About GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is an AI coding assistant developed by GitHub and OpenAI that plugs directly into your existing editor rather than replacing it. It offers code completions, an in-editor chat, an autonomous coding agent, and automated pull request reviews across IDEs including VS Code, JetBrains, and Visual Studio. Since June 2026 GitHub moved from flat-fee to a usage-based AI Credits model: every plan now includes a monthly credit pool shared across chat, agent mode, and code review. Copilot remains the most GitHub-native option, with deep integration into pull requests, Actions, and organization-wide policy controls that make it the default choice for teams already standardized on GitHub.

Key features

Code completions

Unlimited inline suggestions on paid plans across dozens of languages

Agent mode

Autonomous coding agent that runs in the cloud and opens pull requests

Automated code review

AI reviews pull requests directly inside GitHub

Multi-IDE support

Works natively in VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Visual Studio, and Neovim

Pros and cons

✓ Pros

Deepest GitHub-native integration of any AI coding tool, including PRs and Actions

Works across many IDEs so teams are not locked into one editor

Free tier available with no credit card required to start

Business and Enterprise tiers add IP indemnity and content-exclusion controls

✗ Cons

June 2026 shift to usage-based AI Credits pricing means heavy chat or agent use can burn through allowance quickly

Free tier credit allotment is tight for daily active use

Premium models on Pro+ and Max cost significantly more than the base Pro tier

Code quality can be uneven on novel algorithmic problems versus boilerplate

Best for

Teams already standardized on GitHubDevelopers wanting multi-IDE flexibilityOrganizations needing centralized billing and policy controlBudget-conscious individual developers

Why this score

20M+ users, deepest ecosystem integration across VS Code and JetBrains

G2 4.5/5 (11200 reviews). 20M+ users. 42% market share.