# GitHub Copilot vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)

> GitHub Copilot: AI coding assistant for code completion, chat and cloud agents across IDEs, terminal and GitHub
> Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): Agent-first IDE for running local and cloud coding agents in one place

- GitHub Copilot profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/github-copilot
- Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) profile: https://finderatlas.com/tools/windsurf
- Comparison page: https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-windsurf
- Last reviewed: November 2026

## Verdict

GitHub Copilot and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) are both Coding AI tools. Both have a free plan or trial. Only GitHub Copilot is available on Web, VS Code Extension and CLI. Only Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) is available on Windows and Linux.

### 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 Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) if

- You want a tool built for managing multiple coding agents.
- Free plan with unlimited Tab completions and inline edits.
- Full IDE that stays compatible with VS Code and Windsurf extensions.

## Pricing

| | GitHub Copilot | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Free plan or trial | Yes | Yes |
| Starting price | $0 | $0 |

## Features

| Feature | GitHub Copilot | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| Agent Command Center | Not listed | Yes |
| Spaces | Not listed | Yes |
| Full IDE | Not listed | Yes |
| Devin Local | Not listed | Yes |
| Agent Client Protocol support | Not listed | Yes |
| Tab and Supercomplete | Not listed | Yes |
| Fast Context | Not listed | Yes |
| Devin Cloud handoff | Not listed | Yes |
| MCP and extensions | Not listed | Yes |
| SWE-2 model | Not listed | Yes |

## Platforms

| Platform | GitHub Copilot | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Web | Yes | No |
| Windows | No | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | No | No |
| Android | No | No |
| API | No | No |
| Browser Extension | No | No |
| VS Code Extension | Yes | No |
| JetBrains Plugin | Yes | Yes |
| CLI | Yes | No |
| 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

## Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) strengths

- Free plan with unlimited Tab completions and inline edits
- Full IDE that stays compatible with VS Code and Windsurf extensions
- One view for managing local, cloud and third-party agents
- Supports ACP agents such as Codex, Claude Agent and OpenCode
- Available on macOS, Windows and Linux

## Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) limitations

- Paid plans have daily and weekly usage quotas, and extra usage is billed at API pricing
- Pro rose to $20 per month, and Max costs $200 per month
- The rename and the move to devin.ai changed menus, docs and branding, and some names such as the JetBrains plugin still say Windsurf
- Cascade was retired in favour of Devin Local, so Cascade workflows had to migrate

## FAQ

**Is GitHub Copilot better than Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)?**

It depends on your workflow. GitHub Copilot is built for inline code completion in popular IDEs. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) is built for managing multiple coding agents.

**What are the key feature differences between GitHub Copilot and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)?**

GitHub Copilot: AI coding assistant for code completion, chat and cloud agents across IDEs, terminal and GitHub. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): Agent-first IDE for running local and cloud coding agents in one place.

**Does GitHub Copilot or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) have a free plan?**

Yes, both do. GitHub Copilot is freemium and Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) is freemium, and each has a free plan or trial.

**Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)?**

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