tool

Kimi

Name: Kimi
Author: Moonshot AI (Peking)

// Moonshot AI (Peking)

Text & LanguageChatbots & Assistants

// Description

Kimi is the AI assistant by Moonshot AI from Beijing. K2.6 is free on kimi.com and open weights; the K3 flagship (July 2026) offers a 1 million token context. Known for coding strength and Agent Swarm mode.

// Use Cases

Free AI chat
Frontier-level coding
Long documents (1M context)
Parallel agent research (Agent Swarm)

// Pricing

Chat with K2.6 free on kimi.com + app / Moderato plan $19/month (Deep Research, Kimi Code, Slides) / API: K2.5 from $0.60/$3 per 1M tokens, K2.6 $0.95/$4, K3 $3/$15 / no permanent API free tier

// AI Pirates Assessment

Kimi is the insider tip among Chinese models for coding: K2.6 plays in the frontier league on programming tasks, yet is open and free in chat. Same house rule as DeepSeek and Qwen: no client data in the cloud chat; for GDPR scenarios self-host the open weights.

// Deep Dive

What is Kimi?

Kimi is the AI assistant by Moonshot AI, one of Beijing's leading AI labs. It broke through internationally in late 2025 when the K2 models suddenly matched the most expensive US models on coding benchmarks, as open weights. As of August 2026 the lineup has three tiers: the K3 flagship (July 2026, 1 million token context), K2.7 Code for programming and the K2.6 workhorse with 256K context.

Using it for free

Chat on kimi.com and the mobile app are free with K2.6. The Moderato plan at $19/month unlocks Deep Research, Kimi Code, Slides and Website tools. The API has no permanent free tier; a $1 top-up activates access.

API pricing and open weights

K2.5 costs $0.60 input and $3 output per million tokens, K2.6 sits at $0.95/$4, the K3 flagship at $3/$15. K2.6 ships open under a modified MIT license, so it can be self-hosted, the usual route when data must not go to China.

What sets it apart: coding and Agent Swarm

Two things distinguish Kimi. First, coding strength: the K2 series reaches frontier level on programming benchmarks at a fraction of the cost. Second, Agent Swarm mode (since K2.5): Kimi coordinates up to 100 parallel sub-agents for research and analysis tasks instead of working sequentially. K2.5 also added native vision via the MoonViT-3D encoder.

How it compares

Within the Chinese trio the split is clear: DeepSeek has the most radical free offering, Qwen the broadest model palette, Kimi the strongest coding reputation. Against ChatGPT and Claude, Kimi competes on price-performance and openness. Agent fundamentals: AI agent.

Which model belongs in your stack? Our AI consulting answers that, hosting and GDPR assessment included.

// FAQ

What is Kimi AI?

Kimi is the AI assistant by Moonshot AI from Beijing. Current models (August 2026): the K3 flagship with 1M token context, K2.7 Code and the open K2.6 workhorse. Especially strong at coding.

Is Kimi free?

Yes, chat on kimi.com and the app run free on K2.6. The Moderato plan ($19/month) unlocks Deep Research, Kimi Code and Slides. The API needs credit; $1 is enough to start.

How much does the Kimi API cost?

K2.5 from $0.60 input and $3 output per million tokens, K2.6 $0.95/$4, the K3 flagship $3/$15. Substantially cheaper than Western frontier models.

What is Agent Swarm mode?

Since K2.5, Kimi coordinates up to 100 parallel sub-agents for research and analysis. Large tasks get split and processed simultaneously instead of sequentially.

Can I self-host Kimi?

K2.6 is open under a modified MIT license and runs self-hosted or on EU hosting. For GDPR-relevant data that is the right route; the cloud chat processes data in China.

Visit: Kimi

// Related Entries

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