Set up Kilo CLI with free models

Before you start

• A supported terminal and Node.js/npm for the official CLI package.
• A project directory you are comfortable sharing with the selected model provider.

Check before your first request

• For a fixed model identity, choose a specific model ID currently marked free. Auto Free rotates models, so it is not an exact-model setup.
• Kilo documents a limit of 200 free requests per hour per IP; upstream provider limits may also apply.
• Review the selected provider's current data terms. Kilo warns Auto Free may use providers that log prompts and outputs.

Setup steps

1. Review Kilo's current free-model and data-handling documentation. Choose a specific model ID marked free (often suffixed `:free`) if you need an exact model identity; choose `kilo-auto/free` only if rotating models are acceptable.
2. Install the CLI using the official package command: npm install -g @kilocode/cli.
3. Open your project directory in a terminal and run kilo. In the CLI, open /models and filter for free models; confirm the selected provider/model label before continuing.
4. If the CLI asks you to authenticate, use its documented provider sign-in flow. Do not paste an API key into project files or commit credentials.
5. Before sending a request, check that the selected route is still labeled free and review any account or organization policy. A model switch or different provider can change privacy and cost behavior.

Verify before continuing

• Use the CLI model picker to confirm the selected provider and model. If you selected Auto Free, record that it can rotate rather than treating it as a fixed model.
• Before a new session, confirm the route still has the access terms you intend to use.

Official sources

• Kilo CLI installation and commands
• Using Kilo for free
• Kilo Gateway usage and billing
• Kilo Gateway authentication and free models

Guide facts checked 2026-10-22; vendor offers and instructions can change.