Induction immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) primarily includes interleukin-2 receptor antagonists, such as basiliximab (BXM) or lymphocyte-depleting agents, and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG). This study aimed to investigate their effects on T cell dynamics during the early post-transplantation period. This prospective observational study included 157 KTRs. Peripheral blood samples were collected from each patient within 5 days before and 4 and 12 weeks after transplantation. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to assess various T cell subsets whose changes were then analyzed. In the ATG group, CD4 T cell expression decreased significantly compared with that in the BXM group. However, CD4CD161 and CD4CD25CD127low T cell expression levels increased significantly. In the CD8 T cell subset, a decrease in CD8CD28nullCD57 and CD8CCR7 T cell expression was observed in the ATG group. However, among patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven acute rejection, T cell subset expression did not significantly differ relative to non-rejection cases. In conclusion, ATG induction therapy resulted in more pronounced changes in T lymphocyte subsets than BXM induction, with increased CD4CD161 and CD4CD25CD127low T cells and an early decrease in CD8CD28nullCD57 and CD8CCR7 T cells, some of which are associated with acute rejection.