Claude CodePaid only
Paid from
$20 a month
View plans and limitsUpdated 4 September 2026 · Independent comparison
Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot:
which should you use?
Claude Code and GitHub Copilot, side by side. Find the one that fits what you need to do.
Find your best fitThe 30-second answer
Claude Code is built for coding, data & technical work.
GitHub Copilot is built for coding, data & technical work.
Pricing, simplified
Start free. Upgrade when you need more.
GitHub CopilotFree plan
Paid from
$10 a month
View plans and limitsThe 30-second comparison
If you only read one section, make it this one. Rows where both sides say the same thing are left out — the point is where they differ. Where each row came from is listed underneath.
| Category | Claude Code | GitHub Copilot | Better fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes. | The default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses. A free tier now covers light use. | Tie |
| Free plan | No. Paid from the start. | Yes. Free tier, 2,000 completions a month | GitHub Copilot |
| Cheapest way to pay | $20 a month. | $10 a month. | GitHub Copilot |
| What the paid tiers cost |
|
| Tie |
| What to watch out for | Consumes usage quickly on long agentic runs. Assess it on your own codebase. | Suggestions are strongest on common patterns and weakest exactly where your codebase is unusual. Pro and above bundle a monthly credit allowance, so premium-model work is metered on top of the seat. | Tie |
| Who it is usually for | developers | developers, students | Tie |
| Made by | Anthropic — San Francisco, US. | GitHub — San Francisco, US. | Tie |
GitHub Copilot is ahead on 2 of the 7 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read Claude Code’s column before deciding.
GitHub Copilot
The default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses.
✓ The default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses.
✓ You want to start without paying anything
✓ You want the cheaper paid plan, $10 against $20
✓ You are among students
Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.
Claude Code is the better answer when the job is what it was built for rather than what the pick above does broadly.
✓ Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.
✓ It is built for coding, data & technical work
✓ Included with every paid Claude plan — Pro, Max and both Team seats — rather than sold separately. Claude itself is free and will still help with code in a chat window
✓ It is aimed at developers
How we know
Every row that separated these two, and where it came from. Nothing here is a hands-on test — if a line rests on a vendor’s own pricing page, it says so and links it.
| Row | Favours | Weight | Where it came from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | GitHub Copilot | How well it does the job | From each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below. |
| Cheapest way to pay | GitHub Copilot | Everything else | From each vendor’s own pricing page. Dates and pages are listed below. |
The prices
Claude Code. Read by hand off anthropic.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. anthropic.com/pricing
GitHub Copilot. Read by hand off github.com on 4 September 2026. It is not on the monthly re-check, so confirm there before paying. github.com/features/copilot/plans
The ratings
The category these two share. Coding, Data & Technical Work — both are listed there in the catalogue, and the fit recorded against each listing is a judgement made here, by hand.
The nine-category grid below. Derived from what each product is listed for, by one script, once per build — so the same pair always reads the same. It is a derivation, not a review.
What this is not
Neither product was run side by side to produce this page. Nobody was paid to appear on it and nothing here is ranked by commission.
To put the same question to both and read the answers yourself, run them side by side — that is a live test, and this is not.
Choose based on what you’re doing
All ten categories, including the ones where neither of these is the answer. These ratings are derived from what each product is listed for, not from running it — a rating here is a reading of the record, and the record is linked.
01
General-Purpose AI Assistants
Questions, brainstorming, explanations, everyday tasks, decision-making, general advice.
Claude Code
Not a good fitGitHub Copilot
Not a good fitBest choice: Neither
02
Search, Research & Academics
Web research, deep research, books, academic papers, citations, news, fact-checking.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
03
Writing, Communication & Language
Emails, reports, essays, editing, summarizing, translation, presentations.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
04
Coding, Data & Technical Work
Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.
Claude Code
Built for thisGitHub Copilot
Built for thisBest choice: Tie
05
Business, Finance & Professional Work
Business strategy, investing, market research, legal, sales, HR, accounting, consulting.
Claude Code
Not a good fitGitHub Copilot
Not a good fitBest choice: Neither
06
Image & Design
Image generation, photo editing, logos, graphics, product design, advertising creatives.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
07
Video
Video generation and editing, clipping, subtitles, avatars, animation and motion capture.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
08
Audio, Voice & Music
Voice generation, transcription, music, dubbing, sound cleanup and podcast production.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
09
Marketing & Content Creation
Social media, SEO, advertising, copywriting, content ideas, scripts, brand development.
Claude Code
Bad fitGitHub Copilot
Bad fitBest choice: Neither
10
Productivity, Automation & Personal Life
AI agents, workflows, scheduling, meetings, organization, shopping, travel, personal finance.
Claude Code
Not a good fitGitHub Copilot
Not a good fitBest choice: Neither
Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.
by AnthropicRuns in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes.
It is built for coding, data & technical work
Included with every paid Claude plan — Pro, Max and both Team seats — rather than sold separately. Claude itself is free and will still help with code in a chat window
It is aimed at developers
The default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses.
by GitHubThe default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses.
You want to start without paying anything
You want the cheaper paid plan, $10 against $20
You are among students
Pricing, simplified
The plans people actually compare, read from each vendor’s own page.
PricingSimple, up-to-date plan overview.
Claude Codeby Anthropic
GitHub Copilotby GitHubFree version
Claude Code
No — paid from the startPaid from the start
GitHub Copilot
Yes — Free plan available2,000 completions a month
Individual plans
Claude Code
Pro
$20 / month$17 / month (annual)
Max
From $100 / month
GitHub Copilot
Pro
$10 / month
Pro+
$39 / month
Max
$100 / month
Business plans
Claude Code
From $25 / user / monthFrom $20 / user / month (annual)Team standard seat, Team premium seat
GitHub Copilot
From $19 / user / month
Enterprise
Claude Code
From $20 / user / month
GitHub Copilot
From $39 / user / month
Tell us what you use AI for
Pick your main job and the verdict below changes to match. Every answer is on the page already, so this works as a reader, not a lookup.
The verdict for that job
GitHub Copilot
Close call. Both cover coding, data & technical work at the same level; only GitHub Copilot has a free plan; GitHub Copilot is cheaper to start paying for, $10 against $20.
7 rows compared
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Code or GitHub Copilot better?
GitHub Copilot is ahead on 2 of the 7 rows compared, 1 of them about how well it does the job itself. It is a single row of daylight, so read Claude Code’s column before deciding. only GitHub Copilot has a free plan; GitHub Copilot is cheaper to start paying for, $10 against $20. Claude Code: Runs in the terminal across whole repositories — refactors, test suites, multi-file changes. GitHub Copilot: The default, and the one already wired into the editor and the pull request your team uses. A free tier now covers light use.
Is Claude Code or GitHub Copilot cheaper?
GitHub Copilot — paid plans start at $10 a month against $20 a month.
Do Claude Code and GitHub Copilot both have free plans?
GitHub Copilot does — Free tier, 2,000 completions a month. Claude Code does not.
What should I watch out for?
Claude Code: Consumes usage quickly on long agentic runs. Assess it on your own codebase. GitHub Copilot: Suggestions are strongest on common patterns and weakest exactly where your codebase is unusual. Pro and above bundle a monthly credit allowance, so premium-model work is metered on top of the seat.
Read more
Claude Code
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
GitHub Copilot
What it is for, who makes it, what it costs and what to use instead.
Best AI for Coding
Programming, debugging, data analysis, spreadsheets, math, engineering, technical research.