Kilo Code vs TRAE
Plans, free access, limits and intended use side by side, taken from each vendor’s own pages. No score and no winner: the facts show where the two differ.
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Open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal and the cloud, with free models, your own keys or pay-as-you-go credits
Budget dollars of model usage, not messages
- Free access
- Kilo Code: Free access
- TRAE: Free access
- Paid from
- Kilo Code: USD 0.33 to $1.20 per hour
- TRAE: USD 3 per month in the US
- Plans listed
- Kilo Code: 9
- TRAE: 5
- Public API
- Kilo Code: Not confirmed
- TRAE: Not confirmed
Where Kilo Code and TRAE differ
- Pricing checkPrices confirmed for Kilo Code; pricing review due for TRAE.
- PlansKilo Code lists 9 plans and TRAE lists 5.
Head to head
Each value from the tool’s profile and the vendor’s own pages
| Kilo Code | Fact | TRAE |
|---|---|---|
| Access and price | ||
| Free access availableFree and open source · USD 0 | Free accessSame | Free access availableFree · USD 0 outside the US |
| USD 0.33 to $1.20 per hourCloud compute · billed per second | Lowest listed paid plan | USD 3 per month in the USLite · $2.25 a month billed yearly; $8 per month in 12 listed countries |
| Free open-source agent; models paid separately (free, own keys or credits); Kilo Pass from $19/month; Teams $15/user/month | Pricing model | Free plan; Pro $20/month ($10 in the US) |
| 9 | Plans listedDiffers | 5 |
| Not confirmed | Public API | Not confirmed |
| Not confirmed | Card to start | Not confirmed |
| Not confirmed | Open source | No |
| What it is for | ||
| Developers who want one open-source coding agent across editor, terminal and cloud, and are comfortable managing model spend separately from the tool | Built for | Agentic coding in a desktop IDE on a metered budget |
| Coding | CategorySame | Coding |
| Platforms |
|
| Works with |
|
| How current | ||
| Profile sources checked | ||
| Prices confirmed · Nov 5, 2026 | Pricing checkDiffers | Pricing review due · Oct 2, 2026 |
Official source check for both tools. No hands-on testing and no score: “Differs” marks a documented difference, not a better tool.
Plans and prices
Kilo Code
Prices confirmed · Nov 5, 2026- Free and open sourceUSD 0
- Auto Free, BYOK or localUSD 0 a month
- Kilo GatewayUSD 0 a month plus usage
- Kilo Pass StarterUSD 19 per month
- Kilo Pass ProUSD 49 per month
Show 4 more plans
- Kilo Pass ExpertUSD 199 per month
- TeamsUSD 15 per user per month
- EnterpriseCustom
- Cloud computeUSD 0.33 to $1.20 per hourbilled per second
TRAE
Pricing review due · Oct 2, 2026- FreeUSD 0 outside the US
- LiteUSD 3 per month in the USUSD 2.25 a month billed yearly; $8 per month in 12 listed countries
- ProUSD 20 per month outside the USUSD 200 billed yearly; $10 per month in the US · $7.50 a month billed yearly
- Pro+USD 60 per month outside the USUSD 600 billed yearly; $30 per month in the US · $22.50 a month billed yearly
- UltraUSD 200 per month outside the USUSD 2,000 billed yearly; $100 per month in the US · $75 a month billed yearly
Strengths and limits
Kilo Code
Strengths
- Free open-source clients: The VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin and CLI are MIT-licensed and free to install, with no mandatory subscription for individuals.
- Many ways to pay for models: Free models, local models, your own provider keys or Gateway credits at provider rates, so you can avoid Kilo inference spend entirely.
- Several surfaces, one agent: The same agent is offered in VS Code, JetBrains, the terminal, the cloud and Slack, and cloud sessions can be resumed locally per the FAQ.
Limits to plan around
- Total cost is not one number: Platform, model inference, a 5% processing fee on top-ups and cloud compute are billed as separate parts, so a monthly bill has to be assembled.
- Cloud compute is extra even with your own keys: The pricing FAQ says bringing your own keys covers model inference, not the container that runs a cloud agent.
- Paid credits expire: Paid credits, including automatic top-ups, expire one calendar year after purchase; the 5% processing fee is non-refundable.
TRAE
Strengths
- A free way to start: Outside the US, Free includes Auto mode, a limited allowance and 5,000 autocompletions a month; first-time US subscribers get a one-time 7-day Pro trial.
- Itemized usage records: The Usage page lists each charge with the model, time and amount deducted.
- Prorated refund on upgrades: Moving to a higher tier refunds the unused share of the old plan automatically.
Limits to plan around
- A budget, not unlimited use: Paid plans include a fixed dollar allowance; heavy agent work needs a higher tier or pay-as-you-go.
- Chats may train models by default: Chat content, code snippets and outputs can be used for training unless Privacy mode is on while signed in.
- Plans and prices differ by region: Subscriptions are sold only in listed countries, Lite in fewer still, and US visitors see a separate price list without a Free card.
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Questions about comparing tools
How does the comparison work?
Add two tools to the comparison tray from any tool card, then open this page. The table pulls each tool's verified plan details, platforms, strengths and limits from its profile, so both columns carry the same kind of evidence, with a separate source-check date for each tool.
Do you declare a winner?
No. The table sets two tools against each other on documented facts, not on a score. Which one wins depends on your task, your budget and your usage volume — three things we cannot see from here.
Why are some cells empty or marked unverified?
Because we could not confirm that detail on the vendor's own pages. Rather than filling the gap with a figure from elsewhere, we mark it and say why on the tool's profile.
Can I compare more than two tools?
Not at once. Two columns keep the differences readable and force a real decision. Remove either selected tool to replace it, or clear both to start a new pair.
Every figure in the table above comes from the linked profile, where the source and the verification date are listed. Browse all tools or read the editorial policy.