Claude vs Kimi
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Kimi has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude.
At a glance
Best for
Category
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Projects with shared files
- Artifacts side panel
- Web search and research
- App connectors
- Image and PDF understanding
- Long-document reading
- Research reports
- Slide creation
- Agent mode
- Web search
| Feature | Claude | Kimi |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Anthropic's assistant for long documents, writing and careful reasoning | Moonshot AI's assistant for long documents, research and agent tasks |
| Category | Chat assistants | Chat assistants |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $19/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Anthropic | Moonshot AI |
| Based in | United States | China |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Kimi has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Free
Free
- Chat on web, desktop and mobile
- Web search, files and code execution
- Memory across conversations
Pro
$20/mo
- More usage than Free
- Claude Code
- Scheduled tasks
- Claude in Chrome and Microsoft 365
Max
$100/mo
- From $100; 5x or 20x Pro usage
- Higher output limits
- $100-$200/mo in API credits
Team Standard
$25/mo
- Per seat
- More usage than Pro
- Claude Code and Cowork
Team Premium
$125/mo
- Per seat
- 5x usage of standard seats
- Pooled API credits
Enterprise
$20/seat + usage
- Billed annually, 20-seat minimum
- Usage at API rates
- Admin spend controls
4 plans
Adagio
Free
- Free Kimi chat
- Limited agent usage
Moderato
$19/mo
- More agent and coding usage
- Priority access
Allegretto
$39/mo
- Higher usage limits
Vivace
$199/mo
- Highest usage limits
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Claude
- Natural, well-structured writing
- Handles very long files well
- Strong at code and analysis
- Usage caps reset on a timer
- No built-in image generation
- Heavy users need the pricier Max plan
Kimi
- Handles very long inputs
- Useful free plan
- Strong agent and coding models
- Paid plans are pricey for casual use
- Some features launch in Chinese first
- Data stored in China
Which one should you choose?
Choose Claude if you want:
- Natural, well-structured writing
- Handles very long files well
- Strong at code and analysis
Watch out: usage caps reset on a timer.
Choose Kimi if you want:
- Handles very long inputs
- Useful free plan
- Strong agent and coding models
Watch out: paid plans are pricey for casual use.
Claude vs Kimi FAQ
What is the difference between Claude and Kimi?
Claude: Anthropic's assistant for long documents, writing and careful reasoning. Kimi: Moonshot AI's assistant for long documents, research and agent tasks. Both are chat assistants tools.
Is Claude or Kimi cheaper?
Kimi has the lower starting price: about $19 a month, against $20 for Claude.
Do Claude and Kimi have free plans?
Claude: Yes. Kimi: Yes.
Who makes Claude?
Claude is made by Anthropic, based in United States.
Who makes Kimi?
Kimi is made by Moonshot AI, based in China.
Which should I choose, Claude or Kimi?
Choose Claude if you value natural, well-structured writing and handles very long files well. Choose Kimi if you value handles very long inputs and useful free plan.