Kimi Beginner tutorial

Beginner · step 1 of 7

What Kimi is (and isn't)

Kimi is an AI assistant from Moonshot AI, with a free tier and paid memberships (Plus, Pro, Max and Ultra). Paid plans share one monthly credit pool across Kimi’s features, and Kimi Code, its coding tool, has a rolling 5-hour usage limit. Pro and above add Goal Mode and Kimi Claw, Kimi’s more autonomous agent features.

Good for:

• Summarizing long reports, papers and transcripts
• Comparing two long documents side by side
• Research briefs built from sources you check

Not good for:

• Live facts you will not verify
• Agents running unattended on anything that spends money
• Confidential data on a personal account

Why this step matters: Knowing what it is good and bad at stops you using it for jobs where it will fail quietly.

Beginner · step 2 of 7

Get the official app

1. Start from kimi.ai or the official app store listing linked from it.
2. Check the publisher is Moonshot AI before installing. Similar names exist.
3. Sign in, then open the membership page once so you know which plan you are on.

Why this step matters: Copycat apps and unofficial installers are common; starting from the official source protects your account and data.

Beginner · step 3 of 7

Your first useful prompt

Give it a situation, a task and the format you want. Try this:

Here is a 30-page report. Give me a one-paragraph summary, then the 5 numbers that matter most with the page each comes from.
Finish with 3 questions I should ask the author.

Then ask one follow-up that narrows it down.

A good result: output in the format you asked for, built only on what you gave it. If it drifts into generic advice, add the situation sentence again.

Why this step matters: A prompt with situation, task and format gets a usable answer first time, so you learn what the tool can actually do.

Beginner · step 4 of 7

Check the answer

1. Ask for the source of any fact you'll reuse.
2. Open the link and find the exact sentence (Ctrl+F).
3. If you can't find it, treat the claim as unverified.
4. For files, check two page or row references yourself.

Before you answer: separate what you checked from what you're assuming. Write "unknown" instead of guessing. Give a link for every number.

Why this step matters: Chatbots state wrong facts in the same confident tone as right ones. Checking is the only way to tell them apart.

Beginner · step 5 of 7

Privacy basics

• Don't paste passwords, ID numbers, card numbers or other people's private details.
• Assume the company can read and keep your chats unless its official policy says otherwise.
• For health, money or legal decisions, confirm with a professional or an official source.
• Agent features can open sites and take steps for you. Don’t give them logins or payment details.

Why this step matters: Anything you paste may be stored and read. Deciding what never goes in is easier than undoing a leak.

Beginner · step 6 of 7

What it costs

• Free: basic use.
• Plus: $19/month or $180/year.
• Pro: $39/month or $372/year; adds Goal Mode and Kimi Claw.
• Max: $99/month or $948/year.
• Ultra: $199/month or $1,908/year.

Paid plans draw from one shared monthly credit pool that does not roll over. Kimi Code has a rolling 5-hour limit (Kimi membership pricing page).

Full details: Kimi step-by-step tutorial.

Why this step matters: Paying for features you don't use is the most common waste. Knowing the limits first tells you if the free tier is enough.

Beginner · step 7 of 7

Your first week

1. Day 1: three real tasks from your week.
2. Day 3: compare its results with what you'd have done yourself.
3. Day 7: decide if it's worth paying, based on what you actually used.

Why this step matters: A week of real tasks gives you evidence for whether it saves time, instead of a first impression.