What it is
Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding agent with extensions for VS Code (and forks such as Cursor and Windsurf), JetBrains and a command-line version, plus cloud agents, a code reviewer and a Slack bot. Anaconda acquired Kilo in July 2026; Kilo says existing products, plans and support are unchanged for now.
Model choice is the core of the product. You can use free models, your own keys from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Azure, AWS Bedrock and others, local models through Ollama or LM Studio, or the Kilo Gateway, which offers more than 500 models from over 60 providers at the providers' own rates with no markup. Kilo Pass is an optional monthly plan that returns your payment as credits plus a bonus.
Cloud agents and automated code review run on Kilo's servers and are billed per second, with model usage charged separately.
Our review
Kilo Code covers the same ground as Cline, an open-source agent where you choose the model and pay for tokens, and undercuts it on what Cline reserves for Enterprise. The JetBrains plugin is free, the CLI runs in any shell or CI job, and the Kilo Gateway reaches more than 500 models at provider prices. The only markup the pricing page lists is a 5% processing fee on credit purchases.
Teams at $15 per user adds shared agents, central billing, shared keys and usage analytics, which is cheaper per seat than GitHub Copilot Business or Cursor Teams before you remember that Kilo's seat includes no model usage. SSO, SCIM and audit logs are Enterprise-only, so a company that requires single sign-on is not really comparing $15 with anything; it is comparing a sales quote with a sales quote.
The data position is clearer on paid plans than free ones. Kilo's security page promises no retention of AI prompts and outputs on paid plans and points to SOC 2 documentation in its trust centre without saying whether it is Type I or Type II. An open GitHub discussion asks for Zero Data Retention on individual and Kilo Pass plans, and code you send still goes to whichever model provider you configure, under that provider's terms.
Two things complicate the budget. Monthly spend depends on model and agent run length, so it is harder to forecast than a flat plan, and the Kilo Pass bonus schedule (10% in month one, a 50% welcome bonus in month two, a 40% maximum from month eight) rewards staying rather than simplicity. Anaconda bought Kilo in July 2026 to pair it with its package distribution and Outerbounds orchestration, which could make Kilo stronger inside data science shops and less neutral elsewhere.
Where it earns its place
A 12-person Java team working in IntelliJ
Add an agent without moving everyone to a new editor
Install the free JetBrains plugin and put the team on Teams at $15 a seat, $180 a month, with shared Anthropic or Bedrock keys. Model spend comes on top and varies with how long agents run.
A security-conscious developer at a bank
Use an agent without sending code to a new SaaS vendor
Run Kilo with local models through Ollama or with the bank's existing Bedrock contract, so prompts go only to approved endpoints. The extension is MIT-licensed and can be audited; Kilo's own gateway is not involved.
An engineering lead wanting automated review on every pull request
Get AI review without per-seat review licences
Kilo's code reviewer runs on its cloud at $0.33 an hour billed per second, plus model tokens. Cost tracks review volume rather than headcount, which suits teams with many occasional contributors.
Before you commit
- Setup
- Install the extension from the VS Code or JetBrains marketplace, or the CLI via npm, brew or curl; choose free models, BYOK or Gateway credits.
- Integrations
- VS Code and Open VSX editors, JetBrains IDEs, CLI, cloud agents, Slack, and any provider via BYOK or the Gateway.
- Data and privacy
- No retention of prompts and outputs on paid plans; SOC 2 documentation via the trust centre; code still goes to your chosen model provider under its terms.
- Cost at scale
- 20 developers on Teams pay $300 a month in seats plus model usage; a cloud agent running eight hours a day on a Standard machine adds about $9.60 a day per agent before tokens.
- Limits
- Rate limits and context come from the model provider you choose; the Gateway adds no separate published quota.
What's good
- MIT-licensed extensions for VS Code and JetBrains plus a CLI
- Gateway to 500+ models at provider prices
- Works with your own keys and local models via Ollama or LM Studio
- Teams plan at $15/user/month
- Per-second billing for cloud agents and code review
What's not
- Model usage billed on top of seats
- SSO, SCIM and audit logs are Enterprise-only
- No-retention promise covers paid plans only
- SOC 2 report type not stated publicly
- Kilo Pass bonus schedule is convoluted
Best for
Developers and teams who want an open-source, any-model coding agent in VS Code or JetBrains with low per-seat costs.
Alternatives
Kilo Code: common questions
- Is Kilo Code worth it?
- Kilo Code gives teams Cline-style control with free JetBrains support, a no-markup model gateway and $15 seats, but the Anaconda acquisition means its roadmap now answers to a larger company's enterprise plans. We rate it 4.0 out of 5.
- How much does Kilo Code cost?
- Free open-source extensions and CLI; models billed separately (your own keys, free models, or Kilo Gateway at provider rates with a 5% fee on credit purchases). Teams $15/user/month; Enterprise custom (SSO, SCIM, audit logs). Optional Kilo Pass $19, $49 or $199/month with bonus credits. Code review $0.33/hour; cloud agents from $0.60/hour.
- What are the downsides of Kilo Code?
- Model usage billed on top of seats; sSO, SCIM and audit logs are Enterprise-only; no-retention promise covers paid plans only; sOC 2 report type not stated publicly; kilo Pass bonus schedule is convoluted.
- Who is Kilo Code best for?
- Developers and teams who want an open-source, any-model coding agent in VS Code or JetBrains with low per-seat costs.
- How much does Kilo Code cost for a team or in production?
- 20 developers on Teams pay $300 a month in seats plus model usage; a cloud agent running eight hours a day on a Standard machine adds about $9.60 a day per agent before tokens.
- Is Kilo Code safe for company data?
- No retention of prompts and outputs on paid plans; SOC 2 documentation via the trust centre; code still goes to your chosen model provider under its terms.
- What are the best Kilo Code alternatives?
- The closest alternatives we have reviewed are Cline, GitHub Copilot, Cursor and JetBrains AI (Junie, AI Assistant, Air).
Answers checked Oct 23, 2026.
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