Trae vs Kilo Code
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Kilo Code has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $20 for Trae.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- SOLO mode
- Builder agent
- Cloud tasks
- MCP support
- Custom agents
- Orchestrator mode
- 500+ models via gateway
- JetBrains plugin
- Kilo CLI
- Team usage analytics
| Feature | Trae | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | ByteDance's AI IDE with a SOLO mode for hands-off building | Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $20/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | ByteDance | Kilo Code |
| Based in | – | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
|
Pricing compared
Kilo Code has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $20 for Trae.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Free
Free
- Auto mode only
- Limited usage
- 5,000 autocompletions / month
Pro
$20/mo
- Auto plus all models
- $20 usage / month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- 10 concurrent cloud tasks
Pro+
$60/mo
- $60 usage / month (3x Pro)
- Fast queue
- 15 concurrent cloud tasks
Ultra
$200/mo
- $200 usage / month (10x Pro)
- Model early access
- 20 concurrent cloud tasks
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
Trae
- Low-cost entry compared with rivals
- Strong free autocomplete allowance
- Live preview while building
- Data handling worries for some teams
- Plan names and limits change often
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 Trae if you want:
- Low-cost entry compared with rivals
- Strong free autocomplete allowance
- Live preview while building
Watch out: data handling worries for some teams.
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.
Trae vs Kilo Code FAQ
What is the difference between Trae and Kilo Code?
Trae: ByteDance's AI IDE with a SOLO mode for hands-off building. Kilo Code: Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI. Both are coding tools.
Is Trae or Kilo Code cheaper?
Kilo Code has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $20 for Trae.
Do Trae and Kilo Code have free plans?
Trae: Yes. Kilo Code: Yes.
Who makes Trae?
Trae is made by ByteDance.
Who makes Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is made by Kilo Code.
Which should I choose, Trae or Kilo Code?
Choose Trae if you value low-cost entry compared with rivals and strong free autocomplete allowance. Choose Kilo Code if you value no markup on model prices and free and local models supported.