Kilo CodeOpen source AI coding agent in IDE, CLI and Cloud
vs
ZedThe world's fastest IDE. Open source. AI optional.
Comparison · AI Coding Assistants · weekly run Nov 3
Kilo Code vs Zed
Which one do AI engines recommend, and how do they differ on price, fit and features?
The short answer
Kilo Code is the stronger AI pick in AI Coding Assistants: it has a visibility score of 5.3 versus 1 for Zed.
Choose Kilo Code if…
- You want the brand AI engines rank higher (5.3 vs 1)
- AI answers describe it more positively (100% vs 50% positive)
- You need a self-hosted or on-premises option
- Useful AI coding agent inside the IDE
Choose Zed if…
- You want a lower entry price ($10 vs $15)
- Ideal for small teams already on GitHub
- Works with VS Code and JetBrains
AI visibility side by side
Latest weekly run · Nov 3
| Metric | Kilo Code | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility score | 5.3% | 1% |
| Change vs last week | New | New |
| Rank in AI Coding Assistants | #17 | #26 |
| Share of voice | 1.1% | 0.4% |
| Mentions this run | 6 | 2 |
| Positive in AI answers | 100% | 50% |
The stronger value in each row is marked with a ✓.
Visibility score trend
Weekly runs over the last 60 days
Kilo Code 0pp · Zed 0pp over 0 weekly runs.
Engine by engine
Kilo Code leads on 2 of 3 engines
ChatGPT
AI Mode
Perplexity
Kilo CodeZed
Head to head in AI answers
0 engine answers name both brands
0Kilo Code ranked higher
0Zed ranked higher
Features, pricing & fit
| Dimension | Kilo Code | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Per seat | Per seat |
| Entry price | Free; paid from $15 per seat / mo | Free; paid from $10 per seat / mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Deployment | IDE, CLI and cloud; local models supported; the open-source code can be self-hosted | Desktop editor on Windows, macOS and Linux, with remote development over SSH, WSL and dev containers. Users can run local Ollama models, and API keys for hosted providers are kept on the local machine. |
| Support | Community support on the Individual plan, Priority support on the Teams plan, Dedicated support channels and SLA commitments on the Enterprise plan | — |
| Founded | — | 2021 |
| Headquarters | — | Boulder, Colorado |
| Employees | — | 11–50 |
| Funding | Seed · $8M raised | Series B · $42M raised |
| Best for | Developers and teams who want an open-source AI coding agent that works with their own model keys or local models across IDE, CLI and cloud. | Developers who want a fast editor with AI optional, and teams that need org-level control over AI features and data sharing through the Business plan. |
Plans side by side
Kilo Code
Free$0free for individuals; usage billed separately
Teams$15user/month
EnterpriseCustomcontact sales
Pros and cons
Themes from the AI answers that mention each brand
Kilo Code
- Useful AI coding agent inside the IDE
- Low subscription costs and no vendor lock-in
Zed
- Ideal for small teams already on GitHub
- Works with VS Code and JetBrains
- Heavy usage requires a paid plan upgrade
Data collected ·ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode·coverage 100%·next run
Cite as: SlateIndex, “Kilo Code vs Zed”, https://slateindex.ai/compare/kilo-code-vs-zed, data of Nov 3, 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.