kitio.aiHaystack vs Kilo Code
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Haystack starts at See pricing page and Kilo Code starts at $15/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Modular pipelines
- Agent building blocks
- Retrieval components
- Many integrations
- Tutorials and cookbook
- Enterprise support option
- Orchestrator mode
- 500+ models via gateway
- JetBrains plugin
- Kilo CLI
- Team usage analytics
| Feature | Haystack | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source framework for building production AI agents and RAG | Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | See pricing page | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | deepset | Kilo Code |
| Based in | Germany | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Haystack starts at See pricing page and Kilo Code starts at $15/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Free & Open Source
Free
- BYOK, local or free models
- Pay exact provider rates via Gateway
- 500+ models, no markup
Teams
$15/mo
- Per user
- Usage analytics and reporting
- Shared custom agents and BYOK
- Centralized billing
Enterprise
Custom
- Enterprise governance
- 14-day trial
- Custom contracts
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
Haystack
- Free and open source
- Modular, swappable components
- Paid enterprise support available
- Requires Python development skills
- Enterprise pricing is not public
- Smaller community than the largest agent frameworks
Kilo Code
- No markup on model prices
- Free and local models supported
- Same agent in IDE and terminal
- Many settings to learn
- Costs depend on the models you pick
Which one should you choose?
Choose Haystack if you want:
- Free and open source
- Modular, swappable components
- Paid enterprise support available
Watch out: requires python development skills.
Choose Kilo Code if you want:
- No markup on model prices
- Free and local models supported
- Same agent in IDE and terminal
Watch out: many settings to learn.
Haystack vs Kilo Code FAQ
What is the difference between Haystack and Kilo Code?
Haystack: Open-source framework for building production AI agents and RAG. Kilo Code: Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI. Both are coding tools.
Is Haystack or Kilo Code cheaper?
Haystack starts at See pricing page and Kilo Code starts at $15/mo. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Haystack and Kilo Code have free plans?
Haystack: Yes. Kilo Code: Yes.
Who makes Haystack?
Haystack is made by deepset, based in Germany.
Who makes Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is made by Kilo Code.
Which should I choose, Haystack or Kilo Code?
Choose Haystack if you value free and open source and modular, swappable components. Choose Kilo Code if you value no markup on model prices and free and local models supported.