Short answer
Kimi K2’s weights are licensed for use without a license fee, but Moonshot’s original Kimi K2 API is no longer available. Moonshot’s API documentation says the Kimi K2 series was retired and is no longer maintained or supported; it directs users to migrate to a current Kimi model. So the original K2 API is not a current free-versus-paid option to budget for. (platform.kimi.ai)
That does not make every way of using Kimi K2 free: running the weights yourself requires infrastructure, and access through an independent provider would have that provider’s own availability and pricing. The evidence here does not establish whether Kimi’s consumer chat service includes K2.
What “free” means for each route
- Weights and license: Moonshot’s Modified MIT License grants recipients permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell the software without a license fee, subject to the license conditions. If a commercial product or service using the software or a derivative has more than 100 million monthly active users or more than US$20 million in monthly revenue, the license requires prominently displaying “Kimi K2” in its user interface. (
github.com) - Moonshot-hosted API: The original Kimi K2 API series—including its K2 model IDs—has been retired. Moonshot says it is no longer maintained or supported, so don’t treat old K2 API rates or free-tier claims as current access terms. (
platform.kimi.ai) - Self-hosting: A no-fee license is not a no-cost deployment. You still need compute and operational resources. Moonshot’s deployment guide gives one concrete reference: for Kimi K2 FP8 at a 128K sequence length on its mainstream H200 or H20 setup, its smallest deployment unit is a 16-GPU cluster. That is a documented configuration, not a universal minimum for every setup or a cost estimate. (
github.com) - Other hosted providers: If another provider offers a Kimi K2 checkpoint, check that provider’s exact model identifier, availability, billing units, and terms. Moonshot’s retired API status does not establish another provider’s pricing.
What production users should budget and verify
For a new direct integration with Moonshot, start with its current model list rather than copying an older K2 model ID. The original K2 API series is retired; the official documentation points users to a current model instead. (platform.kimi.ai)
For self-hosting, budget for the hardware and ongoing operation of your chosen deployment. The official deployment guide’s 16-GPU H200/H20 example illustrates why “no license fee” should not be read as “free to run.” It does not supply an infrastructure price, and the configuration is not a universal cost estimate. (github.com)
Don’t substitute prices for Kimi K2.6, Kimi K2.7 Code, or another model for an original Kimi K2 API quote. Those are different model identifiers; the original Moonshot K2 API series is retired. (platform.kimi.ai)
Bottom line: Kimi K2’s license permits use of the weights without a license fee, subject to its terms. Moonshot’s original hosted K2 API has been retired, and self-hosting still involves infrastructure costs.