What is Kilo Code
Kilo Code is an open source AI coding agent that runs inside VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and your terminal. It writes, debugs, refactors, and reviews code, automates multi-step tasks across your repo, and gives you direct access to 500+ AI models - including Claude, GPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, and local models via Ollama or LM Studio. Unlike closed alternatives, every prompt is visible, the source is MIT-licensed, and you can bring your own API keys at provider rates with no markup.
Is Kilo Code free
Yes. The VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and CLI are free to install and open source under the MIT license. You can use Kilo with free models, bring your own API keys at zero markup, or top up pay-as-you-go credits that work across every surface - IDE, CLI, and Cloud Agents. There is no mandatory subscription and no fixed seat price for individual developers.
How do I install Kilo Code
Install the Kilo extension from the VS Code Marketplace, the JetBrains Marketplace, or install the CLI with a single command. Sign in once with your Kilo account to sync settings and credits across every surface. You can also start from kilo.ai/get-started, which walks you through picking your editor and the first run.
What IDEs and platforms does Kilo support
Kilo Code runs in VS Code and every VS Code-based editor (including Cursor forks and Windsurf), in all JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand, Rider, RubyMine, CLion, and more), and as a standalone CLI in any terminal. It also powers Cloud Agents in the browser, and ships a native Slack integration for team workflows.
Which AI models does Kilo Code support
Kilo gives you access to 500+ AI models through one unified interface, including Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Opus 4.8, GPT-5.5, Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview, DeepSeek, Mistral, xAI Grok, Qwen, Llama, and more via Kilo Gateway. You can also bring your own API keys for any provider, or run fully local models through Ollama or LM Studio when you need to keep code on your machine.
How does pricing work and can I bring my own API key
Kilo Code charges zero markup on AI token usage. You can bring your own API keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq, and any OpenAI-compatible provider, and pay those providers directly at list prices. If you prefer a single bill, top up the Kilo gateway balance pay-as-you-go and pay the same provider rate. Kilo Pass subscribers get bonus credits on top of what they pay.
How does Kilo handle code privacy and data
Kilo never trains on your code. Prompts and completions are passed directly to the model provider you pick, never stored for training. You can run 100% local models through Ollama or LM Studio to keep code on your machine, and teams get enterprise controls including SSO, audit logs, and data-residency controls.
What agents does Kilo Code have
Kilo ships with four specialized agents: Code (writes and edits production code), Plan (plans features and designs systems before implementation), Debug (traces errors and proposes fixes), and Ask (answers questions about your codebase). Code, Plan, and Debug agents can delegate work natively to sub-agents. You can also define custom agents with your own system prompts, tool permissions, and model choice.
How do Cloud Agents work
Cloud Agents run Kilo inside isolated cloud containers connected to your GitHub or GitLab repo, so long-running tasks like migrations, refactors, or autonomous PR creation keep working even when your laptop is closed. You can kick them off from the IDE, CLI, Slack, or a web dashboard, review their output as pull requests, and resume the exact same session locally with full context preserved.
Does Kilo understand my entire codebase
Yes. Kilo automatically indexes your repository, pulls in the most relevant files and symbols for every prompt, and uses ripgrep-powered search, AST-aware tooling, and persistent memory to stay grounded in your actual code. You can also add explicit context with @file, @folder, or @url mentions, connect MCP servers for live tool access, and pull in documentation via Context7 to avoid hallucinated APIs.
