Kilo Code + OpenRouter: Setup, Model Routing, and Free Models

Tutorial for integrating OpenRouter with Kilo Code, a coding agent for editors and terminals. Covers creating and connecting an API key, configuring provider preferences and routing rules via kilo.json (sort by price or latency), and using OpenRouter’s 20+ free models with usage caps (50 requests/day without credits, 1,000 with $10+ loaded). Compares OpenRouter against Kilo’s native gateway, noting the 5.5% fee but broader access to 300+ models from 70+ providers.