# GitHub Copilot

> AI coding assistant for code completion, chat and cloud agents across IDEs, terminal and GitHub

- Category: [Coding AI](https://finderatlas.com/categories/coding-ai)
- Pricing: Freemium
- Website: https://github.com/features/copilot
- Platforms: Web, macOS, VS Code Extension, JetBrains Plugin, CLI
- Made by: GitHub, founded 2008, San Francisco, CA
- Last updated: 2026-11-04
- FinderAtlas page: https://finderatlas.com/tools/github-copilot

## Overview

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant from GitHub, a Microsoft subsidiary. It offers inline code completions and next edit suggestions, a chat assistant, an agent mode that proposes and applies edits across files, and a cloud agent that takes an assigned task and returns a pull request. It works in Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Neovim and Eclipse, in the terminal through Copilot CLI, and on GitHub.com.

## Key features

- Code completions
- Copilot Chat
- Agent mode
- Cloud agent
- Third-party agents
- Copilot code review
- Copilot CLI
- Model choice
- Custom agents and MCP
- Copilot Spaces

## Pricing

- **Free** ($0): For trying Copilot with limited usage
- **Pro** ($10/month): For individual developers
- **Pro+** ($39/month): For heavier individual use and premium models
- **Max** ($100/month): For the highest individual usage
- **Business** ($19/user/mo): For teams that need central management
- **Enterprise** ($39/user/mo): For organizations on GitHub Enterprise Cloud

## Best for

- Inline code completion in popular IDEs
- Teams already hosting code on GitHub
- Delegating issues to a cloud agent that opens pull requests
- Organizations that need policy controls and audit logs

## Who uses it

- Software developers
- Engineering teams
- Enterprise organizations
- Students
- Open source maintainers

## 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

## 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

## Not recommended for

- Non-technical document writing, Users who want fixed, predictable usage with no credit-based limits

## Integrations

- Visual Studio
- Xcode
- Neovim
- Eclipse
- Raycast
- GitHub
- GitHub Actions
- MCP servers

## FinderAtlas editorial scores (out of 10)

- Inline Autocomplete Speed: 9/10
- IDE Integration: 9.4/10
- Multi-Language Support: 9/10
- Agent Capability: 8.3/10
- Pricing Predictability: 7.3/10

## Alternatives

- [Kilo Code](https://finderatlas.com/tools/kilo-code): Open-source AI coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains and CLI with 500+ models ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-kilo-code))
- [Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)](https://finderatlas.com/tools/windsurf): Agent-first IDE for running local and cloud coding agents in one place ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-windsurf))
- [Conductor](https://finderatlas.com/tools/conductor): Run a team of coding agents in parallel, each in its own isolated workspace ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/conductor-vs-github-copilot))
- [Augment Code](https://finderatlas.com/tools/augment-code): Agentic coding platform that runs code review and ticket-to-PR work on your codebase ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/augment-code-vs-github-copilot))
- [Cursor](https://finderatlas.com/tools/cursor): AI coding agent and VS Code-based editor for multi-file edits and cloud agents ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/cursor-vs-github-copilot))
- [Claude Code](https://finderatlas.com/tools/claude-code): Anthropic's coding agent that edits code and runs commands from terminal, IDE or browser ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/claude-code-vs-github-copilot))
- [Macroscope](https://finderatlas.com/tools/macroscope): AI code review, agent orchestration and engineering status updates for GitHub teams ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-macroscope))
- [OpenAI Codex](https://finderatlas.com/tools/openai-codex): OpenAI's coding agent that writes, reviews and runs code from terminal, IDE, desktop or cloud ([compare](https://finderatlas.com/compare/github-copilot-vs-openai-codex))

## Recent updates

- 2026-10-19: A model policy API became available for enterprises, organizations and teams

## FAQ

**Is GitHub Copilot free?**

There is a Free plan at $0 with 2,000 inline suggestions per month and limited chat and agent usage. Pro costs $10 per month, Pro+ $39 and Max $100. Business is $19 per user per month and Enterprise is $39. Verified students can get Copilot Student at no cost.

**Does GitHub Copilot train on my private code?**

It depends on the plan. GitHub states that Business and Enterprise data is not used for model training. For Free, Pro and Pro+, interaction data may be used for training unless you opt out in your settings.

**Which editors does GitHub Copilot support?**

Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, Neovim, Eclipse and Raycast, plus the terminal through GitHub CLI. GitHub's FAQ says chat is available only in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs and Visual Studio.

**How do AI credits work?**

One AI credit equals $0.01. Chat, agent mode and CLI use draw credits at a rate that depends on the model and task. Code completions and next edit suggestions do not use credits. Paid plans can set a budget for credits beyond the monthly allowance.

**What is the Copilot cloud agent?**

It is an agent you assign a task on GitHub. It works in the background and returns a pull request for review. It is included from Pro upward, and Pro+ and Max can also delegate to third-party agents such as Claude and OpenAI Codex.

**Does GitHub Copilot work with GitHub Enterprise Server?**

No. GitHub's plan documentation says Copilot is not available for GitHub Enterprise Server. Enterprise requires GitHub Enterprise Cloud.