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Kimi Code

03 cli-agent/Moonshot AI/ACTIVE/aka Kimi CLI, kimi, Kimi Code CLI

Kimi Code is Moonshot AI's single-binary terminal agent — tuned TUI, subagents, conversational MCP setup, lifecycle hooks, and ACP for Zed/JetBrains. Runs Kimi models by default but also speaks Anthropic, OpenAI, and Gemini protocols.

SEC.01

What it does

  • 01Single-binary TUI
  • 02Subagents (coder, explore, plan)
  • 03Conversational /mcp-config
  • 04Lifecycle hooks
  • 05ACP (Zed, JetBrains)
  • 06Multi-provider support
SEC.02

Who it's for

Kimi users who want a vendor CLI that still accepts other providers' keys.

PRICING

Pricing

Free OSS; Kimi Code managed service or Moonshot API keys (multi-provider). List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding.

ALT

Other CLI agents (14)

Claude Code

Anthropic · cli-agent

cli/editor/api · local · Included in Claude Pro $20/mo and Max ($100/$200); API pay-per-token

Codex CLI

OpenAI · cli-agent

cli/editor/api · local/cloud · Included in ChatGPT Free/Go/Plus/Pro/Business/Enterprise; credits for extra usage

Aider

Community / OSS · cli-agent

caution
cli · local · Free (OSS) + your model API costs

Amp

Amp Inc. · cli-agent

cli/editor · local · Hobby free (BYOK / own runners); Megawatt $20/mo; Gigawatt $200

OpenCode

Community / OSS · cli-agent

cli · local · Free (OSS) + BYOK; Zen PAYG; Go $10/mo

OpenHands

Community / OSS · cli-agent

cli/api/editor · local/cloud · Free OSS self-host; Cloud free tier + $20/mo

Goose

Block · cli-agent

cli · local · Free (OSS) + model costs

Gemini CLI

Google · cli-agent

caution
cli · local · Consumer/free tiers ended Jun 18, 2026; API key or Code Assist Standard/Enterprise only

Warp

Warp · cli-agent

cli · local/cloud · Free; Pro $20/mo; Team $45–50/user; Max $200

Muse Code

Meta · cli-agent

cli/api · local · Contributor free (5h token windows); subs rolling out; API $1.25/M in · $4.25/M out

Grok Build

xAI · cli-agent

cli/editor/api · local · Free to try; SuperGrok $30/mo or X Premium+ $40/mo; API grok-4.6 $2/M in · $6/M out

Qwen Code

Alibaba Cloud · cli-agent

cli/editor/api · local · Free OSS (Apache-2.0); Alibaba Cloud Coding Plan or any compatible provider

Mistral Vibe

Mistral AI · cli-agent

cli/editor · local · CLI open source; models via Mistral API / Le Chat; Devstral Small self-deployable

Crush

Charm · cli-agent

cli · local · Free OSS (FSL-1.1-MIT); BYO provider keys
FAQ

Frequently asked

What is Kimi Code?

Kimi Code is Moonshot AI's single-binary terminal agent — tuned TUI, subagents, conversational MCP setup, lifecycle hooks, and ACP for Zed/JetBrains. Runs Kimi models by default but also speaks Anthropic, OpenAI, and Gemini protocols.

Who is Kimi Code for?

Kimi users who want a vendor CLI that still accepts other providers' keys.

How much does Kimi Code cost?

Free OSS; Kimi Code managed service or Moonshot API keys (multi-provider). List prices as checked against the vendor's pricing page on 2026-09-25; plans change often, so confirm before deciding.

Does Kimi Code run locally or in the cloud?

Kimi Code runs locally on your machine. Its interfaces are a terminal (CLI), an editor/IDE surface, an API or protocol.

What are alternatives to Kimi Code?

Other CLI agent entries in the catalog: Claude Code, Codex CLI, Aider, Amp, OpenCode, OpenHands, Goose, Gemini CLI, Warp, Muse Code, Grok Build, Qwen Code, Mistral Vibe, Crush. Different categories solve the same problem differently — see the CLI & terminal agents category page for tradeoffs.