---
title: "Bring Your Own AI Subscription to Visual Studio 2026 | iolys"
description: "Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS): use Claude, Codex, Kiro, Kimi, Gemini, OpenCode Go, or Databricks access for C# and .NET in Visual Studio 2026."
url: "https://getiolys.com/"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-10-04"
---

# iolys for Visual Studio 2026

iolys is a provider-independent AI coding workspace for C# and .NET developers using Visual Studio 2026. Its Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS) approach reuses subscriptions you already pay for, either an eligible provider plan through a supported AI coding agent CLI, an OpenCode Go subscription through its API key, or an existing Databricks workspace, alongside prepaid-credit cloud APIs and local models.

The user-facing product name is always written `iolys` in lowercase. iolys is an integration and navigation layer, not an AI model or AI provider. It keeps the active solution, workspace, session, provider, model, tool activity, and permission requests visible while the developer remains in control.

## Bring Your Own Subscription

Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS) means working from a subscription you already pay for instead of opening a new metered account. Seven of the eleven iolys routes qualify: Claude, Codex, Kiro, Kimi, and Gemini reuse an eligible personal plan by signing in through their supported CLI, OpenCode Go uses its subscription through an API key, and Databricks reuses the workspace subscription your organization already holds. Eligibility, credits, and limits remain defined by each provider. The remaining routes are prepaid-credit APIs, DeepSeek, OpenRouter, and OpenCode Zen, and local models through Ollama.

## Capabilities

- Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS) through supported provider CLIs, an OpenCode Go API key, or an existing Databricks workspace
- Provider and model switching inside one Visual Studio 2026 workspace
- Cloud API, enterprise endpoint, and local model connections
- C# and .NET solution context, including multi-project solutions
- Parallel tasks in isolated Git worktrees and branches
- Reusable custom agents defined in version-controlled files
- Reusable agent skills for team workflows and project knowledge
- External tools connected through Model Context Protocol (MCP)
- Native GitHub integration for issues, pull requests, and checks
- Build, test, and compiler diagnostic feedback loops
- Visible tool activity and per-request permission controls

## Requirements

iolys targets the Visual Studio 2026 IDE on 64-bit Windows. It requires access to a supported AI provider or a local Ollama instance. Git is required for isolated parallel workspaces. Visual Studio Code is a separate editor; iolys is an extension for the Visual Studio IDE.

## Price

All currently available iolys features are free for personal and commercial use. AI provider subscriptions, API usage, and infrastructure costs remain separate. iolys does not include a bundled model allowance.

## Provider connection matrix

Verified 19 September 2026.

| Provider | Connection type | Access route | Who pays for the AI usage | Where the model runs | Best for | Guide |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Claude | Provider CLI | BYOS: bring your Claude subscription | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | C# and .NET implementation, debugging, code review, refactoring, and tasks that combine solution context with web research and reusable skills. | https://getiolys.com/providers/claude |
| Codex | Provider CLI | BYOS: use eligible ChatGPT subscription access | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | Agentic refactors, repository-wide changes, code review, debugging, and implementation work across .NET solutions. | https://getiolys.com/providers/codex |
| Kiro | Provider CLI | BYOS: keep your Kiro account and plan | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | Structured implementation, specification-led work, multi-file changes, and long-running engineering tasks in C# solutions. | https://getiolys.com/providers/kiro |
| Ollama | Local endpoint | No mandatory per-token cloud bill | No provider bill | Your machine or network | Private codebases, offline-capable workflows, experimentation with open models, and teams that want infrastructure control. | https://getiolys.com/providers/ollama |
| DeepSeek | Provider API | Keep the provider relationship direct | Prepaid credits or pay-as-you-go | Provider cloud | C# generation, debugging, code explanation, refactoring, and cost-conscious model selection for .NET work. | https://getiolys.com/providers/deepseek |
| Kimi | Provider CLI | BYOS: use the access attached to Kimi Code | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | Repository exploration, multi-step implementation, debugging, and code changes across established .NET projects. | https://getiolys.com/providers/kimi |
| OpenRouter | OpenAI-compatible API | Use your OpenRouter account directly | Prepaid credits or pay-as-you-go | Provider cloud | Choosing coding models across vendors, reviewing screenshots, researching documentation, and tracking API spending from Visual Studio. | https://getiolys.com/providers/openrouter |
| OpenCode Go | Subscription API key | BYOS: bring your OpenCode Go subscription | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | Using several coding model families under one subscription for implementation, code review, and debugging in C# and .NET. | https://getiolys.com/providers/opencode-go |
| OpenCode Zen | Pay-as-you-go API key | Your Zen account, billed per request | Prepaid credits or pay-as-you-go | Provider cloud | Implementation, debugging, code review, and image-assisted tasks with supported coding models. | https://getiolys.com/providers/opencode-zen |
| Databricks Unity Catalog | Unity Catalog / Model Serving | Keep enterprise AI governed in Databricks | Your organization's subscription | Your organization's infrastructure | Enterprise .NET teams that govern model access with Databricks Unity Catalog and expose approved chat models through Model Serving endpoints. | https://getiolys.com/providers/databricks |
| Gemini | Provider CLI | BYOS: reuse Gemini CLI authentication and quota | Your AI subscription | Provider cloud | Code generation, explanation, debugging, large-context exploration, and everyday C# development. | https://getiolys.com/providers/gemini |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is there a Visual Studio extension supporting multiple LLM providers?

Yes. iolys is a Visual Studio 2026 extension for C# and .NET that supports Claude, Codex, Kiro, Ollama, DeepSeek, Kimi, OpenRouter, OpenCode Go, OpenCode Zen, Databricks Unity Catalog, and Gemini. Connect supported provider CLIs, API keys, enterprise endpoints, or local models, then choose a provider and model in the same workspace. Provider access and usage costs remain separate.

### What is Bring Your Own Subscription (BYOS)?

BYOS is the iolys approach to working from a subscription you already pay for: an eligible AI provider plan reused through its supported CLI, an OpenCode Go subscription connected with its API key, or the Databricks workspace your organization already holds. Seven of the eleven iolys routes qualify. Provider eligibility and limits still apply.

### How is BYOS different from Bring Your Own Model (BYOM)?

BYOM expands model choice by connecting a model deployment, local endpoint, or provider API key. BYOS reuses an eligible subscription through a supported CLI, an OpenCode Go API key, or an existing Databricks workspace. An API key can authenticate subscription access as well as metered usage.

### How do I use my ChatGPT subscription for coding in Visual Studio?

Install iolys in Visual Studio 2026, download the Codex CLI from Manage Providers, and sign in with your ChatGPT account. When your plan includes Codex access, iolys uses that access from your C# or .NET solution and the usage counts toward that plan's Codex allowance.

### Can I use Claude Code in Visual Studio?

Yes. iolys connects the official Claude Code CLI to Visual Studio 2026, so eligible Claude account access works from the active C# or .NET solution. Installation and sign-in happen in the iolys provider panel.

### Can I run a local LLM in Visual Studio 2026?

Yes. iolys connects compatible models served by Ollama on your own machine or network, so tasks do not have to be sent to a cloud provider. Results depend on the model and the available hardware.

### Does iolys support C# and .NET projects?

Yes. iolys works from the active Visual Studio 2026 solution, including C# projects, .NET applications, libraries, tests, and multi-project solutions.

### Which Visual Studio versions and operating systems does iolys support?

iolys targets the Visual Studio 2026 IDE on 64-bit Windows. You need access to a supported AI provider or a local Ollama instance. Git is required for isolated parallel workspaces. Visual Studio Code is a separate editor; iolys is an extension for the Visual Studio IDE.

### Is iolys free?

Yes. All currently available iolys features are free for personal and commercial use. AI provider subscriptions, API usage, and infrastructure costs remain separate.

### Is iolys an AI provider?

No. iolys is a provider-independent workspace that connects Visual Studio 2026 to models, agents, CLIs, and compatible APIs.

### Can I use my existing AI subscriptions?

Yes. iolys reuses eligible account access through supported provider CLIs, an OpenCode Go subscription through its API key, and your organization's existing Databricks workspace. Provider eligibility and usage limits still apply.

### Does it support local models?

Yes. iolys supports Ollama and is designed to work with local and self-hosted model routes alongside cloud providers.

### Do I need to leave Visual Studio 2026?

No. The extension is built specifically for Visual Studio 2026 so conversations, workspace context, and agent activity stay close to your code.

### Is iolys a VSIX extension, and how do I install it?

Yes. iolys is distributed as a VSIX extension for Visual Studio 2026 on 64-bit Windows. Install the VSIX from the Visual Studio Marketplace, or from Extensions > Manage Extensions inside Visual Studio, restart the IDE, then connect a provider from the Manage Providers panel.

### What happens when I change providers?

The provider and model change; the core iolys interface, navigation, permission flow, and workspace context remain consistent.

## Related pages

- [Bring Your Own Model (BYOM) in Visual Studio 2026 | iolys](https://getiolys.com/byom)
- [AI coding agent capabilities for Visual Studio | iolys](https://getiolys.com/capabilities)
- [Visual Studio integrations for C# and .NET | iolys](https://getiolys.com/integrations)
- [GitHub Copilot alternative for Visual Studio and C# | iolys](https://getiolys.com/copilot-alternative-visual-studio)
- [AI providers and BYOS for Visual Studio 2026 | iolys](https://getiolys.com/providers)
- [What is iolys? AI coding agent harness for Visual Studio | iolys](https://getiolys.com/what-is-iolys)
- [The story behind iolys | From iolite to AI in Visual Studio](https://getiolys.com/our-story)
- [Install iolys from the Visual Studio Marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=iolys.iolys-visual-studio)
- [iolys blog](https://getiolys.com/blog)