splash

SplashCompareKimi Code Desktop

Splash and Kimi Code Desktop, compared.

Splash and Kimi Code Desktop are both desktop apps for working with coding agents. Kimi Code Desktop, Moonshot AI’s app for macOS and Windows, runs Moonshot’s own Kimi Code agent and its subagents on Kimi models or other providers’ APIs. Splash, free and open source, runs many vendors’ agents side by side over the Agent Client Protocol.

Checked 10 October 202646 sourcesNot affiliated with Moonshot AI

Splash

Helge Sverre

A desktop app for running several coding agents at once, each session in its project folder or its own git worktree. It drives agents over the Agent Client Protocol.12

splash.computer

Kimi Code Desktop

Moonshot AI

Moonshot AI’s desktop app for Kimi Code. It runs Moonshot’s own coding agent, with subagent modes, a built-in browser, a terminal and a Changes panel, on macOS and Windows, using Kimi models or other providers.3456

kimi.com

Side by side

SplashKimi Code Desktop
The basics
What it is Desktop app, plus a headless server you open in a browser17 Desktop client for Moonshot AI’s Kimi Code service, which is also offered as a CLI and a VS Code extension38
Release status v0.2.1, early development19 1.0.4, from 24 September 2026; generally available since 1.0.0 on 17 September 2026, with Tower mode still experimental10114
License Open source (MIT)12 No source or license published for the app; the Kimi Code CLI and agent engine it builds on are MIT-licensed131410
Price Free15 Kimi’s models need a membership: Plus $19, Pro $39, Max $99 or Ultra $199 a month; $15–$159 a month billed yearly161718
Platforms macOS 14+ (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows 11 x64, Ubuntu 24.04 x6419 macOS (Apple silicon and Intel) and Windows 64-bit; no Linux build of the app, though the CLI runs on Linux6162021
Agents
Agents Ships launch commands for 20 agents, including Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, Goose, OpenCode2223 Moonshot’s Kimi Code agent and its built-in subagents (coder, explore, plan); running other vendors’ coding agents is not documented1124
How it runs agents Agent Client Protocol over stdio, natively or through a pinned adapter for the vendor’s CLI222 Via an embedded local server running Kimi Code’s agent engine, over REST and WebSocket; ACP is documented for the CLI alone13251026
Agent sign-in Who pays for the model You install and sign in to each agent’s CLI yourself; Splash runs it with that login23 Kimi sign-in draws on your membership quota, shared with the CLI and VS Code; other providers take your own API key183
Account required Splash has no accounts; splash-server asks for a token it keeps in its data folder277 Kimi sign-in can be skipped and a third-party model provider used instead; official Kimi models need an account with a membership36
Model and mode pickers Yes: Model, mode and effort pickers when the agent offers them28 Yes: A model picker in the composer, with models from your plan or added providers; Normal, Plan, Goal, Swarm and Tower task modes; three permission modes3294
Permission requests When an agent asks before it acts Yes: Shown in the transcript and answered with the 1–9 keys; pending ones wait in Needs attention28 Yes: Approval cards for commands, file changes and plans; in Always Ask mode, everything except reads waits for you4
MCP servers Partly: Read-only list of MCP servers from Claude Code, Codex, Pi, Pool and Glue config files2830 Yes: Supported, sharing the CLI’s MCP configuration; plugins, Skills and Hooks also extend the agent31
Working in parallel
Isolation per session Yes: The project folder, or a git worktree on its own branch per session28 Partly: Sessions work in the local project folder; experimental Tower mode puts subagents in their own git worktrees when needed324
Agents handing off work One agent launching or messaging another No: Each session is one agent in one folder; sessions don’t hand work to each other128 Yes: The agent hands tasks to subagents; Swarm runs same-kind subtasks in parallel and experimental Tower splits big goals across a team244
Terminal Yes: A terminal in the session folder28 Yes: A native terminal with tabs in the bottom panel, starting in the workspace folder; tabs can also open on the right429
Built-in browser No: No built-in browser; the workbench holds git changes, a file tree, diff and file tabs, and a terminal28 Yes: The agent reads pages, clicks and fills in forms there; you can take over and send annotated elements back to it5
What needs you Yes: One queue for permission requests, connection failures and finished turns, kept across restarts2833 Yes: Approval and question cards in the conversation, and a work bar listing background tasks and subagents4
Notifications Yes: Notifies when a background session needs permission or finishes a turn; can be turned off3435 Partly: No built-in system notifications are documented for the app; a hook in the shared config can show one3136
Scheduled tasks Agents that start without a prompt from you No: No scheduler; an agent starts when you create, continue or prompt a session37 Yes: The agent can schedule a prompt into the session, once or on a cron schedule, and the app shows each schedule in the conversation; recurring ones end after 7 days3810
Review and shipping
Review changes Yes: Latest response, failed tools and every changed file as a diff, with a box to send feedback28 Yes: A Changes panel shows diffs by file or turn; comments on selected text and annotated screenshots go to the agent2939
Files and diffs Partly: File tree, git changes and diff tabs; files open read-only, with no editor2840 Partly: Changes and File Preview tabs, with no in-app editor described; projects and files open in VS Code, Cursor, Zed or Xcode29
GitHub Yes: Issues, pull requests and Actions runs across repositories, through the gh CLI2841 Partly: A Git status area shows the branch, ahead and behind counts, file changes and related PR status; creating PRs isn’t documented20
Where it runs
Remote access Yes: splash-server runs on the machine with your code; you use it in a browser over an SSH tunnel. Single user.7 Partly: None documented for the app; the CLI’s Remote Control, on paid plans, drives local sessions from a phone or another computer42
Auto-update No: Download new versions from GitHub Releases; the app does not update itself1943 Yes: Checks for updates at launch, fetches them in the background and installs once you confirm31
History and search
Existing agent history Conversations started outside the app Yes: Browse, preview and import conversations agents list over ACP, including ones started outside Splash2833 Partly: Kimi Code CLI sessions show up and resume here; a CLI command imports Claude Code and Codex setup (instructions, skills, MCP servers), not their sessions3244
Search transcripts Yes: Search titles, folders and saved transcript text, archived sessions included28 Partly: You can search a workspace’s sessions; the docs don’t say whether search covers message text32
Fork a conversation Partly: Experimental: fork the current conversation when the agent supports it, not from an earlier message2833 Yes: A fork is an independent copy of the session, whole history included; side chats branch off with read-only tools32

Where they differ

How agents connect

Kimi Code Desktop runs one agent, Moonshot’s own, through a local embedded server built on the Kimi Code CLI’s agent engine; other vendors plug in as model providers, not as agents. Splash starts each vendor’s agent as a child process and speaks the Agent Client Protocol with it, natively or through an adapter.11132510451222

Accounts and billing

Official Kimi models in Kimi Code Desktop need a paid Kimi membership, from $19 a month or $15 a month billed yearly. Its quota is shared with the CLI, VS Code and API keys, and a prepaid Extra Usage balance, charged by use, covers requests beyond it. Sign-in can be skipped when you use another provider’s API key. Splash is free, has no accounts, and runs each agent on that agent’s own login.161863152723

Platforms and source

Kimi Code Desktop has builds for macOS and Windows; the Kimi Code CLI also runs on Linux. No source or license is published for the app, while the CLI and agent engine it builds on are MIT-licensed. Splash is MIT-licensed and builds for macOS 14+, Windows 11 x64 and Ubuntu 24.04 x64, plus a headless server.61621131412197

Parallel work

Kimi Code Desktop documents parallel work inside a task: Swarm runs subagents side by side, experimental Tower splits a goal across a team of agents with git worktrees as needed, and background tasks keep running while the session continues. Sessions work in the project folder. Splash runs separate sessions at once, each its own agent, in the project folder or in a git worktree on its own branch.432128

Around the session

Kimi Code Desktop also has a browser the agent drives and you can take over, opening projects in external editors, prompts the agent can schedule for later, plugins such as Computer Use and WebBridge, and self-updates. Splash has a Needs attention queue with system notifications, a review screen, transcript search, a GitHub view across repositories, and importing of sessions started outside Splash.5293810314628354133

Which one fits

Splash may suit you if

  • You want to run agents from several vendors side by side in one app.
  • You work on Ubuntu as well as macOS or Windows, or want to run sessions on your own server over SSH.
  • You want a free, MIT-licensed app with no account of its own.
  • You want pending permission requests and finished turns in one queue, with system notifications and transcript search.

Kimi Code Desktop may suit you if

  • You work mainly with Moonshot’s Kimi models and have, or plan to get, a Kimi membership.
  • You want Plan and Goal modes, and one agent that splits work across subagents with Swarm or Tower.
  • You want a built-in browser the agent can drive and you can take over.
  • You want an app that updates itself and shares its sessions with the Kimi Code CLI.

Sources

Facts about Kimi Code Desktop come from its public website, documentation and repositories as they read on 10 October 2026; we haven't confirmed each one by running Kimi Code Desktop. Facts about Splash link to its source. Products change, so check the linked pages before deciding. Something wrong or out of date? Open an issue.

  1. 1 Splash README Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  2. 2 Agent Client Protocol agentclientprotocol.com · agentclientprotocol.com · checked 2026-10-09
  3. 3 Quick Start Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  4. 4 Task Execution and Review Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  5. 5 Built-in Browser Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  6. 6 FAQ and Troubleshooting Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  7. 7 Splash README: Run as a web app over SSH Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  8. 8 Kimi Code Overview Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  9. 9 Splash releases Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  10. 10 Changelog (Kimi Code Desktop) Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  11. 11 What’s New Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  12. 12 LICENSE Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  13. 13 .agents/skills/review-pr/surfaces.md MoonshotAI/kimi-code on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  14. 14 LICENSE MoonshotAI/kimi-code on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  15. 15 Download Splash splash.computer · splash.computer · checked 2026-10-09
  16. 16 Kimi Code with Kimi K3: AI coding Agent & CLI tools Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  17. 17 Kimi Pricing | Membership plans and subscription options Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  18. 18 Membership Benefits Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  19. 19 Splash README: Download the app Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  20. 20 Kimi Code Desktop 正式与你见面 Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  21. 21 Release @moonshot-ai/kimi-code@2.1.1 MoonshotAI/kimi-code on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  22. 22 src/agents/registry.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  23. 23 Splash README: Agents Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  24. 24 Agents and Sub-Agents Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  25. 25 packages/kap-server/CHANGELOG.md MoonshotAI/kimi-code on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-10
  26. 26 kimi acp Subcommand Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  27. 27 Splash README: Build from source Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  28. 28 Splash README: Features Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  29. 29 Interface Tour Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  30. 30 src/agents/customize.rs Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  31. 31 Settings and Extensions Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  32. 32 Project and Session Management Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  33. 33 Splash README: Existing sessions and review Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  34. 34 app/src/components/settings/General.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  35. 35 app/src/lib/system.ts Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  36. 36 Hooks Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  37. 37 Splash README: How it works Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  38. 38 Built-in Tools Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  39. 39 Input and Context Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  40. 40 app/src/components/FileTab.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  41. 41 Splash README: GitHub view Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  42. 42 Remote Control Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  43. 43 app/src/components/settings/About.svelte Splash on GitHub · github.com · checked 2026-10-09
  44. 44 Slash Commands Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  45. 45 Providers and models Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10
  46. 46 Plugins Moonshot AI · kimi.com · checked 2026-10-10