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Kilo Code vs Cursor

Choose Kilo Desktop beta or your existing IDE with open clients and model freedom, or Cursor’s integrated agent-first editor.

What this comparison covers

This broad comparison covers Cursor Desktop, JetBrains ACP, Cursor CLI, Cloud Agents, Bugbot, and team controls. Cursor Tab has a separate autocomplete comparison because editor-native completion is narrower than the full product.

Verdict

Cursor is a strong fit for teams that want a polished, integrated editor and desktop-to-cloud agent platform. Kilo fits developers who prioritize open clients, broad provider choice, local models, and a choice of Desktop beta, VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and web workflows. Kilo Desktop is an agent workspace, not a full IDE replacement.

Updated Rechecked Cursor pricing, models, product surfaces, and API-key documentation. New X Subscription plans and continuing legacy plans are distinguished.
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Quick Comparison

Primary surface
Kilo Code
Desktop (beta), VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and Cloud
Cursor
Cursor editor, ACP, CLI, web/mobile, cloud
JetBrains agent requires a paid plan and ACP
Desktop app
Kilo Code
Kilo Desktop (beta)
Standalone agent workspace, not a full IDE
Cursor
Cursor Desktop
Full VS Code-derived editor with integrated agents
Individual pricing
Kilo Code
Free individual access + usage
Model usage, cloud compute, and card-credit fees are separate
Cursor
Free $0; Plus $8; Premium $30; Super $100; Ultra $200/month
X Subscription monthly prices; third-party models extra on Premium+
Team pricing
Kilo Code
$15/user/month + usage
Cursor
$30/$100/$200 per seat/month
Premium/Super/Ultra seats; Enterprise custom; legacy plans continue
Models
Kilo Code
500+
Cursor
Grok and Composer + paid third-party access
Included pool is shared with Grok; third-party usage billed separately
BYOK
Kilo Code
Across agent workflows
Cursor
Supported chat providers
Eligible plans only; Tab uses built-in models; requests use Cursor backend
Local models
Kilo Code
Ollama and LM Studio
Cursor
Not documented
No verified first-party Ollama/local endpoint support
Cloud agents
Kilo Code
Cursor
Premium+ on new plans
Legacy entitlements differ
Open-source boundary
Kilo Code
MIT IDE/CLI; other components differ
Cursor
Proprietary product
Built on VS Code’s open-source foundation
Enterprise controls
Kilo Code
Cursor
Detailed editor, agent, model, repository, and audit controls

Where Cursor may fit better

Reasons to choose the competitor, depending on your workflow and constraints.

Integrated agent-first editor

Cursor tightly combines Tab, local agents, debugging, checkpoints, rules, skills, and model selection in one desktop experience.

Mature cross-surface delegation

Cloud Agents, automations, Bugbot, mobile/web access, and issue or chat integrations form a cohesive hosted workflow.

Detailed enterprise administration

Cursor documents extensive identity, repository, model, MCP, sandbox, audit, privacy, and connectivity controls.

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.

Desktop for code and data, or the editor you already use

Kilo Desktop beta brings agent chat, interactive Python notebooks, conda environments, and local inference into one workspace. You can also keep working in VS Code, JetBrains, the CLI, or Cloud. Capabilities vary by surface.

Cursor alternative: why developers switch to Kilo Code

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

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.

Desktop for code and data, or the editor you already use

Kilo Desktop beta brings agent chat, interactive Python notebooks, conda environments, and local inference into one workspace. You can also keep working in VS Code, JetBrains, the CLI, or Cloud. Capabilities vary by surface.

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.

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Complete Feature Comparison

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

Editors and completion

Desktop app
Kilo Code
Kilo Desktop (beta), not a full IDE
Cursor
Full Cursor editor and agent workspace
VS Code workflow
Kilo Code
Native extension
Cursor
Dedicated VS Code-derived editor
JetBrains workflow
Kilo Code
Native plugin
Cursor
ACP agent
Paid plan; JetBrains AI Assistant 2025.1+
Inline completion
Kilo Code
Cursor
Cursor Tab is editor-native and proprietary
Autocomplete BYOK
Kilo Code
Cursor
Cursor Tab uses built-in models

Agents and models

Local coding agent
Kilo Code
Cursor
Background cloud work
Kilo Code
Cursor
Premium+; legacy plans differ
Parallel agents
Kilo Code
Cursor
Compatible local inference
Kilo Code
Cursor
Not documented
Provider breadth
Kilo Code
500+
Cursor
Grok/Composer pool; third-party models extra

Control and transparency

Open client source available for modification
Kilo Code
Cursor
Training and retention controls
Kilo Code
Depend on provider, service, and configuration
Cursor
Privacy Mode with documented exceptions
BYOK follows provider terms; local execution is not local inference
Team analytics and policy
Kilo Code
Cursor
On-premises product deployment
Kilo Code
Open clients and self-managed models, not the whole hosted platform
Cursor
Cursor says its service runs on AWS
Third-party model surcharge
Kilo Code
Kilo-hosted inference at provider rates
Cursor
$0.25 per million tokens on Teams/Enterprise
Also applies to BYOK; individuals, Cost mode, and Grok/Composer exempt

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 Cursor, then move workflows deliberately

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

Choose Desktop beta or your existing IDE

Try Kilo Desktop beta for agent work, or add Kilo to standard VS Code or JetBrains. Keep Cursor available for its editor, Tab, and active work while evaluating.

2 min
2

Recreate reusable context

Translate Cursor rules, skills, MCP servers, hooks, and team marketplace assets into reviewed Kilo configuration.

Varies
3

Replace hosted workflows

Pilot alternatives for Cloud Agents, automations, and Bugbot before changing team policy or billing.

Pilot first

Factual basis

Last reviewed . Product details can change; these first-party sources support the comparison above.

Common Questions About Switching from Cursor

Everything you need to know about moving to Kilo Code.

No. Cursor remains centered on its VS Code-derived desktop editor, but it now offers a CLI and a paid JetBrains ACP agent. Those surfaces do not imply full Desktop feature parity.

Yes, on eligible plans for documented chat providers. New Free and Plus plans exclude BYOK. Tab still uses built-in models, requests pass through Cursor for final prompt construction, and provider privacy terms apply. Teams and Enterprise also pay the Cursor Token Rate on third-party BYOK requests.

Current first-party documentation reviewed for this page does not document Ollama, LM Studio, or arbitrary local endpoints. This page therefore marks local inference as unverified rather than impossible.

Yes. Use Kilo Desktop beta or Kilo in standard VS Code or JetBrains while Cursor remains installed. Desktop beta is an agent workspace, so keep an editor for workflows that require a full IDE.

New X Subscription monthly plans: Free $0; Plus $8; Premium $30; Super $100; Ultra $200/month. Teams seats: $30/$100/$200 per seat/month. Included usage centers on Grok and Composer, with third-party models billed separately on Premium and above. Existing legacy Cursor subscriptions continue. Documentation adds a rate of $0.25 per million tokens on Teams/Enterprise third-party requests, including BYOK; individuals, Cost mode, and Cursor models are exempt. Annual pricing and taxes differ.

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.

Compare Kilo Code with more alternatives

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

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