Kimi K2.6 full guide
Delisted from QCode on 2026-09-09
Moonshot AI shipped Kimi K2.6 on 2026-07-16 and did not retire the previous generation right away. QCode retired kimi-k2.6 on 2026-09-09; use the newer kimi-k3 instead.
Updated 2026-09-20
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Four key facts
Release date
Kimi K2.6's release date — after the earlier K2-series releases, before the later Kimi K3 that same year.
Availability (delisted)
As of 2026-09-09 QCode no longer offers kimi-k2.6. Use kimi-k3 instead.
Sale status
K2.6 wasn't retired after K3 shipped; both currently appear in QCode's pricing table and real call records at the same time.
Vendor
The Kimi series is developed by Moonshot AI; K2.6 is a newer iteration within the K2 series.
What Kimi K2.6 is
Kimi K2.6 is an iteration within Moonshot AI's K2 series, released 2026-07-16. After the newer Kimi K3 shipped, K2.6 wasn't immediately replaced or retired — not unusual in model releases, where old and new versions often run in parallel for a while, giving users who've already tuned prompts or workflows against the older version time to migrate. QCode offered both for a while, but retired K2.6 on 2026-09-09 and now offers K3 only.
Why K2.6's sale status needed its own verification
Our earlier K3/K4 tracking pages said "kimi-k3 and kimi-k2.6 are both callable" but never gave K2.6 its own page. There is no fixed rule for when a vendor retires an older model, so this page was re-checked per §5: QCode delisted kimi-k2.6 on 2026-09-09, and the /models catalogue checked on 2026-09-20 no longer lists the id.
Timeline
Kimi K2.6 releases.
Moonshot AI releases the newer Kimi K3; K2.6 isn't retired in step.
QCode delisted kimi-k2.6 on 2026-09-09; checking /models on 2026-09-20 the id is gone. Use kimi-k3 from the same family instead.
Confirmed vs. needs your own verification
Confirmed
Kimi K2.6 shipped on 2026-07-16; QCode delisted the id on 2026-09-09, and the /models catalogue checked on 2026-09-20 no longer lists kimi-k2.6.
Needs your own verification
The specific capability gap between K2.6 and K3 — and in particular whether Moonshot AI will retire K2.6 at some future point — is worth testing on your own tasks rather than assuming the two perform identically.
Choosing between K2.6 and K3
Already tuned for K2.6
If your prompts and workflows are already tuned for K2.6's output style and you're satisfied with it, sticking with it is the safe choice, especially with no announced retirement date.
New projects or want the latest capability
New projects should generally try the newer Kimi K3 first, which usually brings capability improvements, unless you have a specific reason to stay on K2.6.
How to use it
Call kimi-k2.6 directly by model ID on QCode, with the same interface as other Kimi-series models.
What to do on QCode
QCode retired kimi-k2.6 on 2026-09-09 — point the same key at kimi-k3 instead. The /models page is authoritative.
FAQ
Is Kimi K2.6 still usable right now?
Not through QCode any more: it was delisted on 2026-09-09 and the catalogue checked on 2026-09-20 has no such id. Call K2.6 via Moonshot's own hosted API if you must; on QCode use kimi-k3.
Will K2.6 be retired soon now that K3 has shipped?
There's no officially announced retirement timeline right now; K2.6 and K3 are on sale in parallel — watch Moonshot AI's official announcements for updates.
How do I choose between K2.6 and K3?
If your prompts are already tuned for K2.6 and you're satisfied, keep using it; for new projects, try the newer K3 first.
When did K2.6 release?
2026-07-16.
Is K2.6's call volume large?
It is no longer on sale at QCode, so there is no call volume left to quote; before the delisting it sat in the thinnest band of traffic.
How is K2.6 billed on QCode?
At official price × service rate, consistent with other Kimi-series models.
Sources
Kimi K2.6's release date and its 'callable alongside K3' status reference an already-verified K3/K4 tracking page on this site; 30-day usage data comes from QCode platform usage verification, pulled 2026-08-27.
One key covers both Kimi K2.6 and K3
kimi-k2.6 was retired on 2026-09-09; a QCode key calls Kimi K3.
Related reading
Kimi K3 / K4 tracking: who's using it and how
Availability tracking for Moonshot AI's latest models.
The complete QCode.cc pricing guide
The 7 plan tiers and how billing works.
The complete guide to Qwen3.7-Plus
The current state of another continuously-on-sale domestic model series.
This page's sale-status description is based on QCode's platform usage verification and public information, and is not an official Moonshot AI statement; actual call volume and sale status are governed by live QCode platform data.