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Introducing Respan Router

Gemini Code Assist vs Kilo Code (2026)

Updated April 29, 2026

vs

Overview

Rating
10.0 / 10
Rating
10.0 / 10
Best For
—
Best For
Developers and teams who want an open-source coding agent across VS Code, JetBrains, and the CLI with any model
Product Summary

Gemini Code Assist is Google Cloud AI coding assistant powered by Gemini models.

Product Summary

Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, and the CLI with 500+ models at zero markup. Compare its pricing, pros and cons.

Starting Price
$0Per month
Starting Price
$0Per forever
Free Trial
Yes
Free Trial
Yes
Free Version
No
Free Version
Yes
Website

Key features

Core capabilities each platform advertises.

Gemini Code AssistGemini Code Assist
Data not available
Kilo CodeKilo Code
  • VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI
  • Ask, Architect, Code, Debug, and custom modes
  • 500+ models through Kilo Gateway, BYOK, or local models
  • Code completion and generation

Strengths and tradeoffs

What each tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.

Gemini Code AssistGemini Code Assist

Pros

  • Free tier with 180,000 completions for individual developers
  • Native Google Cloud integration and expertise
  • Natural language code generation
  • Gemini 2.5 upgrade brought significant quality improvements

Cons

  • Inconsistent reliability with hallucinations and freezing
  • Generic suggestions for complex tasks
  • No multi-file or whole-repository edit support
  • More complex setup than alternatives
  • Code completion speed can be slower than expected
Kilo CodeKilo Code

Pros

  • Free and open source under MIT
  • No markup on model usage
  • 500+ models, including BYOK and local
  • Same agent across VS Code, JetBrains, and the CLI

Cons

  • 5% processing fee on credit purchases
  • Now owned by Anaconda, with product integration details still to come
  • Audit logs, SSO, and SCIM are Enterprise only

What people are saying

Gemini Code AssistGemini Code Assist
Data not available
Kilo CodeKilo Code
Game DeveloperProduct Hunt

Brilliant coding assistant — works great for both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs with access to many providers.

Read full review

Gemini Code or Kilo Code — which should you choose?

Choose Gemini Code if you want

Data not available

Choose Kilo Code if you want

  • Multi-step refactors across an existing codebase
  • BYOK coding with no provider markup
  • Standardizing one agent across VS Code and JetBrains
  • Private coding workflows with local models

Compare Gemini Code Assist and Kilo Code on your own traffic

10KFree traces/mo
1,000+Models
5 minSetup

Respan lets you trace LLM and agent calls across any model or framework, A/B test prompts on production traffic, and route requests across 1,000+ models through one gateway.

Try Respan free

Frequently Asked Questions

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