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Kilo Code

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Open source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and Cloud with 500+ models and no markup

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Screenshot of Kilo CodeVerified · theagentsindex.com
Category
Coding agents
From
Free
Pricing model
freemium
Free tier
Yes
Deployment
Both
Interface
IDE
Open source
Yes
Public API
Yes
Model / LLM
500+ models including Claude Opu…

Facts re-verified

Our verdict

Kilo Code positions itself as the open source alternative to closed AI coding assistants: fork it, self-host it, or use Kilo's hosted Gateway to reach 500+ models at provider rates.

The mode system (Code, Architect, Debug, Ask, Custom) plus Codebase Indexing and Memory bank cover the core coding-agent workflow, and Cloud Agents and Code Reviews extend it into PR review and longer-running tasks.

Pricing is genuinely two-dimensional — a platform plan (Free or Teams at $15/user/month) plus separate AI-inference costs — and independent reviews report that real-world inference spend can run well past the advertised entry price, with one account's credit balance draining unexpectedly.

For teams that value auditable, self-hostable code over polish, it's a credible pick; for anyone needing one predictable monthly bill, budget for inference separately from the platform plan.

What is Kilo Code?

Kilo Code is an open source AI coding agent available as a VS Code and JetBrains extension, a CLI, and cloud agents, built for developers who want an AI pair programmer without being locked into one model provider. It is MIT-licensed, so anyone can fork, modify, or self-host it. The project reports over 3 million users and more than 40 trillion tokens processed, and was labeled #1 Open Source Product of the Month. It serves individual developers, teams, and enterprises needing code generation, review, and debugging support across 500+ AI models.

What does Kilo Code do?

Kilo Code plugs into a developer's existing workflow through the VS Code or JetBrains extension (installed via code --install-extension kilocode.kilo-code), a CLI (npm install -g @kilocode/cli), or Cloud Agents that run tasks remotely without using local machine resources.

Inside the editor it offers five agent modes: Code, Architect, Debug, Ask, and Custom, so a developer can switch between writing, planning, debugging, and open Q&A without changing tools. An Auto Model router picks between Efficient, Frontier, and Free model strategies depending on budget and task, and users can bring their own API keys or run local models instead of routing through Kilo.

Codebase Indexing builds a local semantic index so the agent can find relevant code without the developer specifying file paths, and a Memory bank keeps records of prior work and preferences across sessions so context does not need re-explaining each time.

For team workflows, Kilo Gateway exposes 500+ models across 60+ providers through one API endpoint at provider rates with no markup, KiloClaw deploys hosted OpenClaw agents without self-hosting, and a Code Reviews feature runs automated agents against pull requests to catch bugs.

How Kilo Code works

  1. Install the VS Code extension via code --install-extension kilocode.kilo-code, or the CLI via npm install -g @kilocode/cli.
  2. Pick an agent mode (Code, Architect, Debug, Ask, or Custom) for the task at hand.
  3. Let Auto Model route the request to an Efficient, Frontier, or Free model based on budget, or supply your own API key.
  4. Rely on Codebase Indexing and Memory bank so the agent finds relevant files and remembers prior context across sessions.

Key features

Specialized agent modes
Code, Architect, Debug, Ask, and Custom modes let a developer switch between writing, planning, debugging, and Q&A without leaving the tool.
Auto Model routing
Automatically routes requests between Efficient, Frontier, and Free model strategies based on budget and task complexity.
Codebase Indexing
Builds a local semantic index across the codebase so the agent finds relevant code without the developer naming files.
Memory bank
Keeps its own records of prior work and user preferences across sessions instead of requiring the app to be re-explained each time.
Kilo Gateway
A single API endpoint routing to 500+ models across 60+ providers at exact provider rates, plus streaming, BYOK, and usage tracking.
Automatic failure recovery
Detects errors, reruns test suites, and pauses and resumes automatically if network connectivity drops mid-task.
Security Agent
Runs AI-powered vulnerability analysis, validating exploitability through sandbox testing before proposing automated fixes.

What are Kilo Code's use cases?

In-editor pair programming
A developer switches between Code, Architect, and Debug modes inside VS Code or JetBrains to write and reason through a feature without leaving the IDE.
Automated pull request review
The Code Reviews agent analyzes an incoming PR, flags bugs, and suggests improvements before a human reviewer looks at it.
Long-running cloud tasks
A team offloads a multi-step refactor to Cloud Agents so it runs remotely instead of tying up a developer's laptop.
Model-agnostic development
A team routes the same coding task through Kilo Gateway to compare results across Claude Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5, and Gemini 3.5 without switching tools.
Security auditing
The Security Agent sandbox-tests a flagged vulnerability to confirm it's exploitable, then proposes a fix before it ships.

Who is Kilo Code for?

  • Individual developers who want an AI coding assistant without vendor lock-in
  • Teams that want automated PR review paired with in-editor coding help
  • Enterprises that need SSO, audit logs, and an SLA around an AI coding tool

Not forTeams that need one predictable monthly bill: Kilo's total cost is a platform plan plus separate, usage-driven inference spend, so it takes more budgeting than a flat-fee competitor.

What does Kilo Code integrate with?

  • VS Code
  • JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm)
  • CLI
  • Cloud Agents
  • Slack
  • Code Reviewer
  • Kilo Gateway
  • Gastown
  • KiloClaw

Why use Kilo Code?

  1. MIT-licensed and fully open source, so the code can be forked, audited, or self-hosted instead of trusting a closed vendor
  2. Kilo Gateway routes to 500+ models across 60+ providers at exact provider rates with no markup
  3. Automatic failure recovery detects errors, reruns test suites, and pauses and resumes if network connectivity drops
  4. Ships a dedicated Security Agent that sandbox-tests flagged vulnerabilities before proposing fixes

What are Kilo Code's pros and cons?

What's great

  • Open source and MIT-licensed, letting teams audit, fork, or self-host instead of depending on a closed vendor
  • Kilo Gateway charges exact provider rates with zero markup across 500+ models and 60+ providers, so switching models doesn't inflate cost
  • Combines coding, debugging, automated PR review, and vulnerability scanning agents under one product instead of separate tools

Watch-outs

  • Pricing runs on two separate axes (a platform plan, plus optional AI-inference credits), so there is no single price tag; an independent cost review estimated $1,000-3,000+/year for moderate real-world use once inference is added
  • A 5% processing fee applies to Kilo Pass credit purchases on top of the subscription cost
  • Independent cost reviews report unpredictable credit burn — one flagged a $5 free credit exhausted in a single day, another an account balance dropping from $74.50 to near zero without active use
  • Pricing is two-axis: a platform plan (Free / Teams $15 per user per month / Enterprise custom) plus separate, optional AI-inference costs (provider rates via BYOK, or bundled Kilo Pass credits from $19-$199/month) — there is no single number to quote without picking both
  • Kilo Console, a browser-based console for managing the CLI, is still in Beta
  • Most feature and usage claims come from the vendor's own site, with independent cost-focused reviews as the main outside corroboration found

Kilo Code pricing

Platform: Free (Individual) / $15 per user per month (Teams) / Custom (Enterprise); AI inference: provider rates via BYOK or Kilo Pass credits from $19/mo (Starter) to $199/mo (Expert), 5% processing fee on credit purchases

  • Individual (platform)

    Free

  • Teams (platform)

    $15/user

  • Enterprise (platform)

    Custom

  • Kilo Gateway (inference, pay-as-you-go)

    $0 + provider rates / month

  • Kilo Pass Starter (inference credits)

    $19 / month

  • Kilo Pass Pro (inference credits)

    $49 / month

  • Kilo Pass Expert (inference credits)

    $199 / month

See current pricing on kilo.ai ↗Compare Kilo Code alternatives →

Frequently asked questions

Is Kilo Code free to use?
The core VS Code and JetBrains extension is free and open source, and new accounts get roughly $20 in free credits with no credit card required. Beyond the free credit, AI inference is billed separately at provider rates or through an optional Kilo Pass subscription.
What AI models does Kilo Code support?
Kilo Code supports 500+ models, including Claude Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5, and Gemini 3.5, accessed through Kilo Gateway, bring-your-own-key, or local models.
Can I self-host Kilo Code?
Yes. Kilo Code is MIT-licensed and open source, so it can be forked, modified, and self-hosted instead of relying on Kilo's hosted infrastructure.
What does a paid plan cost?
Pricing has two separate axes. Platform plan: Individual is free, Teams is $15/user/month (14-day trial), Enterprise is custom. AI inference: pay provider rates directly (via BYOK or Kilo Gateway) or subscribe to Kilo Pass for bundled credits, from $19/month (Starter) to $199/month (Expert), with a 5% processing fee on credit purchases.
Is there an API?
Yes. Kilo Gateway offers a single API endpoint to 500+ models across 60+ providers with streaming, BYOK support, and usage tracking.
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