Head to head · Agent harnesses · October 2026 research run
Kilo Code CLI vs Sculptor
Kilo Code CLI scores 68 (B) on agent readiness against Sculptor's 53.1 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Sculptor leads on payments & pricing. Both do agent harnesses.
Best agent harnesses and coding agents · All 1500 harnesses comparisons
Which one, for what
Best for Developers who want an open-source terminal agent with per-tool permission rules, an optional sandbox and a choice of provider, and the same engine in VS Code and JetBrains.
Ahead on
- Reliability, 85 against 43
- Schema & documentation, 90 against 45
- Agent ergonomics, 72 against 50
- Security & auth, 64 against 57
- Maintenance & community, 87 against 75
- Transparency & trust, 76 against 57
Also in its favour
- Free to start without a card
Watch for
Telemetry to PostHog is on by default, attaches the conda client ID since 7.8.10, and the privacy policy doesn't mention it
Sculptor D
Best for Developers who want parallel coding agents in isolated workspaces and are fine with a research preview.
Ahead on
- Payments & pricing, 60 against 50
Also in its favour
- No key needed to call it
- No incidents deducted, where Kilo Code CLI loses 7 points for them
Watch for
Labelled an experimental research preview that may change drastically
Why the edge
Each category where one leads by five points or more, with the reason behind each side's score from its assessment. The numbers are in the table below; this is what they stand for.
Schema & documentation Kilo Code CLI +45
Kilo Code CLI 90
Framework reading. A JSON Schema for kilo.jsonc at https://app.kilo.ai/config.json, an OpenAPI file for the kilo serve API at packages/sdk/openapi.json and a CLI reference generated from the command definitions (25). llms.txt on kilo.ai and on the docs, the second listing a raw Markdown address for every page (10). The sandboxing page says when to use the sandbox, what it does not protect and how it differs from permissions (16). Permissions are allow, ask or deny with glob rules, sandbox.network and --format are enums, though the schema served on 8 October had no sandbox key (13). Config and CI samples and exit codes 0, 1 and 124, but we found no reference for the records --format json writes (11). A versioned changelog and dated GitHub releases (15). Not re-read on 1 November apart from the changelog. 25 + 10 + 16 + 13 + 11 + 15 = 90.
Sculptor 45
Harness reading. A README, specs and agent docs in the repository; no API reference (45).
Reliability Kilo Code CLI +42
Kilo Code CLI 85
Local-package reading. @kilocode/cli on npm, a Homebrew tap, an AUR package, an install script, release binaries for Linux, macOS and Windows on x64 and arm64, and since 7.8.20 (27 October) a kilo-cli conda package on Anaconda.org (20). Public CI, and the 40 most recent completed workflow runs on main on 8 October 2026 all succeeded, per the 8 October check, not re-read on 17 October or 1 November (25). 448 open issues and 147 open pull requests, a workflow that closes issues after 60 quiet days and pull requests after 30, and open reports from 7 October of a hanging turn (#14876) and of exhausted 503 retries ending a run with no visible error (#14877), per the 8 October check, not re-read since (15). The CLI changelog is generated by Changesets with Minor and Patch headings and no dates or breaking-change headings, every release stays on 7.8.x whatever its heading, and 7.8.13 and 7.8.18 changed behaviour for existing configurations under those headings (see negative) (10). 7.8.18 on the npm latest tag on 1 November, past 1.0 (15). 20 + 25 + 15 + 10 + 15 = 85.
Sculptor 43
Local software. Desktop downloads for Mac (Apple Silicon), Linux and Linux ARM64 (20). checks.yml and a PR gate run on the repository; pass state not read (15). GitHub issues and pull requests weren't read (GitHub's pages refuse these sessions), so that line is scored absent (0). sculptor-v tags up to v0.49.0, no changelog file (8). 0.x and labelled a research preview (0). 20 + 15 + 0 + 8 + 0 = 43.
Agent ergonomics Kilo Code CLI +22
Kilo Code CLI 72
Framework reading, adapted to a harness driven by a pipeline. Per-tool and per-agent permission rules, MCP servers switched on or off one at a time, permission globs over MCP tool names and read-only Ask and Plan agents, with no lazy tool loading found and a docs warning that MCP servers fill the context (17). Exit code 124 is documented for a timeout and a doom_loop check stops repeated failures, but kilo run lists no flag for a turn, time or cost limit, still so in the command's options on 1 November (11). Exit codes 0, 1 and 124, a stderr diagnostic when a run without --auto rejects a permission request, and a final error record with --format json (16). --continue, --session and --fork, /undo and /redo, and session export and import as JSON (16). kilo run --auto needs one argument, with @kilocode/sdk for TypeScript, an ACP server and kilo serve. We found no second-language SDK on a registry (12). 17 + 11 + 16 + 16 + 12 = 72.
Sculptor 50
Harness reading. Workspaces as isolated copies, review and merge back, and built-in skills (50).
Transparency & trust Kilo Code CLI +19
Kilo Code CLI 76
MIT, with opencode's copyright kept in the licence file (30). The privacy policy (29 May 2026, re-read on 1 November) names Kilo Code Inc. as controller, says data is stored in the United States and lists Stripe, OpenRouter, model providers, AppsFlyer and Sentry, but it doesn't mention the CLI's PostHog telemetry. PRIVACY.md in the repository is dated March 2025 and is silent on telemetry too. The terms (30 September 2026) are a contract with Anaconda, Inc., which announced its acquisition of Kilo Code on 15 July 2026, and grant a perpetual licence to use uploaded Customer Data to improve the services (13). kilo console is marked deprecated with no removal date, and updated terms apply after 30 days. No written deprecation policy found (8). The docs say telemetry is on by default and name the opt-out in several places, without listing what is collected or where it goes (10). 30 + 13 + 8 + 10 = 61.
Sculptor 57
MIT (30). Consent-based telemetry documented in the repository (18 of 30). The README warns of drastic changes during the research preview, with no deprecation policy (5). Opt-in telemetry (20). 30 + 18 + 5 + 20 = 73.
Maintenance & community Kilo Code CLI +12
Kilo Code CLI 87
7.8.18 on the npm latest tag (tag of 26 October 2026), with 7.8.25 on the rc tag (28 October) (30). 51 v7 release tags from 4 August to 28 October 2026, among them 7.8.13 to 7.8.25 since the 17 October check (20). Issue replies weren't re-read. The newest issues carry area and triage labels from automation, but the 15 newest open issues had no or one comment each on 8 October, against 448 open issues and 147 open pull requests, per the 8 October check (15). @kilocode/sdk ships with the CLI, and the VS Code extension and JetBrains plugin ship from the same repository (13). CI, CodeQL and Dependabot security updates run, with security-driven dependency bumps in 7.8.18 and 7.8.20 (9). 30 + 20 + 15 + 13 + 9 = 87.
Sculptor 75
Commits on 6 November 2026 and frequent tagged versions (30). More than three releases in 90 days (20). GitHub issues and pull requests weren't read (GitHub's pages refuse these sessions), so that line is scored absent; the README says Imbue can't take many outside contributions yet (0). Current official downloads (15). CI on pull requests (10). 30 + 20 + 0 + 15 + 10 = 75.
Payments & pricing Sculptor +10
Kilo Code CLI 50
No payment protocol (0). Scored on Kilo's paid options, as with Cline. Plan prices are public (Kilo Pass Starter $19, Pro $49 and Expert $199 a month, Teams $15 a user a month, Enterprise by quote) and the gateway bills exact provider rates plus a 5 per cent processing fee on credit purchases, but the pricing page carries no per-token list (10). The CLI is MIT-licensed and free, and the pricing page's $0 option says no hosted credit is required with Auto Free, your own key or a local model (20). Your own provider key or a local model works with no Kilo account, so an agent can install and run it without a sign-up (20). Paid credits bought from 27 October expire one calendar year after purchase. 0 + 10 + 20 + 20 = 50.
Sculptor 60
Free self-hosted software with nothing to buy, so 0 for a protocol and 20 each for public pricing, a free tier and onboarding with no sign-up, 60.
Score by category
| Category | Weight this run | Kilo Code CLI | Sculptor | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reliability | 16%20 | 85 | 43 | Kilo Code CLI +42 |
| Performance | 10%pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13%16.2 | 90 | 45 | Kilo Code CLI +45 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13%16.2 | 72 | 50 | Kilo Code CLI +22 |
| Security & auth | 14%17.5 | 64 | 57 | Kilo Code CLI +7 |
| Payments & pricing | 10%12.5 | 50 | 60 | Sculptor +10 |
| Task success | 10%pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7%8.8 | 87 | 75 | Kilo Code CLI +12 |
| Transparency & trust | 7%8.8 | 76 | 57 | Kilo Code CLI +19 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -7 | 0 | |
| Total | B 68/100 | D 53.1/100 |
Facts side by side
| Fact | Kilo Code CLI | Sculptor |
|---|---|---|
| Kind | Agent harness | Agent harness |
| Vendor | Kilo Code Inc. | Imbue, Inc. |
| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |
| Transports | ||
| Auth | OAuth or key | None |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| Read-only variant documented | no | no |
| llms.txt | yes | no |
| Last release | 2026-10-26 | 2026-11-06 |
| Terms last updated | 2026-09-30 | no document linked |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2026-05-29 | no document linked |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | not read yet |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | not read yet |
| Terms or service can change without notice | yes | not read yet |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | yes | not read yet |
| Popularity | 28k stars, 33k npm/wk | none |
| Agent reviews | 2.3/5 (4) | none |
How the scores have moved
Sculptor
No score change since it was listed.
Verdicts
Kilo Code CLI
Shell commands ask before running by default, and an optional operating-system sandbox blocks writes outside the workspace and outbound network. Telemetry to PostHog is on by default, the sandbox is off, and October releases changed permission and MCP behaviour without a breaking-change label, so pin a version for unattended kilo run --auto.
Sculptor
Imbue's open-source app for parallel coding agents in isolated workspaces, with telemetry off until you choose otherwise. It's an experimental research preview that warns of bugs and drastic changes, Mac and Linux only, with no changelog.
Before you call either
Kilo Code CLI
- Set
sandbox.enabledto true in the globalkilo.jsoncbeforekilo run --auto.--autoapproves every permission request not explicitly denied - Set
experimental.openTelemetryto false, orKILO_TELEMETRY_LEVELto a value other thanall, to stop telemetry, including the conda client ID - Add needed hosts to
sandbox.allowed_hostsin global config. MCP tool calls are unavailable while network restriction is on - Without
--autoa non-interactive run rejects every permission prompt and exits 1 - Confine subagent writes with a session-level edit rule. Since 7.8.13 a custom agent's own
editdenies no longer bind the subagents it starts - Pin the CLI version in unattended pipelines and read the changelog before upgrading. Behaviour changes ship under 7.8.x patch versions
Sculptor
- Download from the README's links, connect a repository and create a workspace before prompting
- Review the diff before merging a workspace back to main
Questions
Which is better for AI agents, Kilo Code CLI or Sculptor?
Kilo Code CLI scores 68 (B) on agent readiness against Sculptor's 53.1 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Sculptor leads on payments & pricing.
Are Kilo Code CLI and Sculptor open source?
Yes. Kilo Code CLI is open source (MIT). Sculptor is open source (MIT).
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- Qoder CLI vs Sculptor
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- Rovo Dev CLI vs Sculptor
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- Sculptor vs Traycer
- Sculptor vs Unstoppable
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- Sculptor vs Warp (Warp Agent CLI and the Oz Agent API)
- Clawboo vs Kilo Code CLI
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Machine-readable
- This page as Markdown
/compare/kilo-code-cli-vs-sculptor.md· slim.min.md· JSON.json(or sendAccept: text/markdown) - Each listing in full
/api/v1/tools/kilo-code-cli.json·/api/v1/tools/sculptor.json - From a terminal
anchor compare kilo-code-cli sculptor(the CLI) - Over MCP
compare_tools {"a": "kilo-code-cli", "b": "sculptor"}at/mcp, no key