GitHub Copilot: who it fits, what it costs, and the catch
Who GitHub Copilot fits, and who it does not
- Checked 2026-10-16
- 3 sources
Scored against the other verified AI coding tools. How we score tools. What we earn is not part of it.
- Good for
- Developers whose code already lives on GitHub
- Teams that want AI help inside the editor they use now
- Small teams that need admin control at a per-seat price
- Not for
- Heavy agent users who want a flat bill: extra use draws on monthly AI credits
- Individuals who do not want prompts used for training (Free, Pro and Pro+ need an opt-out)
- The catch
- Starts free and works in most editors, but heavy agent and premium-model use runs on monthly AI credits, so the bill can grow.
Data last verified: 2026-10-16
What GitHub Copilot costs over five years
Five years for a team of 5, paid monthly: $5,700
On the Business plan, at today's price. We do not assume a rise.
- Paid monthly, one year
- $1,140
- Paid yearly, one year
- Not verified
- "Business" has no verified annual price
Change the number to see your own total. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Vendor pricing page · checked 2026-10-16We have tracked GitHub Copilot's prices since 2026-10-16; no change so far. All price changes
The free plan, as GitHub Copilot describes it.
- Free plan
- 2,000 completions a month and limited chat and agent use; models are picked for you
- Vendor page · checked 2026-10-16
What you risk by starting
Trial, refunds and getting your data out of GitHub Copilot.
- Refund policy
- Cancelling keeps access until the end of the billing cycle, then drops to Copilot Free; no refund for unused time
- Vendor page · checked 2026-10-16
What we verified GitHub Copilot can do
Open a row for the vendor's own wording and the page we read it on.
Suggests code as you typeYes
Chat in your editorYes
Coding agentYes
Code reviewYes
Understands your whole projectYes
Enterprise can index your organisation’s code for better suggestions
Vendor page · checked 2026-10-16Works in your editorYes
Command lineYes
Choose the AI modelYes
Team admin controlsYes
Business and Enterprise: access managed by a GitHub admin, usage metrics, SAML SSO
Vendor page · checked 2026-10-16Connects to your other apps (API)Not verified
Not verified: the vendor gives no detail.
Not verifiedIf GitHub Copilot isn’t right for you
See every verified AI coding tool
Rank 1
Google Antigravity
Developers who want agents to plan, write and test code on their own
Our score57.3 / 100Five years for a team of 5: $9,000
Rank 2
Cursor
Developers who want an editor built around AI agents
Our score47.6 / 100Five years for a team of 5: $9,000
Where these facts come from
What to do next
- Work out the cost for your own team size
- Compare the runner-up, Google Antigravity
- See how we score, so you can check our work
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Data last verified: 2026-10-16