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Head to head · 2026

Kilo Code vs Visual Studio Code

Pricing, free plans, ratings, features, pros and cons, side by side. Where one comes out ahead, we mark it.

Kilo Code

Merged Cline and Roo Code, now the landing spot for Roo's shutdown

4.3Free

Visit Kilo Code (opens Kilo Code in a new tab)

Visual Studio Code

"The open source AI code editor" - hand off tasks to AI agents that autonomously plan,…

3.9Free

Visit Visual Studio Code (opens Visual Studio Code in a new tab)

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

  • Lower starting price

    Not comparable

    Not comparable: Kilo Code does not list a price

  • Free plan

    Tie

    Both have one

  • Higher rating

    Kilo Code

    4.3 against 3.9

  • Same job?

    Yes

    Both are Coding tools

Side by side

Compared onKilo CodeVisual Studio Code
Our rating4.3Better3.9
Starts atFreeFree
Free planYesYes
CategoryCodingCoding
Plans
  • Free & Open SourceFree
  • Teams$15/user/mo
  • EnterpriseCustom
Free
Key features
  • Forked and merged both Cline and Roo Code's codebases
  • Official migration path following Roo Code's April 2026 shutdown
  • Support for 500+ underlying models
  • Zero-markup pricing over provider API costs
  • Free and open source
  • Multi-agent development - agents autonomously plan, edit, and run commands
  • AI-powered inline suggestions and intelligent completions
  • Model flexibility - Copilot, Claude, OpenAI, and dozens of others
  • MCP server integration for extended agent capabilities
  • Consistent agent experience across editor, CLI, GitHub.com, and mobile
Pros
  • Inherited a mature, tested codebase rather than starting from scratch
  • Official, supported landing spot for Roo Code's displaced user base
  • Very wide model selection with no markup on provider costs
  • Free with just a GitHub login - no paywall to access core agent features
  • Model-provider flexibility avoids lock-in to a single AI vendor
  • Agent context follows you across editor, CLI, and mobile rather than resetting
Cons
  • Fork-of-a-fork lineage can be confusing for newcomers to the ecosystem
  • Recently absorbed a wave of migrating users, worth watching for growing pains
  • VS Code extension only, not a standalone editor
  • Advanced reasoning models may carry separate usage costs depending on provider
  • Multi-agent workflows have a learning curve beyond basic inline suggestions
  • Full agent autonomy still requires review before trusting unattended code changes
CompanyKilo Code, Inc.Microsoft

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260824. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Kilo Code better than Visual Studio Code?

In our reviews Kilo Code scores 4.3 and Visual Studio Code scores 3.9. The better pick depends on the job. Kilo Code: Merged Cline and Roo Code, now the landing spot for Roo's shutdown. Visual Studio Code: "The open source AI code editor" - hand off tasks to AI agents that autonomously plan, edit code, run commands, and iterate, across dozens of models.

Which is cheaper, Kilo Code or Visual Studio Code?

Kilo Code: free. Visual Studio Code: free.

Do Kilo Code and Visual Studio Code have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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