GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding assistant. It completes code in your editor, answers questions about your codebase, and runs agents that write code, open pull requests and review changes. As of September 2026 it bills through usage-based AI credits, with plans from free to $100 a month for individuals. For teams that already work on GitHub, it is one of the most affordable ways into agentic coding.
Last updated: September 2026
What is GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is built by GitHub, a Microsoft subsidiary. It launched as a technical preview in Visual Studio Code in June 2021 and became generally available in June 2022, originally powered by OpenAI’s Codex model. It has since grown from autocomplete into chat, agent and review features across the IDE, terminal, GitHub.com and a desktop app.
Copilot is now multi-model. GitHub’s supported-models reference lists models from OpenAI (GPT-5.6 Luna, Sol and Terra, and GPT-6 Astra, Luna and Sol), Anthropic (Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5 and Claude Fable 5.1, among others), Google (Gemini Flash models up to Gemini 3.8 Flash), xAI (Grok 4.6 and 4.7), Moonshot AI (Kimi K3) and Microsoft (MAI-Code-1.1-Flash). Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol arrived on 22 September 2026 for Pro+, Max, Business and Enterprise users.
The list changes often: Claude Opus 4.7, Gemini 3.5 and 3.6 Flash and Kimi K2.7 Code retire on 2 October 2026, and, across all Copilot experiences, GPT-5 mini, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini, GPT-5.5, Gemini 3.7 Flash and Grok 4.5 on 19 October 2026.
Pricing changed too. On 1 June 2026, GitHub replaced premium requests with usage-based billing in GitHub AI Credits. Earlier, it paused new Pro, Pro+ and Student sign-ups in April 2026, citing the compute demands of agentic workflows, and began reopening Student, Pro, Pro+ and Max sign-ups gradually from 17 June.
Key features of GitHub Copilot
Inline suggestions and next edit suggestions
Copilot’s original feature suggests code as you type. Next edit suggestions go further and predict the next change you are likely to make, supported in VS Code and Visual Studio and in preview in JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse and Xcode. On paid plans, completions and next edit suggestions are unlimited and do not use AI credits. Copilot Free is capped at 2,000 a month.
Copilot Chat and agent mode in the IDE
Copilot Chat answers coding questions in supported IDEs, on GitHub.com, in GitHub Mobile and in Windows Terminal. Agent mode lets Copilot decide which files to change and iterate until a task is done. GitHub lists agent mode on every plan, including Free, in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse and Xcode, with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers for connecting external tools and data.
Copilot cloud agent
The cloud agent, called Copilot coding agent until April 2026, works in the background in an ephemeral environment powered by GitHub Actions. It can research a repository, write an implementation plan, make changes on a branch, and run tests and linters.
- Start it from the agents panel on GitHub.com, a GitHub issue, VS Code, an @copilot mention in a pull request comment, or an automated workflow.
- Each session has a 59-minute maximum and works in one repository and on one branch.
- Available on all paid plans; it consumes GitHub Actions minutes and AI credits.
- Third-party coding agents (public preview) let you hand tasks to Anthropic’s Claude agent or OpenAI Codex from GitHub. GitHub’s docs list them on all paid plans, including Pro and Business (where admins must enable them), although the pricing page’s comparison table only shows them from Pro+.
Copilot code review
Copilot reviews pull requests, flags bugs, security issues and style problems, and suggests fixes. It works on GitHub.com, GitHub Mobile, the GitHub CLI and most supported IDEs (not Eclipse), and can review pull requests automatically. It is included on all paid plans. According to GitHub’s docs, a review typically uses $0.05 to $1 of AI credits at “Lite” effort and $0.25 to $5 at “Balanced” effort, plus Actions minutes. GitHub itself advises supplementing Copilot’s feedback with human review.
Copilot CLI
The Copilot CLI brings the agent to the terminal on Linux, macOS and Windows (PowerShell and WSL). Run copilot for an interactive session, press Shift+Tab for plan mode, or pass a prompt with -p for scripted use. Copilot asks for approval before it modifies or executes files, and flags such as –allow-tool and –deny-tool control what it may run. It is included on all plans.
GitHub Copilot app
Available on every Copilot plan since 7 July 2026, the Copilot app is a desktop application for macOS, Windows and Linux. It runs several agent sessions in parallel, each in its own git worktree that the app manages for you, and can monitor CI, address failing checks and manage merges. You can also bring your own model provider key and use it without a Copilot subscription.
Copilot Spaces, Memory and customization
- Spaces: collections of repositories, files, pull requests, issues, notes, images and uploads that ground Copilot’s answers. Anyone with a Copilot license, including Free, can create them, and they are usable in the IDE through the GitHub MCP server.
- Copilot Memory (public preview, paid plans): remembers facts about your repositories and coding preferences for the cloud agent, code review and CLI. Unused memories are deleted after 28 days.
- Custom instructions, prompt files, agent skills and custom agents tailor Copilot to your team’s conventions.
Benefits of using GitHub Copilot
- Works where you already code: no editor switch needed.
- Built into GitHub: issues, pull requests, Actions and code review connect directly to the agents.
- Low entry price: a real free tier, and $10 a month for unlimited completions and the cloud agent.
- Model choice: one subscription covers models from six providers.
- Organization controls: policies, audit logs, file exclusions, pooled credits, budgets and IP indemnity on Business and Enterprise.
GitHub Copilot use cases by role
- Individual developers: completions and agent mode for everyday coding, with the CLI for terminal work.
- Engineering teams: assign issues to the cloud agent and turn on automatic code review for every pull request.
- Students and teachers: free Copilot Student or Copilot Pro through GitHub Education verification.
- Open source maintainers: free Copilot Pro for maintainers of popular projects.
- Enterprises: Copilot Enterprise on GitHub Enterprise Cloud, with budgets at user, cost-center and enterprise level.
How much does GitHub Copilot cost?
The table shows GitHub Copilot’s plans as of September 2026, from GitHub’s pricing page and documentation. Prices are in USD per month. One AI credit equals $0.01.
| Plan | Price | Included usage | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2,000 inline suggestions; limited chat and agent usage | Auto model selection only; agent mode, CLI, Spaces, Copilot app; no code review or cloud agent |
| Student | $0 (verified students) | Code completions; an allowance of AI credits | Auto model selection only; no third-party agents |
| Pro | $10 | 1,500 AI credits (1,000 base + 500 flex) | Model choice, cloud agent, code review, third-party agents (preview); free for verified teachers and popular OSS maintainers |
| Pro+ | $39 | 7,000 AI credits (3,900 base + 3,100 flex) | Newest premium models (e.g., Claude Opus 5.5, GPT-6 Sol) |
| Max | $100 | 20,000 AI credits (10,000 base + 10,000 flex) | Priority access to premium models, for sustained agent-driven work |
| Business | $19 per user | 1,900 AI credits per user, pooled | Policy and access management, IP indemnity, data not used for training |
| Enterprise | $39 per user | 3,900 AI credits per user, pooled | Everything in Business; requires GitHub Enterprise Cloud |
How GitHub AI Credits work
Chat, CLI, cloud agent and code review usage costs credits based on the model and the input, output and cached tokens used, at each model’s published API rate. Base credits match your plan price. GitHub says the flex portion is “designed to adapt as the economics of AI evolve,” so it can change over time.
When credits run out, individuals can upgrade, set a budget to pay for extra usage, or wait for the monthly reset. Organizations pay $0.01 per credit beyond the pool and can set budgets. Paid subscribers get a 10% discount on usage billed through auto model selection.
GitHub Copilot pros and cons
Pros
- Useful free tier and a low $10 paid entry price
- Unlimited completions on every paid plan, outside the credit system
- Deep integration with GitHub issues, pull requests and Actions
- Broad IDE support, including Visual Studio, Eclipse and Xcode
- Wide model choice across OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI, Moonshot AI and Microsoft
- IP indemnity and no training on data for Business and Enterprise
Cons
- Credit-based billing makes heavy agent use harder to predict than a flat fee
- Flex credits can change, so included usage is not fixed
- The newest top models require Pro+ ($39) or higher
- Individual plans may be used for training unless you opt out, and have no IP indemnity
- Frequent plan, name and model changes in 2026 quickly date older guides
How to use GitHub Copilot
- Sign in to GitHub and choose a plan in your Copilot settings. Students and teachers should verify through GitHub Education first.
- Install the Copilot extension for your IDE (VS Code, Visual Studio, a JetBrains IDE, Eclipse or Xcode) and sign in to GitHub.
- Start typing to get inline suggestions.
- Open Copilot Chat (Ctrl+Alt+I on Windows and Linux in VS Code, Control+Command+I on macOS) and switch to agent mode for multi-file tasks.
- Review your privacy settings: choose whether GitHub may use your data for training, and whether to block suggestions matching public code.
- For background work, assign a GitHub issue to Copilot or mention @copilot in a pull request, then review the pull request it opens.
- Set a budget and check your AI credit usage before relying on agents heavily.
GitHub Copilot alternatives
- Cursor: pick it if you want a standalone AI-first code editor, from $20 a month.
- Claude Code: pick it for long, autonomous terminal-first tasks on Claude models; it comes with Claude Pro ($20 a month, or $17 billed annually) and Max.
- OpenAI Codex: pick it if you already pay for ChatGPT, since Codex is included across ChatGPT plans with CLI, IDE extension and cloud options.
- Gemini Code Assist: pick it if you work in Google Cloud or want another free individual tier, with paid Standard and Enterprise editions.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes. Copilot Free costs nothing and includes 2,000 inline suggestions a month plus limited chat and agent usage, with models picked by auto model selection. It covers agent mode, Copilot CLI, Spaces and the Copilot app, but not code review or the cloud agent. Paid plans start at $10 a month for Pro, as of September 2026.
What happened to premium requests in GitHub Copilot?
GitHub retired premium requests on 1 June 2026. Instead of a fixed number of requests with model multipliers, every plan now includes a monthly allowance of GitHub AI Credits, and each interaction costs credits based on the model used and the tokens processed. One credit equals $0.01. Code completions and next edit suggestions do not use credits on paid plans.
Can students get GitHub Copilot for free?
Yes. Since March 2026, verified students with GitHub Education benefits are on the free Copilot Student plan. It includes code completions and an allowance of AI credits, but models are chosen by auto model selection and third-party coding agents are excluded. Verified teachers and maintainers of popular open source projects may qualify for free Copilot Pro instead.
Which AI models does GitHub Copilot use?
Copilot is multi-model. GitHub’s model list includes OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 and GPT-6 families, Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5 and Fable 5.1, Google’s Gemini Flash models, xAI’s Grok 4.6 and 4.7, Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 and Microsoft’s MAI-Code-1.1-Flash. The newest top models, such as Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol, require Pro+ or above.
Does GitHub Copilot train on my code?
It depends on your plan. Since 24 April 2026, GitHub may use interaction data from individual subscribers, such as prompts, code snippets and accepted suggestions, to train its models unless they switch the setting off under Privacy in their Copilot settings. GitHub says Copilot Business and Enterprise data is not used for model training.
Which IDEs does GitHub Copilot support?
GitHub supports Copilot in Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Eclipse and Xcode, all of which have chat and agent mode. Vim and Neovim get code completion only. Copilot also works on GitHub.com, GitHub Mobile, Windows Terminal, the Copilot CLI on macOS, Linux and Windows, and the GitHub Copilot desktop app.
Does GitHub Copilot include IP indemnity?
Only on organization plans. GitHub’s Copilot product page lists IP indemnity for Business and Enterprise, while its pricing table marks it as not included on Free, Pro, Pro+ and Max. Individual subscribers can also block suggestions matching public code; Copilot then checks each suggestion, with about 150 characters of surrounding code, against public code on GitHub.
Verdict
GitHub Copilot is the most practical AI coding assistant in September 2026 for developers and teams who already work on GitHub. Free is enough to try it, and Pro at $10 a month adds unlimited completions, the cloud agent and code review. Heavy agent users should compare Pro+ and Max against Cursor and Claude Code and watch their credit spend, since usage-based billing now decides the real cost.
Sources
- GitHub Copilot plans and pricing
- GitHub Copilot product page
- GitHub Docs: Plans for GitHub Copilot
- GitHub Docs: Usage-based billing for individuals
- GitHub Docs: Copilot billing for organizations and enterprises
- GitHub Docs: What changed with Copilot billing (legacy)
- GitHub Copilot is moving to usage-based billing (GitHub Blog)
- Updates to GitHub Copilot billing and plans (GitHub Changelog)
- Copilot individual plan sign-ups are reopening (GitHub Changelog)
- GitHub pauses Copilot sign-ups (The New Stack)
- GitHub Docs: Supported AI models in GitHub Copilot
- GitHub Docs: Models and pricing for GitHub Copilot
- Claude Opus 5.5 is now available in GitHub Copilot (GitHub Changelog)
- OpenAI’s GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna now available (GitHub Changelog)
- Upcoming deprecation of selected GitHub Copilot models in mid-October (GitHub Changelog)
- Configure cost and quality in Copilot auto model selection (GitHub Changelog)
- Changes to model selection for Free and Student plans (GitHub Changelog)
- GitHub Docs: GitHub Copilot features
- GitHub Docs: Copilot feature matrix
- GitHub Docs: About Copilot cloud agent
- Research, plan, and code with Copilot cloud agent (GitHub Changelog)
- GitHub Docs: About third-party coding agents
- Claude and Codex now available for Copilot Business and Pro users (GitHub Changelog)
- GitHub Docs: About Copilot code review
- GitHub Docs: About GitHub Copilot CLI
- GitHub Copilot app: the agent-native desktop experience (GitHub Blog)
- GitHub Copilot app available to all (GitHub Changelog)
- GitHub Docs: About Copilot Spaces
- GitHub Docs: About Copilot Memory
- GitHub Docs: Quickstart for GitHub Copilot in your IDE
- GitHub Docs: Getting free access to Copilot Pro
- Updates to GitHub Copilot for students (GitHub Changelog)
- Updates to GitHub Copilot interaction data usage policy (GitHub Blog)
- GitHub Docs: Managing Copilot policies as an individual
- GitHub Copilot (Wikipedia)
- Cursor pricing
- Claude plans and pricing
- ChatGPT plans and Codex pricing (OpenAI)
- Gemini Code Assist (Google)
