FreeBench

Kilo · official sources checked 2026-10-14 · not FreeBench verified

Set up Kilo CLI with free models

Install Kilo Code CLI, then select a current free model through Kilo Gateway. Free listings and upstream availability can change.

Before you connect: Kilo Auto Free rotates among available free models, so it is not an exact-model setup. Kilo warns it may route prompts and outputs to providers that log them, including NVIDIA trial endpoints, and says not to submit personal or confidential data through Auto Free. Free model requests are limited to 200 per hour per IP; upstream limits can also apply.

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.

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 and know when to stop

  • 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.
  • Recheck the current free label, rate limits and provider privacy terms before a new session; this guide does not verify a request or benchmark result.

Official sources

Guide facts checked 2026-10-14; vendor offers and instructions can change.