GitHub Copilot
GitHub's AI pair programmer, now agent-first. Agent mode is GA in VS Code and JetBrains, and paid plans let you pick between GPT-5.4, GPT-5.6 Sol, Claude Opus 4.6 and Gemini.
About GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot started as autocomplete and is now an agent that works across your repository. It writes, runs and revises code in place, and because it lives inside GitHub it also reaches issues, pull requests and Actions. Copilot remains the default AI coding tool for a very large share of professional developers.
What is GitHub Copilot?
Copilot is GitHub's AI development assistant, available in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim and on github.com. The 2026 product is agent-first: agent mode, generally available on VS Code and JetBrains since March 2026, lets Copilot autonomously plan and execute multi-step tasks — determining which files need to change, making edits across them, running terminal commands, reviewing output and iterating until the task is complete. Chat on paid plans supports model selection: you can switch between GPT-5.4, Claude Opus 4.6, Gemini and others depending on your tier, with GPT-5.6 Sol available at promotional pricing through 3 September 2026. Microsoft has also introduced Project Polaris, its own model running on Maia accelerators in Azure, as a Copilot default with very large context.
Key Features
- Agent mode: Autonomous multi-file changes with terminal execution and self-correction, GA on VS Code and JetBrains.
- Model selection: GPT-5.4, GPT-5.6 Sol, Claude Opus 4.6, Gemini and Project Polaris, subject to tier.
- Inline completions: The original ghost-text completion, still the highest-volume feature, with 2,000/month even on the free plan.
- GitHub-native workflows: PR summaries, code review, issue-to-PR agents and Actions integration that no third-party editor can match.
- AI Credits with spending caps: Predictable base price plus metered agent usage, with hard caps to prevent surprise bills.
Who Should Use GitHub Copilot?
Copilot is the path of least resistance for teams already on GitHub — the licensing, SSO, audit and policy controls are already in place, and the PR and issue integrations are genuinely unique. Individual developers on the $10 Pro tier get solid everyday value, though note that Opus-class models are no longer available at that level; Pro+ at $39 keeps them. Students, teachers and maintainers of popular open-source projects get it free. Developers who want the most aggressive agentic editing experience should compare against Cursor and Windsurf before settling.
Pricing
There are five price points plus free. Free costs nothing and includes 2,000 code completions per month with limited chat and agent mode. Pro is $10/month and comes with $15 in AI Credits. Pro+ is $39/month with $70 in credits. Max is $100/month with $200 in credits. Business is $19 per user per month and Enterprise $39 per user per month. The 2026 move to usage-based AI Credits drew criticism from developers who found the same subscription bought less agent usage than before; spending caps are available to keep overages contained.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Agent mode GA in VS Code and JetBrains | AI Credits mean the same price buys less agent usage |
| Model choice across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Microsoft | Opus-class models dropped from the $10 Pro tier |
| Free tier with 2,000 completions a month | Agent runs can burn credits fast without a cap |
| Unmatched GitHub, PR and Actions integration | Dedicated AI editors still feel faster for heavy refactors |
Bottom Line
If your code already lives on GitHub, Copilot is the assistant with the least friction and the best governance story, and agent mode has closed most of the capability gap with dedicated AI editors. The catch is the billing model: budget for AI Credits, set a spending cap, and pick your tier by which models you actually need — Pro+ at $39 if you want Opus-class reasoning, Pro at $10 if completions and light agent work are enough.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Agent mode is GA in both VS Code and JetBrains
- Choose between OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models
- Free tier with 2,000 completions a month
- Deepest integration with GitHub itself — issues, PRs and Actions
Cons
- 2026 shift to AI Credits means the same price buys less agent usage
- Opus-class models are no longer available on the $10 Pro tier
- Agent runs can consume credits quickly without a spending cap
- Completions quality still trails dedicated editors like Cursor for some workflows
Use Cases
Tags
Company Info
- Company
- GitHub (Microsoft)
- Founded
- 2021~
- HQ
- San Francisco, USA~
- Pricing
- paid
- Last verified
- 2026-08-29
~ Approximate. Verify at the official website.
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Is GitHub Copilot free?▾
GitHub Copilot is a paid tool. Free $0 (2,000 completions/month, limited chat and agent mode). Pro $10/month with $15 in AI Credits. Pro+ $39/month with $70 in credits. Max $100/month with $200 in credits. Business $19/user/month. Enterprise $39/user/month. Overages billed on top; spending caps available. Free for verified students, teachers and popular open-source maintainers.
What is GitHub Copilot used for?▾
GitHub's AI pair programmer, now agent-first. Agent mode is GA in VS Code and JetBrains, and paid plans let you pick between GPT-5.4, GPT-5.6 Sol, Claude Opus 4.6 and Gemini. Key use cases include: Inline code completion, Multi-file agentic refactoring, Pull request review and description generation.
What are the pros and cons of GitHub Copilot?▾
Pros: Agent mode is GA in both VS Code and JetBrains; Choose between OpenAI, Anthropic and Google models; Free tier with 2,000 completions a month. Cons: 2026 shift to AI Credits means the same price buys less agent usage; Opus-class models are no longer available on the $10 Pro tier.
Who makes GitHub Copilot?▾
GitHub Copilot is developed by GitHub (Microsoft), founded in 2021.
What are the best alternatives to GitHub Copilot?▾
Top alternatives to GitHub Copilot include DeepSeek, Bolt.new, ChatGPT. You can compare them all on AIFans.
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