Kilo Desktop is in beta for macOS Apple Silicon, Windows, and Linux. It uses the Kilo CLI agent engine and combines agent chat with files, git, terminals, interactive Python notebooks, and conda environments. Its built-in local model server, notebooks, and conda environments require a Kilo account. Desktop is an alternative workspace, not a requirement to replace your existing IDE.

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.

The VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and CLI are MIT-licensed. Gateway and Cloud backend code are source-available under their repository license, with security and abuse-protection exclusions. These component licenses should not be generalized to the entire hosted platform or Desktop application.

Yes. Kilo supports provider credentials and compatible local inference, including Ollama and LM Studio. Desktop also has a managed local model server for imported GGUF files. Local inference keeps prompts out of hosted model providers, but does not by itself make the whole application offline or air-gapped. Hosted features and connected tools have their own data flows.

Cloud Agents support repository-based work, webhook triggers, and scheduled triggers; triggers are in beta. The current documentation limits each message to 15 minutes, so break long jobs into steps. Cloud compute is billed separately from inference, including with BYOK. Local tools and MCP support should not be assumed to work identically in a hosted environment; check the current Cloud Agent documentation for limits.

Yes. Kilo Code for Teams adds centralized billing, usage analytics, and role-based access starting at $15 per user per month, plus usage. Enterprise plans add SSO, SCIM, audit logs, and contractual support commitments.

Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives

See how Kilo stacks up against every major AI coding assistant.

See all Kilo Code alternatives

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✓ No credit card required✓ Free forever for individuals✓ 500+ models, zero markup