Codex vs Kilo Code: How They Actually Differ
Codex fits builders who want one agent across multiple surfaces and a built-in GitHub PR review, with paid tiers for heavier use. Kilo Code fits VS Code users who want a free, open-source agent that merges Cline and Roo Code features. Pick by where you work and whether you pay.
Compiled 2026-08-26 from our catalogue entries for Codex and Kilo Code.
The short answer
- Pick Codex if
- You want a single agent that runs across CLI, IDE, desktop, and cloud, you need a cloud code review on GitHub pull requests, or you already pay for a ChatGPT plan and want Codex included.
- Pick Kilo Code if
- You work in VS Code, want a free extension with no paid tier required, prefer an open-source codebase you can inspect, and want Cline and Roo Code features combined with extra power-user modes.
- Cheapest way in
- Both have a free entry point. Codex starts at a Free $0/month tier, with an API Key option that bills per token. Kilo Code is free as a VS Code extension and has no paid tier on file.
- What we could not compare
- Kilo Code has no published plans on file. Codex lists Business and Enterprise as Not published. Neither product has docs on file, so deeper feature and support details cannot be compared.
Codex and Kilo Code both sit in the AI coding agent category, but they make different bets. Codex is OpenAI's agent that runs across terminal, IDE, desktop, and cloud, with paid tiers that scale from Free up to Pro 20x. Kilo Code is a free VS Code extension that merges Cline and Roo Code into one tool with extra power-user modes.
The choice turns on where you work and how much you want to pay. Codex suits builders who want one agent to move between surfaces and to review pull requests on GitHub. Kilo Code suits VS Code users who want a free, open-source agent with features combined from two established open projects.
Side by side
Every cell is a field on our catalogue entry for that tool, copied as recorded. Rows where the two differ come first; blank fields say so rather than being filled in.
| Codex | Kilo Code | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free |
| Starts at | Free — $0 /month | Free |
| Runs on | web, mac, win, linux, cli, vscode-ext | vscode-ext |
| Public source code | No public repo listed | Yes — public repo |
| Category | AI Coding Agents | AI Coding Agents |
| Public docs | Not listed | Not listed |
- Public source code: From the repository link on each catalogue entry, not a licence audit.
Where Codex is the better fit
- One agent runs across CLI, IDE, desktop, and cloud, so work started in one surface can continue in another.
- Cloud code review on a GitHub pull request that comments inline and proposes fixes.
- Reads the shared AGENTS.md standard, speaks MCP tools, and is included with ChatGPT plans from the free tier up through Pro.
Where Kilo Code is the better fit
- Open-source codebase at github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode that allows community inspection and contributions.
- Merges features from Cline and Roo Code into a single VS Code extension.
- Includes power-user modes aimed at workflows beyond basic completions, with no paid tier required.
Which one should you pick?
It runs the same agent across CLI, IDE, and cloud, adds a GitHub PR code review, and is included with ChatGPT plans from Free through Pro.
It is a free VS Code extension with an open-source repo, and it combines Cline and Roo Code with extra power-user modes.
Codex ships on web, mac, Windows, Linux, CLI, and a VS Code extension. Kilo Code is VS Code only, with no JetBrains, CLI, or web support.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Codex run on Claude or Gemini models?
- No. The fact sheet says Codex is locked to OpenAI's GPT models — no Claude or Gemini out of the box.
- Is Kilo Code really free, and are there paid tiers?
- Yes. The fact sheet lists Kilo Code as a free VS Code extension with no paid tier required, and we have no published plans on file.
- Does Kilo Code work outside VS Code?
- No. The fact sheet says it is available only as a VS Code extension, with no support for JetBrains, CLI, or web-based interfaces.
- Can I review GitHub pull requests with Kilo Code?
- The fact sheet does not list a GitHub PR review feature for Kilo Code. Codex is the one in this comparison that runs a cloud code review on a pull request.
What we compared
This page states nothing that is not in the two catalogue entries below. The exact text used to write it is reproduced here so you can check our reading, and both tools link through to their own pages and to the vendor.
- /tools/codex — checked 2026-07-02 · official site
- /tools/kilocode — checked 2026-06-14 · official site
Show the source text
## Codex (/tools/codex) Tagline: OpenAI's coding agent — works in the terminal, IDE, and cloud, reviews GitHub pull requests, and runs on GPT-5 models. Category: AI Coding Agents Pricing model: freemium Starts at: Free — $0 /month Platforms: web, mac, win, linux, cli, vscode-ext Public repo: none listed Docs: none listed Verified plans (read 2026-08-21): Free $0 /month | Go $8 /month | Plus $20 /month | Pro 5x $100 /month | Pro 20x $200 /month | Business / Enterprise Not published | API Key Pay only for the tokens Codex uses, based on API pricing Strengths on file: Runs one agent across CLI, IDE, desktop, and cloud — work moves between surfaces.; Strong GitHub integration: a cloud code review on a pull request that catches real bugs and proposes fixes.; Reads the shared AGENTS.md standard and supports MCP tools.; Included with ChatGPT plans, from the free tier up through Pro. Limits on file: Locked to OpenAI's GPT models — no Claude or Gemini out of the box.; Fewer built-in customization primitives (hooks, sub-agents) than some rivals. Codex is OpenAI's agentic coding tool. It runs the same agent across a terminal CLI, an IDE extension, a desktop app, and a cloud environment, so work started in one surface can continue in another. It reads the shared AGENTS.md instructions file, speaks the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and can spin up a cloud code review on a GitHub pull request that comments inline and proposes fixes. Codex runs on OpenAI's GPT models — currently GPT-5.5 as the recommended frontier model — and is included with ChatGPT plans, from the free tier up through Pro. ## Kilo Code (/tools/kilocode) Tagline: Open-source VS Code coding agent merging the best of Cline and Roo Code with extra power-user modes. Category: AI Coding Agents Pricing model: free Starts at: Free Platforms: vscode-ext Public repo: https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode Docs: none listed Verified plans: none on file Strengths on file: Open-source codebase that allows community inspection and contributions.; Merges features from both Cline and Roo Code, combining two established AI coding agents into a single extension.; Includes power-user modes aimed at advanced coding workflows beyond basic completions.; Available as a free VS Code extension with no paid tier required. Limits on file: Only available as a VS Code extension, with no support for JetBrains, CLI, or web-based interfaces.; As a fork that merges Cline and Roo Code, it depends on multiple upstream projects that can introduce maintenance and compatibility issues.; Lack of an enterprise tier or dedicated support channels compared to commercial alternatives. Kilo Code is an open-source VS Code coding agent that merges features from Cline and Roo Code into one extension, with extra power-user modes. Its pitch is both, plus more: it combines two established open agents in a single free VS Code extension, adds power-user modes for workflows beyond basic completion, and keeps an open codebase anyone can inspect. It's for VS Code users who want the union of Cline and Roo Code without picking one. Two caveats: it's VS Code only — no JetBrains, CLI, or web — and because it merges two upstream projects, it inherits their maintenance and compatibility churn. It's the merge-of-both option next to its parents, Cline and Roo Code, in the open, in-VS-Code lane.
Change log
- 2026-08-26 — First published, compiled from the catalogue entries for Codex and Kilo Code.