Kilo Code vs OpenCode (2026): VS Code Plugin or CLI Agent?
Updated April 29, 2026
How they actually differ
Kilo Code and OpenCode are both open-source coding agents that came out of the post-Cline wave. They share a lot of DNA but they target different surfaces and different developer rituals.
Kilo Code is a fork of Roo Code (itself a Cline derivative) with VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI support. The IDE integration is the strength: rich UI, mode-switching, multi-provider model routing, and a feature surface that has filled in fast over the last year. If you live in VS Code and want a more configurable Cline that runs across editors, Kilo is a sensible choice.
OpenCode is a terminal-first agent from Anomaly. No IDE plugin. You run it like a shell command, attach it to a repo, and drive it from the CLI. The pitch is portability and composability: pipe it into scripts, run it over SSH, embed it in CI jobs. If your default workflow is terminal-first or you want to invoke a coding agent from automation rather than from the editor UI, OpenCode is the cleaner fit.
Where the trade-off bites: Kilo wins on developer ergonomics when you are actively coding inside an IDE. OpenCode wins when the agent should run outside your editor (background tasks, CI, remote machines, scripted workflows). Both are open-source under permissive licenses so the "switching cost" later is mostly about workflow muscle memory.
Both run cleanly through Respan. OpenCode has first-party tracing via the trace CLI coding agents cookbook (covers Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, and OpenCode with one setup command). Kilo can route through the Respan gateway for unified billing and observability across providers; see the proxy coding agents cookbook for the model-routing side.
Overview
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.
OpenCode is an open-source AI coding agent for the terminal, IDE, and desktop with 75+ LLM providers. Compare its Zen and Go pricing, pros, and cons.
Key features
Core capabilities each platform advertises.
- 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
- Terminal UI, desktop app, and IDE extensions
- 75+ LLM providers via Models.dev, including local models
- Sign in with GitHub Copilot or ChatGPT Plus/Pro
- LSP-enabled code understanding
- Multi-session agents on the same project
Strengths and tradeoffs
What each tool does well, and the limitations to keep in mind.
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
Pros
- Free and open source under MIT
- Doesn't store code or context data
- 75+ providers, including local models and existing Copilot or ChatGPT subscriptions
- Same agent across terminal, desktop, and five IDEs
Cons
- Zen data retention varies by provider, and OpenAI keeps requests for 30 days
- Zen credit purchases carry card fees of 4.4% + $0.30
- Go plans cap usage in 5-hour, weekly, and monthly windows
What people are saying
Brilliant coding assistant — works great for both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs with access to many providers.
Read full reviewIt was the first time I felt like I could write up a large prompt, walk away from my laptop, and come back to a lot of work having been done.
Read full reviewKilo Code or OpenCode — which should you choose?
Choose Kilo Code if you wantChoose 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
Choose OpenCode if you wantChoose if you want
- Terminal-first AI pair programming
- Privacy-sensitive environments using local models
- Parallel agent sessions on one codebase
- BYOK across providers without switching tools
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