Kilo Code — Coding Agents Platform
Coding AgentsLayer 5Free + paid credits (BYOK, zero markup)What is Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is an open-source AI coding agent that runs as an extension in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and as a standalone CLI. It was forked from Cline and Roo Code in 2024 and now serves 1.5M+ developers, ranking as the most-used open-source coding agent extension.
Kilo's standout feature is Orchestrator mode, which decomposes complex tasks into subtasks and routes them to specialist sub-agents — Architect for planning, Coder for implementation, and Debugger for testing and fixes. It also provides inline autocomplete, browser automation, automated refactoring, and connects to 500+ models across 60+ providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral, local Ollama, OpenRouter).
Pricing is BYO API key with zero markup — Kilo charges the exact list price of Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google. Optional Kilo Pass credit subscriptions start at $19/mo, with Teams at $15/user/mo. Co-founded by GitLab co-founder Sid Sijbrandij; raised $8M in seed funding (December 2025) led by Cota Capital with participation from General Catalyst, Breakers, Quiet Capital, and Tokyo Black.
Key Features
- ✓Orchestrator mode routes complex tasks to specialist sub-agents (Architect / Coder / Debugger)
- ✓500+ models across 60+ providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Mistral, Ollama, OpenRouter)
- ✓Runs in VS Code, JetBrains, and as a standalone CLI
- ✓Inline autocomplete, browser automation, and automated refactoring
- ✓Open-source (forked from Cline + Roo Code) with 1.5M+ active users
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Most-used open-source coding agent (1.5M+ users, #1 on OpenRouter)
- +Zero markup — pays Anthropic/OpenAI/Google list price
- +Orchestrator routes complex work to specialist sub-agents
- +500+ models across 60+ providers, including local
- +BYOK credits never expire
Cons
- -Newer than incumbents like GitHub Copilot — fewer enterprise references
- -Quality is bounded by your chosen model and prompt
- -Community support rather than dedicated enterprise SLAs
- -Orchestrator workflows have a learning curve to configure
Kilo Code Pricing
Free trial available
- ✓Open-source extension for VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI
- ✓$20 in starter credits
- ✓Bring your own API key
- ✓All core agent + autocomplete features
- ✓Up to ~$26.60/mo in model credits
- ✓Annual billing gives 50% bonus credits
- ✓Up to ~$68.60/mo in model credits
- ✓Best for daily heavy users
- ✓Up to ~$278.60/mo in model credits
- ✓Power user / agent-heavy workflows
- ✓Usage analytics + AI adoption score
- ✓Shared agent modes and BYOK
- ✓Centralized billing, team management
- ✓Data privacy controls + priority support
- ✓Limit allowed models / providers
- ✓Shared private gateway BYOK
- ✓Audit logs, SSO, OIDC, SCIM
- ✓SLA commitments + dedicated support
Common Use Cases
Developers and teams who want an open-source coding agent in their existing IDE, with full model freedom and no API markup
- •Orchestrated multi-step refactors across an existing codebase
- •Cost-conscious AI coding via BYOK with zero provider markup
- •Multi-IDE team standardization across VS Code and JetBrains
- •Local-first private coding workflows with Ollama
- •Architectural planning and automated debugging from a single agent
Using Kilo Code with Respan
Integrate Kilo's open-source coding agent with Respan to add AI-powered code assistance to development workflows. Leverage Kilo's no-markup credit system alongside Respan's orchestration for cost-effective AI coding at scale.
- ✓Access 1.5M+ coder community and 25T+ token experience
- ✓No markup fees—use credits at provider standard rates
- ✓Credits never expire with 1:1 conversion
- ✓Open-source transparency and flexibility
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Last verified: April 29, 2026