Kilo Code
Open-source AI coding agent, used mainly as an extension for VS Code-based editors.
Liked as an IDE extension for VS Code-based editors1234 that pairs well with cheap or free models through OpenRouter or DeepSeek.5678 The main caveat is cost: frontier models through Kilo burn dollars, and calling DeepSeek's API directly is cheaper than going via Kilo910; one user also finds recent versions "streamlined into mediocrity."11
Why people recommend it
Cheap model access · 3
Commenters use it with free or low-cost models via OpenRouter or DeepSeek to avoid expensive Claude bills.
“recently I've switched to kilocode myself”
“Try Kilocode with deepseek v4”
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“Kilocode plugin (inside Cursor) – Free models”
IDE integration · 3
Runs as an extension in VS Code-derived editors, including inside Cursor, for those who want to stay in the IDE.
“I use Kilocode Vscode extension, still can't give up the IDE”
“KiloCode is essentially the above, but for VSC derived editors”
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“Kilocode plugin (inside Cursor) – Free models”
Reliable daily use · 3
Several users report being happy with it and doing most of their coding with it.
“I use kilo code and its good so far”
“I've been using Kilo and I'm pretty happy about it”
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“Most of the coding itself there is done with kilocode.”
Open source GUI · 1
It is open source, based on OpenCode, and offers a GUI for diffs and session history.
“I use Kilo Code for that it's based in OpenCode and it's OpenSource.”
Code reviews · 1
One user runs automated GitHub code reviews with Kilo alongside local development in Claude.
“I've been using Kilo and I'm pretty happy about it”
Caveats and dissent
Model costs · 2
Frontier models through Kilo get expensive, and DeepSeek is much cheaper via its API directly than via Kilo.
“Using the frontier models at Kilo I go through dollars”
“Try Kilocode with deepseek v4”
Recent decline · 1
One commenter says the most recent version is streamlined into mediocrity.
“most recent Kilocode is streamlined into mediocrity”
Often compared with
Threads where it came up
- Ask HN: What is your (AI) dev tech stack / workflow? (June 2026) 2 mentions
- Clean up Claude 5's token vomit with a separate LLM 1 mention
- Ask HN: How to use agents via API cheaply? 1 mention
- Qwen3.8 is launching and going open-weight soon 1 mention
- ZCode: Claude Code from the Makers of GLM 1 mention
- DeepSeek open-sources inference optimizations with 60–85% faster generation [pdf] 1 mention
Also written as Kilo, Kilocode, KiloCode. Data: kilo-code.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 14
“I have been working on a fork of Kilo to do the exact same thing.”
“I use kilo code and its good so far”
“via Kilo Code VS Code extension”
“I use Kilo Code for that it's based in OpenCode and it's OpenSource.”
“Using the frontier models at Kilo I go through dollars”
“I've been using Kilo and I'm pretty happy about it”
“I use Kilocode Vscode extension, still can't give up the IDE”
“Try Kilocode with deepseek v4”
“most recent Kilocode is streamlined into mediocrity”
“KiloCode is essentially the above, but for VSC derived editors”
“Kilocode plugin (inside Cursor) – Free models”
“recently I've switched to kilocode myself”
“if I am coding with Kilocode and phpstorm”
“Most of the coding itself there is done with kilocode.”