OpenCode Free Kimi K2.5 Guide: Zero-Cost Access to China's Best Open-Source Model

What is Kimi K2.5? Kimi K2.5 is an open-source multimodal large language model released by Moonshot AI in January 2026. With 1 trillion total parameters and 32 billion activated parameters, it outperforms Claude Opus 4.5 in multiple benchmarks, especially in coding and agentic tasks.

OpenCode, the most popular open-source AI coding assistant, now officially supports Kimi K2.5. Even better, you can experience this powerful model for free through various channels. This guide covers configuration methods and usage tips.

Why Choose Kimi K2.5?

Before diving into configuration, let’s understand Kimi K2.5’s core advantages:

Performance Comparison

Technical Highlights

• Native Multimodality: Can understand UI designs and generate code directly
• Agent Swarm: Automatically decomposes complex tasks for parallel execution
• Ultra-long Context: Supports 256K tokens context window
• Open Source: MIT license (with commercial use modifications)

Method 1: Via OpenRouter (Recommended for Beginners)

OpenRouter is an API gateway aggregating multiple AI models with simple configuration.

Step 1: Register OpenRouter Account

1. Visit openrouter.ai
2. Quick sign up with GitHub or Google
3. You’ll receive some free credits upon registration

Step 2: Get API Key

1. After login, go to Dashboard
2. Click Keys → Create Key
3. Copy the generated API Key (starts with sk-or-)

Step 3: Configure OpenCode

Edit OpenCode configuration file:

# macOS/Linux
vim ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json

# Windows
notepad %APPDATA%\opencode\opencode.json

Add OpenRouter configuration:

{
  "providers": {
    "openrouter": {
      "apiKey": "sk-or-your-api-key-here"
    }
  },
  "models": [
    {
      "name": "kimi-k2.5",
      "provider": "openrouter",
      "id": "moonshotai/kimi-k2.5"
    }
  ],
  "defaultModel": "kimi-k2.5"
}

Step 4: Verify Configuration

# Start OpenCode
opencode

# List available models
> /models

# Switch to Kimi K2.5
> /model set kimi-k2.5

# Test conversation
> Write a quicksort algorithm in Python

Method 2: Via Official Moonshot API

For more stable service and lower latency, use Moonshot’s official API directly.

Step 1: Register Moonshot Developer Account

1. Visit platform.moonshot.ai
2. Complete registration with phone verification
3. New users typically receive free trial credits

Step 2: Create API Key

1. Go to Console → API Keys
2. Click Create Key
3. Save the generated Key (starts with sk-)

Step 3: Configure OpenCode

OpenCode has built-in support for Moonshot:

{
  "providers": {
    "moonshot-ai-china": {
      "apiKey": "sk-your-moonshot-api-key"
    }
  },
  "models": [
    {
      "name": "kimi-k2.5",
      "provider": "moonshot-ai-china",
      "id": "kimi-k2.5"
    }
  ],
  "defaultModel": "kimi-k2.5"
}

International users should use the moonshot-ai provider:

{
  "providers": {
    "moonshot-ai": {
      "apiKey": "sk-your-api-key"
    }
  }
}

Method 3: Via Synthetic for Free (Limited Time)

According to community feedback, Synthetic platform currently offers limited-time free access to Kimi K2.5.

Step 1: Register Synthetic Account

1. Visit synthetic.new
2. Complete registration
3. Get free credits

Step 2: Get API Configuration

Find in settings page after login:

• API Endpoint
• API Key

Step 3: Configure OpenCode

{
  "providers": {
    "synthetic": {
      "apiKey": "your-synthetic-key",
      "baseUrl": "https://api.synthetic.new/v1"
    }
  },
  "models": [
    {
      "name": "kimi-k2.5-free",
      "provider": "synthetic",
      "id": "kimi-k2.5"
    }
  ]
}

Note: Free credits are limited. Best for testing and learning.

Configuration Comparison & Recommendations

Recommendations:

• China users: Prefer Moonshot Official API
• International users: Prefer OpenRouter
• Quick trial: Synthetic free credits

Advanced: Thinking Mode vs Instant Mode

Kimi K2.5 supports two operating modes:

Thinking Mode (Default)

Model performs deep reasoning with visible thinking process, ideal for complex tasks:

{
  "models": [
    {
      "name": "kimi-k2.5-thinking",
      "provider": "moonshot-ai-china",
      "id": "kimi-k2.5",
      "options": {
        "temperature": 1.0,
        "top_p": 0.95
      }
    }
  ]
}

Instant Mode

Skips deep thinking for direct output, ideal for simple queries:

{
  "models": [
    {
      "name": "kimi-k2.5-instant",
      "provider": "moonshot-ai-china",
      "id": "kimi-k2.5",
      "options": {
        "temperature": 0.6,
        "thinking": false
      }
    }
  ]
}

Practical Example: Visual Coding

One of Kimi K2.5’s most powerful capabilities is generating code from UI designs.

Example: Generate React Component from Screenshot

# In OpenCode
> Please generate a React component based on this screenshot
> [paste screenshot or image path]

Kimi K2.5 will:

1. Analyze UI layout and component structure
2. Identify colors, fonts, spacing
3. Generate complete React + Tailwind code

Example Output

import React from 'react';

export default function LoginForm() {
  return (
    <div className="min-h-screen flex items-center justify-center bg-gray-50">
      <div className="max-w-md w-full space-y-8 p-8 bg-white rounded-xl shadow-lg">
        <h2 className="text-3xl font-bold text-center text-gray-900">
          Welcome Back
        </h2>
        <form className="mt-8 space-y-6">
          <input
            type="email"
            placeholder="Email address"
            className="w-full px-4 py-3 border rounded-lg focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500"
          />
          <input
            type="password"
            placeholder="Password"
            className="w-full px-4 py-3 border rounded-lg focus:ring-2 focus:ring-blue-500"
          />
          <button
            type="submit"
            className="w-full py-3 bg-blue-600 text-white rounded-lg hover:bg-blue-700"
          >
            Sign In
          </button>
        </form>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}

FAQ

Q1: Which version of Kimi K2.5 does OpenCode support?

A: OpenCode officially supports Kimi K2.5 via PR #10835, with full features including attachments, reasoning, tool calling, and temperature control. Ensure your OpenCode version is v1.9.0 or above.

Q2: What happens when free credits run out?

A: Options include:

• Register new Synthetic account (if allowed)
• Switch to OpenRouter paid usage
• Use Moonshot Official API new user promotions

Q3: Kimi K2.5 vs Claude for daily coding?

A: Based on community feedback, Kimi K2.5 performs better in:

• Complex mathematical reasoning
• Visual coding (design-to-code)
• Tasks requiring deep thinking

Claude still excels in:

• Long text comprehension and summarization
• Nuanced language expression
• Multi-turn conversation consistency

Q4: Why is response slow?

A: Kimi K2.5 uses thinking mode by default, performing deep reasoning before output. For faster responses:

1. Switch to instant mode
2. Choose lower-latency provider
3. Simplify your prompts

Q5: Can I use it for commercial projects?

A: Kimi K2.5 uses a modified MIT license with additional commercial terms. Check the complete license on Hugging Face.

Related Resources

Tutorial Series

• OpenCode Installation Guide - Install OpenCode from scratch
• OpenCode MCP Configuration - Extend OpenCode capabilities
• Ollama Local Kimi 2.5 Deployment - Run locally without API
• Kimi 2.5 Complete Analysis - Deep dive into k0-math

Official Resources

• Kimi K2.5 Hugging Face - Model weights and docs
• Moonshot Developer Platform - Official API
• OpenCode GitHub - Source code and issues

Summary

Kimi K2.5, as a milestone in Chinese open-source LLMs, integrates seamlessly with OpenCode for zero-cost access to its powerful capabilities. Whether you want to try visual coding, complex reasoning, or daily coding assistance, the configurations in this guide have you covered.

Key Takeaways:

• OpenRouter is best for beginners
• Moonshot Official API offers best stability
• Synthetic limited-time free credits for trial
• Thinking mode for complex tasks, instant mode for quick responses
• Visual coding is Kimi K2.5’s unique advantage

Configure OpenCode now and experience the power of China’s best open-source model!