# GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex

> GitHub Copilot: AI coding assistant for code completion, chat and cloud agents across IDEs, terminal and GitHub
> OpenAI Codex: OpenAI's coding agent that writes, reviews and runs code from terminal, IDE, desktop or cloud

- GitHub Copilot profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/github-copilot
- OpenAI Codex profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/openai-codex
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-openai-codex
- Last reviewed: November 2026

## Verdict

GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex are both Coding AI tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only OpenAI Codex is available on Windows and Linux and offers an API.

### Choose GitHub Copilot if

- You want a tool built for inline code completion in popular IDEs.
- Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim and Eclipse, plus the terminal and GitHub.com.
- Free plan with 2,000 inline suggestions and agent mode, and Pro at $10 per month.

### Choose OpenAI Codex if

- You want a tool built for delegating coding tasks to an agent.
- Included with ChatGPT plans, with a free tier and an $8 Go tier.
- Open-source CLI under the Apache-2.0 license.

## Pricing

| | GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Code completions | Yes | Not listed |
| Copilot Chat | Yes | Not listed |
| Agent mode | Yes | Not listed |
| Cloud agent | Yes | Not listed |
| Third-party agents | Yes | Not listed |
| Copilot code review | Yes | Not listed |
| Copilot CLI | Yes | Not listed |
| Model choice | Yes | Not listed |
| Custom agents and MCP | Yes | Not listed |
| Copilot Spaces | Yes | Not listed |
| Codex CLI | Not listed | Yes |
| IDE extension | Not listed | Yes |
| Desktop app | Not listed | Yes |
| Cloud tasks | Not listed | Yes |
| Code review | Not listed | Yes |
| Non-interactive mode | Not listed | Yes |
| MCP, skills and plugins | Not listed | Yes |
| Subagents and web search | Not listed | Yes |
| Session resume and images | Not listed | Yes |
| Mobile remote control | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | No | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | No | No |
| Android | No | No |
| API | No | Yes |
| Browser Extension | No | No |
| VS Code Extension | Yes | Yes |
| JetBrains Plugin | Yes | Yes |
| CLI | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | No | Yes |

## GitHub Copilot strengths

- Works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim and Eclipse, plus the terminal and GitHub.com
- Free plan with 2,000 inline suggestions and agent mode, and Pro at $10 per month
- Cloud agent turns assigned tasks into pull requests inside GitHub
- Models from several vendors can be chosen, including Claude and GPT models
- Business and Enterprise add policy control and audit logs, and their data is not used for training

## GitHub Copilot limitations

- Chat and agent use is credit-based, so heavy use can exceed the monthly allowance
- Premium models and third-party agents need Pro+ at $39 per month or higher
- Free, Pro and Pro+ interaction data may be used for training unless the user opts out
- Not available for GitHub Enterprise Server

## OpenAI Codex strengths

- Included with ChatGPT plans, with a free tier and an $8 Go tier
- Open-source CLI under the Apache-2.0 license
- Available in the terminal, VS Code-based editors, the ChatGPT desktop app and the cloud
- Supports MCP, skills, plugins and subagents
- API-key option lets teams pay at API rates instead of a subscription

## OpenAI Codex limitations

- Plus has message limits per five hours that vary widely by model
- Cloud features are not available on the API Key plan
- Higher usage needs Pro, which starts at $100 per month
- Free and Go plans offer only GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app

## FAQ

**Is GitHub Copilot better than OpenAI Codex?**

It depends on your workflow. GitHub Copilot is built for inline code completion in popular IDEs. OpenAI Codex is built for delegating coding tasks to an agent.

**What are the key feature differences between GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex?**

GitHub Copilot: AI coding assistant for code completion, chat and cloud agents across IDEs, terminal and GitHub. OpenAI Codex: OpenAI's coding agent that writes, reviews and runs code from terminal, IDE, desktop or cloud.

**Does GitHub Copilot or OpenAI Codex have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. GitHub Copilot is freemium and OpenAI Codex is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or OpenAI Codex?**

Both can be used for free. Paid plans differ in limits and features, so compare the tiers in the pricing table above.