Updated for 2026
Kimi Codevs
ZCode
Not sure which fits your workflow in 2026? Compare pricing, features, and trade-offs — then switch tools below to explore more options in this category.
ai-ide
Kimi Code
Kimi Code from Moonshot AI combines a coding CLI and VS Code-style plugin powered by Kimi’s long-context models. Currently only commands and plugins are available; there is no full IDE product.
Visit Kimi Codeai-ide
ZCode
ZCode is Zhipu’s agentic coding product with a visual desktop workspace, GLM-optimized agents, MCP, and skills.
Visit ZCodeBasics
| Feature | Kimi Code | ZCode |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2025 | 2025 |
| Company | Moonshot AI | Zhipu AI (Z.ai) |
| Country | China | China |
| Region / Availability | Global (China-friendly) | Global (China-friendly) |
Pricing comparison
| Plan | Kimi Code | ZCode |
|---|---|---|
| Model | subscription | subscription |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Starts at | $7/mo | $16/mo |
| Plan 1 | Free: $0 web chat only, no Kimi Code | Lite: $16/mo |
| Plan 2 | Andante: $7/moProvides exclusive Kimi Code quota, supports multiple programming sessions. | Pro: $65/mo |
| Plan 3 | Moderato: $15/moWeekly updated usage quota, allowing multiple devices to log in and share your plan quota. | Max: $144/mo |
| Plan 4 | Allegretto: $30/moAmple weekly quota, higher concurrency limit, a great choice for advanced users. | — |
| Plan 5 | Allegro: $100/moPremium generous quota, perfectly suited for daily office work and high-intensity development needs. | — |
Feature checklist
| Feature | Kimi Code | ZCode |
|---|---|---|
| Visual IDE UI | ✗ | ✓ |
| OS Platforms | Cross-platform CLI + IDE pluginhttps://www.kimi.com/code | macOS / Windows / Linuxhttps://zcode.z.ai/en#all-downloads |
| Third-party Models | ✗ (Restricted to use with the Kimi model only)https://www.kimi.com/code/docs/kimi-code/models.html | ✓https://zcode.z.ai/cn/docs/configuration |
| MCP / Plugins | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skills Support | ✓ | ✓ |
| VS Code Extension | ✓ | ✗ |
| JetBrains Plugin | ✗ | ✗ |
| AI Autocomplete | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chat / Inline Agent | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-file Edit | ✓ | ✓ |
| Codebase Indexing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Terminal Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local LLM Support | ✗ | ✓https://zcode.z.ai/cn/docs/configuration |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✗ |
| Team Collaboration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Privacy Mode | ✗ | ✗ |
| VS Code Compatible | ✓ | ✗ |
| Autonomous Agent | ✓ | ✓ |
| Git Integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Use Case | Moonshot Kimi coding assistant for long-context development tasks | AI coding assistant focused on China-region developer workflows |
Pros & cons
Kimi Code
- Very large context window (Kimi models)
- CLI + IDE plugin coverage
- Strong for long-horizon coding tasks
- There is no full IDE product
- Mostly Kimi model lock-in
- JetBrains coverage weaker than VS Code
- Pricing tied to Kimi subscriptions
ZCode
- Desktop agentic workspace optimized for GLM
- MCP + skills + sub-agents
- BYOK support for other providers
- Smaller global community than Cursor
- Not a VS Code fork — migration cost
- Enterprise story still maturing
Dimension scores
Editorial 0–10 scores across shared dimensions — higher is better for that axis.
| Dimension | Kimi Code | ZCode |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | 7.0 | 7.5 |
| Privacy | 5.5 | 6.0 |
| Value | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Depth | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Ecosystem | 6.5 | 5.0 |
| DX | 7.2 | 6.8 |
- Kimi Code
- ZCode
FAQ
Is Kimi Code better than ZCode? (2026)
It depends on workflow. Kimi Code emphasizes moonshot’s kimi code cli and ide plugin for large-context coding agents. ZCode emphasizes zhipu’s agentic ai coding environment with glm models, mcp, and skills. Use the feature checklist above for your stack.
Which use cases fit Kimi Code vs ZCode?
- Kimi Code: Moonshot Kimi coding assistant for long-context development tasks
- ZCode: AI coding assistant focused on China-region developer workflows
What are the main differences between Kimi Code and ZCode?
- Visual IDE UI: Kimi Code (no) vs ZCode (yes)
- OS Platforms: Kimi Code (Cross-platform CLI + IDE plugin) vs ZCode (macOS / Windows / Linux)
- Third-party Models: Kimi Code (no (Restricted to use with the Kimi model only)) vs ZCode (yes)
- VS Code Extension: Kimi Code (yes) vs ZCode (no)
- AI Autocomplete: Kimi Code (no) vs ZCode (yes)
How do Kimi Code and ZCode compare on pricing?
Kimi Code pricing overview:
- No fixed free tier listed
- Pricing model: subscription
- Starting from ~$7/mo
- Plan Free: $0 web chat only, no Kimi Code
- Plan Andante: $7/mo
- Plan Moderato: $15/mo
ZCode pricing overview:
- No fixed free tier listed
- Pricing model: subscription
- Starting from ~$16/mo
- Plan Lite: $16/mo
- Plan Pro: $65/mo
- Plan Max: $144/mo
Always verify current prices on the vendor site before buying.
Do Kimi Code and ZCode offer a free tier?
- Kimi Code: No fixed free tier listed
- ZCode: No fixed free tier listed
Are Kimi Code and ZCode open source?
- Kimi Code: no
- ZCode: no
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Disclaimer:Not Financial or Investment Advice, Educational/Dev Tool Comparison Only. Information may change; always verify pricing on the vendor site before purchasing.