kitio.aiGitHub Copilot vs Cursor
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Cursor has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $10 for GitHub Copilot.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Code completions
- Copilot Chat
- Cloud coding agent
- Code review
- Copilot CLI
- Tab autocomplete
- Agent mode
- Codebase chat
- Bugbot PR review
- VS Code extensions
| Feature | GitHub Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | GitHub's AI pair programmer for editors, CLI and pull requests | AI code editor that edits across your whole codebase |
| Category | Coding | Coding |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $10/mo | $8/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Made by | GitHub (Microsoft) | Anysphere (SpaceX) |
| Based in | United States | United States |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Cursor has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $10 for GitHub Copilot.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
6 plans
Free
Free
- Up to 2,000 completions/month
- Limited chat and agent mode
- Copilot CLI
Pro
$10/mo
- Unlimited completions
- Monthly AI credits
- Coding agent and code review
Pro+
$39/mo
- More AI credits
- Access to all models
Max
$100/mo
- For high-volume agent workflows
- Largest AI credit allowance
Business
$19/mo
- Per user
- Policy and license management
- IP indemnity
Enterprise
$39/mo
- Per user
- Enterprise controls
- Higher AI credit allowance
6 plans
Free
Free
- Limited AI usage
- Limited agent requests
Plus
$8/mo
- Shared AI usage pool
- Grok models only
Premium
$30/mo
- 4x Plus usage
- Cloud agents and automations
- Bugbot code reviews
Super
$100/mo
- 15x Plus usage
- Priority model access at peak
Ultra
$200/mo
- 50x Plus usage
- Earliest access to products and models
Teams
$30/mo
- Per user
- Pooled usage
- Team admin controls
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
GitHub Copilot
- Works in almost every major editor
- Tight GitHub issue and PR integration
- Cheap entry plan
- Credit metering makes costs less predictable
- Best features need GitHub-hosted code
Cursor
- Understands the whole repository
- Familiar VS Code interface
- Choice of AI models
- Third-party models cost extra
- Heavy on memory for large projects
- Plans changed several times in 2026
Which one should you choose?
Choose GitHub Copilot if you want:
- Works in almost every major editor
- Tight GitHub issue and PR integration
- Cheap entry plan
Watch out: credit metering makes costs less predictable.
Choose Cursor if you want:
- Understands the whole repository
- Familiar VS Code interface
- Choice of AI models
Watch out: third-party models cost extra.
GitHub Copilot vs Cursor FAQ
What is the difference between GitHub Copilot and Cursor?
GitHub Copilot: GitHub's AI pair programmer for editors, CLI and pull requests. Cursor: AI code editor that edits across your whole codebase. Both are coding tools.
Is GitHub Copilot or Cursor cheaper?
Cursor has the lower starting price: about $8 a month, against $10 for GitHub Copilot.
Do GitHub Copilot and Cursor have free plans?
GitHub Copilot: Yes. Cursor: Yes.
Who makes GitHub Copilot?
GitHub Copilot is made by GitHub (Microsoft), based in United States.
Who makes Cursor?
Cursor is made by Anysphere (SpaceX), based in United States.
Which should I choose, GitHub Copilot or Cursor?
Choose GitHub Copilot if you value works in almost every major editor and tight github issue and pr integration. Choose Cursor if you value understands the whole repository and familiar vs code interface.