GitHub Copilot

The world's most widely adopted AI coding assistant, with completions, chat, and agents in your IDE.

Freemium Coding & Development
Visit Website ↗ by GitHub

What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot provides inline code suggestions, conversational chat, and autonomous agent mode across major IDEs, GitHub.com, mobile, and the terminal. It supports multiple frontier models (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini) and meters advanced usage through GitHub AI Credits.

Key features

  • Inline code completions across all languages
  • Copilot Chat in IDE, web, and mobile
  • Agent mode for multi-file autonomous edits
  • Plan mode for reviewable implementation blueprints
  • Multi-model support (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini)
  • Copilot CLI for terminal workflows
  • Next edit suggestions
  • AI code review assistance on pull requests

Watch: GitHub Copilot tutorial

How to Connect GitHub Copilot to VS Code like a Power User (2026) How to Connect GitHub Copilot to VS Code like a Power User (2026) — Aussie AI Dude

Video by Aussie AI Dude on YouTube — plays here without leaving this page.

GitHub Copilot models, modes & features

Models

Claude Opus 5

Model

Anthropic model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Claude Opus 5.5

Model

Anthropic model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Claude Sonnet 5.5

Model

Anthropic model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Claude Haiku 4.5

Model

Anthropic model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Claude Haiku 5.5

Model

Anthropic model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Gemini 3.8 Flash

Model

Google model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

MAI-Code-1.1-Flash

Model

Microsoft model listed in the official Copilot cloud agent model picker on GitHub Docs. Availability depends on plan, client and admin model policies.

Access
Copilot cloud agent model picker (cloud agent is available on all paid plans)
Selectable for Copilot cloud agent tasks

Limits: Model availability is subject to change per GitHub Docs

Sources

Modes & features

Auto (model selection)

Mode

Copilot auto model selection picks the best model based on availability and to help reduce rate limiting. Copilot Free and Copilot Student users can access models through auto model selection only.

Access
All plans; the only model access mode on Copilot Free and Copilot Student
Automatic model choice per taskUsed automatically where no model picker is available

Limits: Free and Student plans cannot pick models manually

Sources

Copilot Chat

Feature

Conversational coding assistant available in IDEs, GitHub, GitHub Mobile and Windows Terminal, with inline chat and slash commands. The model can be changed mid-chat via the model picker; changing the Chat model does not change the inline suggestions model. Additional models can be added from providers such as Anthropic, Gemini and OpenAI, or via the AI Toolkit for VS Code.

Access
All plans (Chat skills in IDEs are not available on Copilot Free)
Chat in IDEs, GitHub.com, GitHub Mobile and Windows TerminalInline chat and slash commandsModel picker with per-plan availabilityBring-your-own-model via provider API keys (policy-controlled for Business/Enterprise)

Limits: Business members need org permission to switch models · Copilot Extensions may override the selected model

Sources

Inline suggestions and next edit suggestions

Feature

Real-time code completions in the IDE plus next edit suggestions. Completions and next edit suggestions are not billed in AI credits and remain unlimited on all paid plans.

Access
All plans
Real-time code suggestions with included modelsNext edit suggestions

Limits: Limited to 2,000 completions per month on Copilot Free

Sources

Copilot cloud agent (coding agent)

Feature

Background agent that works on tasks in repositories on GitHub (for example when an issue is assigned to Copilot or via @copilot in a pull request comment, the agents tab/panel, GitHub Mobile or the Raycast launcher) and can open pull requests. The model and, for supported models, the reasoning level can be selected at supported entrypoints.

Access
All paid Copilot plans
Autonomous repository tasks and pull request creationSelectable model and configurable reasoning levels

Limits: Available on paid Copilot plans only · Not available in repositories owned by managed user accounts or where explicitly disabled

Sources

Copilot code review

Feature

Reviews pull requests and code in any language, identifies issues and suggests fixes that can be applied in a couple of clicks. Includes agentic full-project context gathering, Lite and Balanced review effort levels, and (in public preview) Copilot approvals. Model switching is not supported for code review.

Access
Copilot Pro, Pro+, Max, Business and Enterprise; Business/Enterprise orgs can also enable it for members without a Copilot license (billed to the org)
Pull request reviews on GitHub.com, GitHub Mobile and in IDEsAutomatic reviews on PR creation, new pushes and draftsLite effort estimated at $0.05-$1 of AI credits per review; Balanced at $0.25-$5 (GitHub Docs estimates, excluding Actions minutes)

Limits: Not included in Copilot Free · Dependency files such as package.json and lock files are excluded from review · Agentic capabilities use GitHub Actions minutes

Sources

Copilot CLI

Feature

Command-line Copilot experience. GitHub's plans documentation states all Copilot plans include Copilot CLI and the Copilot app; CLI supports agentic workflows including a /review command for reviewing code changes in the terminal.

Access
All plans
Terminal-based chat and agentic tasksCode review via /review command

Limits: Usage consumes GitHub AI Credits

Sources

GitHub AI Credits (usage-based billing)

Feature

Since June 1, 2026, Copilot usage is measured in GitHub AI Credits: cost depends on the model used and tokens consumed. Each plan includes a monthly credit allowance and users can set a budget for additional usage. The older premium request system (one premium request unit per interaction, multiplied by a model multiplier) is legacy and only remains for Copilot Pro/Pro+ subscribers on existing annual plans who stayed on request-based billing.

Access
All plans include an AI Credits allowance
Released
2026-06
Token-based metering across Chat, agents, code review and CLIPooled credits for organizations and enterprisesSome models support a 1 million token context window (VS Code and Copilot CLI) and configurable reasoning levels at higher credit consumption

Limits: Premium requests survive only on legacy annual Pro/Pro+ plans; when those plans end, subscribers are downgraded to Copilot Free unless they move to a monthly plan

Sources

Compare models

Tick “Add to compare” on 2–3 models above.

GitHub Copilot plans & pricing

Copilot Free

Free ($0)

consumer subscription

  • Limited access to a selection of Copilot features
  • 2,000 code completions per month
  • An allowance of GitHub AI Credits
  • Auto model selection only (no manual model picker)
  • Copilot CLI and the Copilot app

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Student

Free ($0)

consumer subscription (verified students)

  • Free access to Copilot features for verified students
  • An allowance of GitHub AI Credits
  • Auto model selection only

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Pro

$10 USD per month

consumer subscription (free for verified teachers and maintainers of popular open source projects)

  • A selection of models with manual model choice
  • 1,500 total monthly GitHub AI Credits (1,000 base + 500 flex allotment)
  • Code completions and next edit suggestions unlimited and not billed in credits
  • Copilot code review
  • Copilot CLI and the Copilot app

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Pro+

$39 USD per month

consumer subscription

  • Everything in Copilot Pro
  • Access to premium models
  • 7,000 total monthly GitHub AI Credits (3,900 base + 3,100 flex allotment)

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Max

$100 USD per month

consumer subscription

  • Everything in Copilot Pro+
  • Priority access to premium models
  • 20,000 total monthly GitHub AI Credits (10,000 base + 10,000 flex allotment) — the highest individual allowance

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Business

$19 USD per granted seat per month

organization subscription (per seat)

  • Centralized management and Copilot policy control for organization members
  • 1,900 GitHub AI Credits per user per month, pooled at the billing entity
  • Usage beyond the pool charged at $0.01 USD per AI credit
  • Copilot code review can be enabled for members without a license (billed to the organization)

Official pricing source ↗

Copilot Enterprise

$39 USD per granted seat per month

organization subscription (per seat); requires GitHub Enterprise Cloud

  • Everything in Copilot Business
  • 3,900 GitHub AI Credits per user per month, pooled at the billing entity
  • Usage beyond the pool charged at $0.01 USD per AI credit
  • Additional enterprise-grade capabilities

Official pricing source ↗

GitHub Copilot API

✕ No official public API

In the official GitHub Docs pages reviewed, Copilot is sold and documented as a subscription product delivered through IDEs, GitHub.com, GitHub Mobile, Windows Terminal and the CLI — not as a standalone pay-per-token public API. Model usage inside Copilot is metered with GitHub AI Credits rather than a separate public API bill. (GitHub also references a Copilot SDK in third-party documentation, but no official SDK/API pricing page was opened and verified in this research pass.)

API pricing: No separate API price list: interaction cost = model + tokens consumed, drawn from the plan's AI Credits allowance; additional organization usage is $0.01 USD per AI credit.

API documentation ↗

Integrations & platforms

Visual Studio CodeVisual StudioJetBrains IDEsEclipseXcode (via GitHub Copilot for Xcode extension)GitHub.com (Chat, cloud agent, code review)GitHub MobileGitHub CLI / Copilot CLIWindows Terminal (Copilot Chat)Azure DevOps (code review, public preview)AI Toolkit for Visual Studio Code (add third-party/local models)Raycast launcher (start cloud agent tasks)

What should you use it for?

Everyday coding in an IDEUse inline suggestions and next edit suggestions — they are unlimited on paid plans and do not consume AI Credits; Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions per month.
Asking questions about code or debugging in the editorUse Copilot Chat and pick a model in the picker (paid plans), or leave Auto on; Free and Student are limited to auto model selection.
Delegating a repository task end-to-endAssign the issue to Copilot cloud agent (paid plans) and choose the model and reasoning level at a supported entrypoint; it works in the background and opens a pull request.
Getting pull requests reviewed automaticallyEnable Copilot code review (Pro and above; not on Free) — Lite effort for routine PRs, Balanced for security-sensitive or multi-service changes.
Terminal-first workflowsUse Copilot CLI (included in all plans) for chat, agentic tasks and /review code checks; usage draws from the plan's AI Credits.
Rolling Copilot out to a team with controlsCopilot Business ($19/seat) for centralized management and policy control; Copilot Enterprise ($39/seat) adds a larger pooled credit allowance and enterprise capabilities on GitHub Enterprise Cloud.

Pros

  • Deepest GitHub-native integration of any assistant
  • Multiple frontier models under one subscription
  • Free tier (2,000 completions/mo) for casual use
  • Free Pro for verified students and open-source maintainers

Cons

  • Code is sent to cloud servers for processing
  • Heavy agent/chat use can exhaust monthly AI credits
  • Suggestions still need review, especially for security

GitHub Copilot at a glance

PricingFreemium
CategoryCoding & Development
Platformsweb, windows, macos, ios, android
CompanyGitHub
Official websitegithub.com
code-completionai-codinggithubcopilot-chatcode-agentautocompletedeveloper-tools

Sources & verification

Model, plan and pricing information on this page was last verified on 22 October 2026 against official sources. Prices and line-ups change — always confirm on the official website before buying.

  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/ai-models/supported-models#models-with-extended-capabilities
  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/use-copilot-agents/coding-agent/changing-the-ai-model
  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/using-github-copilot/ai-models/changing-the-ai-model-for-copilot-chat?tool=vscode
  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/about-github-copilot/subscription-plans-for-github-copilot
  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/code-review/code-review
  • docs.github.com https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/copilot-billing/request-based-billing-legacy/what-changed-with-billing
What we could not verify (kept honest)
  • Per-model context windows could not be verified: the Supported AI models page states that the latest models support an optional 1 million token context window (VS Code and Copilot CLI only) and configurable reasoning levels, but its per-model/per-plan/per-client tables did not render in the fetched text, so contextWindow is null for every model rather than guessed.
  • Per-model release dates are not published on the official pages opened, so released is null for all picker models.
  • Per-model AI Credit / token rates live on GitHub's 'Models and pricing for GitHub Copilot' docs page, which was referenced but not opened in this pass; no per-model prices are recorded here.
  • Copilot Spaces: referenced in GitHub's premium-requests documentation (seen in search results), but no official Spaces page was opened and verified in this pass, so Spaces is not listed as a verified feature.
  • The current official plan lineup also includes Copilot Student and Copilot Max, which were not in the original brief (Free/Pro/Pro+/Business/Enterprise); both are included here from the official plans page.
  • Annual-billing prices for Pro/Pro+ were not shown on the plans page as opened (monthly prices recorded); legacy annual plans remain on premium-request billing per the legacy billing doc.
  • Whether a public Copilot API/SDK is offered for third-party apps was not confirmed from an opened official GitHub page; api.available is therefore recorded as false for a standalone public API, with the caveat noted in the summary.

How to choose the right Coding & Development tool

The right coding tool depends on where you write code and how much of your codebase it can understand. IDE integration is the first filter — a tool that lives in your editor, sees your project files and respects your stack will help far more than a general chatbot you paste snippets into. Look for accurate completions, clear explanations of suggested changes, and strong refactoring and debugging support for your main languages. Privacy deserves real attention: check whether your code is used for training, and whether a self-hosted or enterprise option exists for sensitive projects. Price against the hours it actually saves — most developers feel the difference within the first week of real use.

Compare all Coding & Development tools →

GitHub Copilot FAQs

What is GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot provides inline code suggestions, conversational chat, and autonomous agent mode across major IDEs, GitHub.com, mobile, and the terminal. It supports multiple frontier models (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini) and meters advanced usage through GitHub AI Credits.

What are the main features of GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot offers Inline code completions across all languages, Copilot Chat in IDE, web, and mobile, Agent mode for multi-file autonomous edits, Plan mode for reviewable implementation blueprints, Multi-model support (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini), Copilot CLI for terminal workflows, Next edit suggestions and AI code review assistance on pull requests.

How much does GitHub Copilot cost?

GitHub Copilot follows a freemium model: a free tier is available, and paid plans unlock higher limits and advanced features. Check its official website for current plan prices.

What are the pros and cons of GitHub Copilot?

Strengths of GitHub Copilot include Deepest GitHub-native integration of any assistant; Multiple frontier models under one subscription; Free tier (2,000 completions/mo) for casual use. On the downside, Code is sent to cloud servers for processing; Heavy agent/chat use can exhaust monthly AI credits; Suggestions still need review, especially for security.