Kilo Code
Open-source VS Code agent in the Cline/Roo lineage, with an orchestrator mode and a CLI.
Overall in coding agents
9of 17 · score 73.7
Data coverage
85%
22 of 26 fields sourced
Best for
- •VS Code teams who want mode-based orchestration without leaving the IDE
- •People who liked Roo Code and want a more actively developed descendant
Strong on
- +Model breadth any provider / router 1/17
- +Subagents Yes 1/16
- +Repo indexing embeddings index 3/16
Weak on
- −Background agents No 12/16Better: Claude Code: Yes
- −GitHub stars 9,000 11/11Better: Claude Code: 155,000
- −Opens PRs No 10/16Better: Claude Code: Yes
- −Headless / CI Partial 14/17Better: Claude Code: Yes
vs Aider
- •Ahead on MCP: Yes vs No
- •Ahead on Subagents: Yes vs No
- •Behind on Headless / CI: Partial vs Yes
- •Behind on GitHub stars: 9,000 vs 37,000
How Kilo Code scores among 17 coding agents22 of 26 fields known
Features8
Surface
IDE extension, CLI
7/17
Leader: GitHub Copilot (Agent HQ) · GitHub-native, IDE extension, CLI, web, cloud delegate
Default model
—
· 2026-11-07
Model breadth1st
any provider / router
1/17
Repo indexing3rd
embeddings index
3/16
Leader: Devin · hybrid index + agentic
Plan mode1st
Yes
1/17
Checkpoint & undo1st
Yes
1/16
Headless / CI
Partial
14/17
Leader: Claude Code · Yes
Local models1st
Yes
1/17
Agentic7
Where it stops
3
7/15
Leader: Claude Code · 4
MCP1st
Yes
1/17
Subagents1st
Yes
1/16
Hooks
—
· 2026-11-07
Skills / commands1st
Yes
1/17
Background agents
No
12/16
Leader: Claude Code · Yes
Governance & control3
Permissions
granular allowlist
9/17
Leader: Claude Code · allowlist + OS sandbox
BYOK1st
Yes
1/17
Pricing3
Pricing model1st
BYOK tokens only
1/16
Entry price1st
$0/seat/mo
1/16
Token markup
No
5/16
Leader: Windsurf · Yes
Traction3
GitHub stars
9,000
11/11
Leader: Claude Code · 155,000
Terminal-Bench
—
Bench model
—
Positioning1
Timeline1
First release
2025-03-01
Aider
Amp
Claude Code
Cline
Codex CLI
Cursor
Devin
DIY harness
