# Kilo Code CLI vs T3 Code (slim)

> Kilo Code CLI scores 68 (B) to T3 Code's 51.9 (D) for agent harnesses. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kilo-code-cli-vs-t3-code.md (~6,700 tokens) · this version ~2,930 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kilo-code-cli-vs-t3-code.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/kilo-code-cli-vs-t3-code
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp · Updated: 2026-11-07
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Kilo Code CLI scores 68 (B) on agent readiness against T3 Code's 51.9 (D), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. T3 Code leads on payments & pricing. Both do agent harnesses.

- Kilo Code CLI: B 68, rank #295 of 1486 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/kilo-code-cli.min.md
- T3 Code: D 51.9, rank #1002 of 1486 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/t3-code.min.md
- Kilo Code CLI, good 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 55; Agent ergonomics, 72 against 60; Security & auth, 64 against 35; Maintenance & community, 87 against 75; Transparency & trust, 76 against 51. Also Free to start without a card.
- T3 Code, good for Developers who want one app, including on their phone, to drive several coding agents they already pay for. Ahead on Payments & pricing, 60 against 50. Also No key needed to call it; No incidents deducted, where Kilo Code CLI loses 7 points for them.

| Category | Kilo Code CLI | T3 Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 85 | 43 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 90 | 55 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 72 | 60 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 64 | 35 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 50 | 60 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 87 | 75 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 76 | 51 |

| Fact (where they differ) | Kilo Code CLI | T3 Code |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vendor | Kilo Code Inc. | T3 Tools Inc. |
| Auth | OAuth or key | None |
| Pricing | Freemium | Free |
| 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 |

Why the edge:
- 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.); T3 Code 43 (Local software. An install script and desktop and mobile apps from the vendor (20). ci.yml and windows-tests.yml 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). Stable tags v0.1.5 to v0.1.7 with many nightlies, no changelog file (8). Version 0.1.7 (0). 20 + 15 + 0 + 8 + 0 = 43.)
- Schema & documentation, Kilo Code CLI +35: 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.); T3 Code 55 (Harness reading. User docs in the repository (managed policy, handoffs, providers, telemetry), AGENTS.md for contributors, a server other clients connect to (55).)
- Security & auth, Kilo Code CLI +29: Kilo Code CLI 64 (Harness reading of the framework checklist. 30 for what leaves the machine by default, 20 for approvals and sandboxing, 15 for prompt-injection posture, 15 for audit and 20 for the security programme. Telemetry is on by default and goes to PostHog in the United States, the source links the machine identifier to the account email after a Kilo sign-in, and since 7.8.10 (14 October) it also attaches the conda client ID when `~/.conda/aau_token` exists (see negative). It is turned off with `experimental.openTelemetry` or `KILO_TELEMETRY_LEVEL`. Provider keys stay on the machine (14). Shell commands ask by default outside a built-in allow list, reads of `.env` files and paths outside the project ask, and edits inside the project run without asking. An operating-system sandbox (Seatbelt on macOS, Bubblewrap on Linux, none on Windows) limits writes and blocks the network, refuses to run when it can't be enforced, and is off by default. `--auto` approves everything not explicitly denied. Since 7.8.13 a custom agent's own `edit` denies no longer bind the subagents it starts (15). The sandboxing page covers prompt injection and its limits, project config can't weaken the sandbox, and `{env:VAR}` is resolved only in trusted config. 7.8.16 (22 October) stopped running shell expressions found in MCP prompt text (see negative) and restricted MCP OAuth URLs to HTTP(S), and 7.8.18 stopped following cross-origin redirects for MCP HTTP and OAuth requests (11). Session export, `kilo stats` and OTLP export of traces and logs, with audit logs on the Enterprise plan (12). A valid security.txt (expires 2026-12-31, re-read on 1 November), a disclosure policy that cites HackerOne's standards and safe harbour, CodeQL in CI and no published repository advisories, though 7.8.16's MCP prompt fix appeared only as a changelog line. NVD lists CVE-2026-8766 and CVE-2026-8765 (both low, through 7.0.47, published 17 May 2026, the second a path traversal in the opt-in server's file diff route) and says the vendor didn't respond, and SECURITY.md still says the CLI has no sandbox (12). 14 + 15 + 11 + 12 + 12 = 64.); T3 Code 35 (Harness reading. Product usage events go by default to ingest.t3.codes and PostHog, with hashed identifiers for your T3 Connect, OpenAI and Claude accounts, and relay traces to Axiom, which can include machine names and error text. Off with T3CODE_TELEMETRY_ENABLED=false or a managed policy. Disclosed in docs/user/telemetry.md, not the README (10 of 30). Permission modes and managed policies (12 of 20). No prompt-injection guidance (5). No audit log (5). No security policy file found (3). 10 + 12 + 5 + 5 + 3 = 35.)
- Transparency & trust, Kilo Code CLI +25: 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.); T3 Code 51 (MIT (30). docs/user/telemetry.md lists what is sent and what isn't, but includes hashed third-party account identifiers and the README doesn't mention it (15 of 30). No deprecation policy (5). Disclosed with an opt-out, on by default (12 of 20). 30 + 15 + 5 + 12 = 62.)
- Agent ergonomics, Kilo Code CLI +12: 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.); T3 Code 60 (Harness reading. Remote control from phone or browser, portable handoffs between providers and managed policies for teams (60).)
- 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.); T3 Code 75 (Commits and nightly tags on 6 November 2026 (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 (0). Current official apps and install script (15). CI on push (10). 30 + 20 + 0 + 15 + 10 = 75.)