Comparisons / Pi vs Kilo Code
AI coding tools · HN opinions Nov 2025 – Nov 2026
Pi vs Kilo Code: what developers actually say
Based on 454 opinions on Hacker News from developers who discussed these two, most of them first-hand users.
Pi comes out ahead in this sample. It has 423 opinions from 335 authors and 84% approval, against 31 opinions from 21 authors and 63% for Kilo Code. Pi's strongest aspect is customization, with 150 positive and 4 negative mentions; Kilo Code's aspect counts are small, with cost/pricing at 4 positive and 1 negative. No comment states a direct Pi versus Kilo Code preference, so this compares two samples of very different size.
Choose Pi if
- Want a large, active user base with 423 opinions
- Value customization, which drew 150 positive mentions
- Want approval near 80% in the last 90 days
Choose Kilo Code if
- Want an IDE extension rather than a terminal agent
- Care about pricing, with 4 positive cost mentions
- Want to switch providers mid-task
Where each one wins and loses
PraiseComplaintsA = PiB = Kilo Code
Customization
UX
Cost & pricing
Reliability
Autonomy
Open source
Speed
Privacy & local use