Zed vs Kilo Code
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Zed has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Agent panel
- Edit predictions
- External agents via ACP
- Real-time collaboration
- Bring your own key
- Orchestrator mode
- 500+ models via gateway
- JetBrains plugin
- Kilo CLI
- Team usage analytics
| Feature | Zed | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fast Rust code editor with built-in AI agents and edit predictions | Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $10/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | Zed Industries | Kilo Code |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
|
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Pricing compared
Zed has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
3 plans
Personal
Free
- Free forever
- Use your own API keys or external agents
Pro
$10/mo
- Unlimited edit predictions
- $5 of tokens included
- Usage billing beyond $5
- 14-day free trial
Business
$30/mo
- Per seat
- Org-wide AI model policies
- Data governance controls
- Role-based access controls
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
Zed
- Very fast and light on memory
- Works with your own keys or local models
- Open-source editor core
- Smaller extension ecosystem than VS Code
- Hosted model usage is billed on top
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 Zed if you want:
- Very fast and light on memory
- Works with your own keys or local models
- Open-source editor core
Watch out: smaller extension ecosystem than vs code.
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.
Zed vs Kilo Code FAQ
What is the difference between Zed and Kilo Code?
Zed: Fast Rust code editor with built-in AI agents and edit predictions. Kilo Code: Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and the CLI. Both are coding tools.
Is Zed or Kilo Code cheaper?
Zed has the lower starting price: about $10 a month, against $15 for Kilo Code.
Do Zed and Kilo Code have free plans?
Zed: Yes. Kilo Code: Yes.
Who makes Zed?
Zed is made by Zed Industries, based in United States.
Who makes Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is made by Kilo Code.
Which should I choose, Zed or Kilo Code?
Choose Zed if you value very fast and light on memory and works with your own keys or local models. Choose Kilo Code if you value no markup on model prices and free and local models supported.