Kilo Code vs OpenCode
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Open source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, or the command line.
Open source · MIT
An open source AI coding agent you run in your terminal, with a desktop app in beta.
The short answer
Choose Kilo Code if you need…
- Developers who want an AI coding agent inside VS Code or JetBrains
- People who want to choose among many AI models for different tasks
- Teams wanting automated AI checks in CI/CD pipelines using the CLI
- Developers who prefer open source tools they can inspect and modify
Choose OpenCode if you need…
- Developers who want an AI agent that works inside their terminal and existing projects
- People exploring an unfamiliar codebase who want a read-only agent that asks before running commands
- Developers comfortable installing tools via npm, Homebrew, or similar package managers
- Teams wanting an MIT-licensed, inspectable agent rather than a closed product
Side-by-side
| Kilo Code | OpenCode | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI model / agent | AI model / agent |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 27.8k | 224k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Kilo Code
Kilo Code is an AI coding agent that works inside VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, or a terminal CLI. You describe a change in plain language and the agent writes or edits code across multiple files, can run commands, and can switch between many AI models. According to the README, you pay the model provider's rate with no markup and can start without an API key.
OpenCode
OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent that helps you work on software projects. The README describes it as a terminal-based tool with a built-in set of agents you can switch between, such as a build agent for making changes and a read-only plan agent for exploring code. It is also offered as a desktop application in beta.
Best for
Kilo Code
- Developers who want an AI coding agent inside VS Code or JetBrains
- People who want to choose among many AI models for different tasks
- Teams wanting automated AI checks in CI/CD pipelines using the CLI
- Developers who prefer open source tools they can inspect and modify
OpenCode
- Developers who want an AI agent that works inside their terminal and existing projects
- People exploring an unfamiliar codebase who want a read-only agent that asks before running commands
- Developers comfortable installing tools via npm, Homebrew, or similar package managers
- Teams wanting an MIT-licensed, inspectable agent rather than a closed product
Strengths
Kilo Code
- Open source under the MIT license, so the code can be read and reused
- Works across VS Code, JetBrains, and the command line
- Lets you switch between many models mid-task
OpenCode
- Open source under the MIT license, so the code can be read and reused
- The plan agent denies file edits by default and asks before bash commands, which adds a safety layer
- Available through many install routes including npm, Homebrew, Arch Linux, Nix, and mise
Not ideal for
Kilo Code
- People who want a fully offline tool, since the README describes use of model providers and a cloud service
- Non-programmers, since it is built for editing and running code
- Anyone running untrusted automation, because --auto approves prompts unless a rule denies them
OpenCode
- Non-programmers, since the tool is built around reading and editing code (reason: the README assumes development work)
- People who need a stable, fully supported desktop app (reason: the desktop app is marked BETA in the README)
- Anyone who cannot review AI-generated code changes before accepting them (reason: the build agent has full access for development work)
Trade-offs
Kilo Code
- Model access and pricing depend on the provider and Kilo's hosted service, which the README describes only briefly
- Autonomous mode skips permission prompts unless rules block actions, so it needs careful setup
- The README is truncated, so some details like the full feature set and limits are not confirmed here
OpenCode
- The README does not detail which AI models or providers it supports, so check the docs before relying on it
- The desktop app is beta and the README's install paths include both a stable and a 'v2' install route, which may be confusing
- The README is truncated in this analysis, so some setup details and limits are not confirmed here
Getting started
Kilo Code
Install the CLI with npm
npm install -g @kilocode/cliInstall the CLI with curl
curl -fsSL https://kilo.ai/cli/install | bashOpenCode
Install via npm
npm i -g @opencode/cli@latestInstall via Homebrew (macOS and Linux)
brew install anomalyco/tap/opencode-v2Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Kilo Code and OpenCode?
Kilo Code: Open source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, or the command line. OpenCode: An open source AI coding agent you run in your terminal, with a desktop app in beta. Kilo Code suits developers who want an ai coding agent inside vs code or jetbrains, while OpenCode suits developers who want an ai agent that works inside their terminal and existing projects.
Are Kilo Code and OpenCode free?
Kilo Code: Free and open source. OpenCode: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Kilo Code or OpenCode?
Kilo Code is easier to get started with (rated beginner); OpenCode is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Kilo Code or OpenCode more popular?
OpenCode has more GitHub stars (224k) than Kilo Code (27.8k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Kilo Code and OpenCode?
Other options people compare them with include watermarks-remover, Hermes Agent, GenericAgent, Humanizer, Brigade.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.