Kilo is one of the fastest-growing AI coding platforms of 2026. Built by Kilo Code, Inc. (recently acquired by Anaconda), it combines an AI coding assistant (Kilo Code), a model gateway (Kilo Gateway), and a token subscription (Kilo Pass) into a single ecosystem used by over 5 million developers worldwide.
What makes Kilo different from Cursor, Copilot, or Claude Code? Two things: 500+ AI models at 0% markup (you pay only the provider’s list price) and a subscription model that gives you free bonus credits on top of what you pay. No lock-in, no markup, no surprise bills.
This guide covers everything: what Kilo is, how Kilo Pass works, pricing, the bonus credit system, how it compares to competitors, and whether it’s worth it.
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
What is Kilo?
Kilo is an AI-powered developer platform with three main products:
- Kilo Code — an AI coding assistant that works in VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, and cloud. Supports 500+ models. Used by 5M+ developers.
- Kilo Gateway — access to 500+ AI models (Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, and more) at 0% markup. Pay only for what you use.
- Kilo Pass — a monthly/annual token subscription that converts to credits. Includes free bonus credits (10% in month 1, 50% in month 2, up to 40% ongoing).
Kilo has been acquired by Anaconda, which signals serious backing for the platform’s future.
Kilo Code: the AI coding assistant
Kilo Code is the IDE-facing product. It’s an AI coding assistant that works across:
- VS Code — extension with inline completions, chat, and agent mode
- JetBrains — plugin for IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, etc.
- CLI — terminal-based coding agent
- Cloud Agents — run coding tasks in the cloud
- Code Reviewer — AI-powered code review
- Security Agent — automated security scanning
- Slack integration — code from your team chat
The standout feature: 500+ models at 0% markup. You can switch between Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, and open-source models freely. No markup means you pay exactly what the provider charges — Kilo doesn’t add a surcharge.
Kilo Code is also open source (GitHub: Kilo-Org/kilocode), which means you can inspect the code, self-host, and contribute.
Kilo Gateway: model access at 0% markup
Kilo Gateway is the API layer. It gives you access to 500+ AI models through a single API endpoint:
- Claude (Anthropic) — Sonnet, Opus, Haiku
- GPT (OpenAI) — GPT-4o, GPT-4, GPT-3.5
- Gemini (Google) — Gemini Pro, Gemini Flash
- Open-source models — Llama, Mistral, Qwen, and more
- Local models — run models on your own hardware
0% markup means: if Anthropic charges $3 per million input tokens for Claude Sonnet, you pay $3. Kilo doesn’t add a surcharge. This is rare — most AI coding tools (Cursor, Copilot) bundle model costs into their subscription price, making it hard to know what you’re actually paying for.
Kilo Pass: the subscription model
Kilo Pass is the subscription that powers everything. It converts your monthly payment into credits that work across all Kilo products.
How it works
- Choose a tier — Starter ($19/mo), Pro ($49/mo), or Expert ($199/mo).
- Your payment converts 1:1 to credits — $19/mo = $19 in paid credits.
- Use your credits across IDE, CLI, Cloud Agents, Code Reviewer, and Kilo Gateway.
- Earn free bonus credits — after using your paid credits each month, you automatically receive free bonus credits (up to 40% regular, 50% during welcome period).
- Top up anytime — add credits on top of your subscription if you need more mid-month.
Pricing tiers
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| Tier | Monthly | Annual | Paid credits | Bonus credits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $19/mo | $199/yr | $19/mo | Up to 40% | Individual developers, light usage |
| Pro | $49/mo | $499/yr | $49/mo | Up to 40% | Active developers, daily coding |
| Expert | $199/mo | $1,999/yr | $199/mo | Up to 40% | Heavy users, teams, agencies |
Annual plans include 50% bonus credits every month (not just the welcome period). Monthly plans get 10% in month 1 and 50% in month 2 as a welcome bonus, then the regular bonus ramp (up to 40%).
The bonus credit system
This is Kilo’s most distinctive feature. Here’s how it works:
- Month 1: 10% free bonus credits (welcome bonus)
- Month 2: 50% free bonus credits (welcome bonus)
- Month 3+: Regular bonus ramp, up to 40% based on usage streak
- Annual plans: 50% bonus every month
- Free bonus credits expire at the end of each month (use them or lose them)
- Paid credits expire one year after issuance
- Credits are consumed in order: free bonus first, then paid credits
Example: On a $49/mo Pro plan, you pay $49 and get up to $68.60 in total credits ($49 paid + $19.60 bonus at 40%). Over 12 months, that’s $188+ in bonus credits on top of what you paid.
Referral program: 50% bonus credits
Kilo has a referral program where both the referrer and the referred user earn bonus credits:
- New subscribers: 10% bonus in month 1, 50% bonus in month 2
- Referrer: earns 50% monthly bonus on future eligible monthly base issuances
- No coupon code needed — just sign up through a referral link
If you’re considering Kilo Pass, using a referral link gives you the welcome bonus automatically:
Get 50% bonus credits in month 2 →
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Kilo vs competitors
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| Feature | Kilo | Cursor | GitHub Copilot | Windsurf | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $19/mo | $20/mo | $10/mo | $15/mo | $20/mo (Claude Pro) |
| Model markup | 0% (list price) | Bundled | Bundled | Bundled | API pricing |
| Models available | 500+ | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok | GPT-4o, Claude, Gemini | Own + third-party | Claude only |
| Free tier | Yes (limited) | Yes (limited) | Yes (limited) | Yes (generous) | No |
| Open source | Yes (Kilo Code) | No | No | No | No (CLI closed) |
| IDE support | VS Code, JetBrains, CLI, Cloud | VS Code fork | VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Xcode | VS Code fork + 40 plugins | Terminal only |
| Bonus credits | Up to 50% | No | No | No | No |
| Code review | Yes (Code Reviewer) | Yes (Bugbot) | Yes (can approve PRs) | No | Yes (Code Review app) |
| Security scanning | Yes (Security Agent) | No | Yes (GitHub Advanced Security) | No | No |
Key differentiator: Kilo’s 0% markup and bonus credit system. With Cursor or Copilot, model costs are bundled into the subscription — you don’t know what you’re paying for models vs. the tool. With Kilo, you pay list price for models plus a subscription for the platform, and you get bonus credits on top. For heavy model users, this can be significantly cheaper.
Who should use Kilo?
- Developers who want model freedom: Switch between Claude, GPT, Gemini, and open-source models freely. No lock-in.
- Cost-conscious developers: 0% markup + bonus credits = more value per dollar than bundled pricing.
- Open-source advocates: Kilo Code is open source. Inspect, self-host, contribute.
- Teams and agencies: Expert tier ($199/mo) with 500+ models, cloud agents, code review, and security scanning.
- JetBrains users: Full JetBrains plugin support (unlike Cursor, which is VS Code only).
Who should NOT use Kilo:
- Developers who want the smoothest onboarding — Cursor’s VS Code fork is more polished.
- Teams deeply integrated with GitHub — Copilot’s GitHub-native features (PRs, issues, Actions) are unmatched.
- Terminal-only power users — Claude Code’s reasoning depth is still the best for complex refactors.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kilo Pass?
A monthly/annual AI token subscription. Your payment converts 1:1 to credits that work across all Kilo products (IDE, CLI, Cloud Agents, Gateway). Includes free bonus credits.
Does Kilo charge a markup on AI models?
No. Kilo charges 0% markup — you pay exactly what the model provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) charges. This is Kilo’s core differentiator.
Do free bonus credits expire?
Yes. Free bonus credits expire at the end of each month. Paid credits expire one year after issuance. Annual plan credits keep their original terms until renewal.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Monthly plans can be canceled anytime. No long-term contracts.
Is Kilo Pass available for teams?
Yes. Kilo for Teams and Enterprise plans are available with centralized billing and management.
What is Kilo’s business model if they don’t charge markup?
Kilo makes money from the subscription fee (Kilo Pass) and enterprise plans. The 0% markup on models is a customer acquisition strategy — developers come for the pricing, stay for the platform.
Does Kilo work with local models?
Yes. Kilo supports local models via Ollama and other local inference servers. Your balance works with local models too.
How does the referral program work?
New subscribers get 10% bonus credits in month 1 and 50% in month 2. The referrer earns 50% monthly bonus on future eligible monthly base issuances. No coupon code needed — just sign up through a referral link.
Conclusion
Kilo is a strong contender in the AI coding tools space. Its core advantages are clear: 500+ models at 0% markup, a bonus credit system that gives you 32%+ extra value over 12 months, open-source codebase, and broad IDE support (VS Code + JetBrains + CLI + Cloud). The Anaconda acquisition signals serious backing.
The main trade-offs: the editor experience isn’t as polished as Cursor, and the ecosystem is smaller than Copilot’s. But for developers who value model freedom, transparent pricing, and extra credits, Kilo is hard to beat.
If you’re considering Kilo Pass, using a referral link gives you the welcome bonus (10% month 1, 50% month 2) automatically:
Get 50% bonus credits in month 2 →
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up through them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Try Kilo free, compare it to your current tool, and see if the 0% markup + bonus credits make a difference for your workflow. For most developers paying $20–$50/month for AI tools, Kilo’s pricing model is worth a serious look.
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