Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
Cursor is a standalone AI code editor built on top of Visual Studio Code, made by Anysphere, with multi-file generation and an agent mode built into the editor itself. GitHub Copilot is an extension from GitHub and Microsoft that adds AI completions, chat and agent features into editors you already use, like VS Code, JetBrains IDEs and Neovim. Choose Cursor if you want a purpose-built AI editor experience; choose GitHub Copilot if you want to keep your current editor and add AI on top, especially inside the GitHub ecosystem.
Facts checked on against the official sources listed at the end. Usage numbers update daily.
Best for
Developers who want a dedicated editor built around AI-first workflows
Free plan. Paid from $20 a month for Individual.
Best for
Developers who want to keep their current editor and add AI through an extension
Free plan. Paid from $10 a month for Copilot Pro.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot at a glance
| Compared on | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | A standalone code editor, forked from VS Code | An extension added to an existing editor |
| Editor support | Its own editor only (macOS, Windows, Linux) | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, and via GitHub.com and CLI |
| Billing unit | Flat monthly plans with extended agent request limits | AI credits: completions unlimited on paid plans, chat and agent use consumes credits |
| Entry paid price | $20 a month for Individual | $10 a month for Pro |
| Code review features | Not a named standalone feature | Built-in code review, including automated pull request review |
| Model source | Uses models from multiple AI providers | Access to all available models on paid plans |
| Open source | No, Proprietary | No, Proprietary |
| Free plan | Yes (Hobby): limited agent requests and access to Composer, no credit card required | Yes: 2,000 code completions and 50 chat requests a month, no AI credits included |
| Paid plans from | $20 a month for Individual | $10 a month for Copilot Pro |
| Made by | Anysphere, Inc. | GitHub (Microsoft) |
| Launched | 2023 | Not listed |
What's the difference between Cursor and GitHub Copilot?
Cursor is its own editor, Copilot is an add-on to editors you already use
Cursor is a fork of VS Code distributed as its own application, so adopting it means switching your primary editor. GitHub Copilot installs as an extension into an editor you already run, VS Code, a JetBrains IDE, Visual Studio or Neovim, so your existing setup and other extensions stay in place.
Copilot bills AI use in credits, Cursor uses flat request limits per plan
GitHub Copilot's credits-based model keeps code completions unlimited on paid plans while chat, agent and CLI use consume AI credits, with $15 a month in credits on Pro. Cursor's plans set extended agent request limits per tier rather than a named credit currency, alongside frontier model access on Individual.
Copilot includes code review tooling, Cursor doesn't name an equivalent
GitHub Copilot includes built-in code review features, including automated pull request review, tying directly into GitHub's existing review workflow. Cursor's published feature list doesn't name a standalone code review product in the same way.
Copilot's entry price is lower, but Cursor's plan includes frontier model access by default
GitHub Copilot Pro starts at $10 a month, half of Cursor Individual's $20 a month. Cursor's Individual plan is described as including frontier model access and extended agent limits at that price, while Copilot's credit allowance ($15 a month on Pro) caps how much chat and agent use is included before further credits are needed.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot pricing
Cursor prices flat monthly plans with usage limits baked in. GitHub Copilot prices unlimited completions plus a monthly AI credit allowance that other features draw from.
Cursor
Hobby is free with limited agent requests. Individual is $20 a month with extended agent limits and frontier model access. Teams is $40 a user a month. Enterprise is custom.
- Hobby
- $0
- Individual
- $20 a month
- Teams
- $40 per user a month
- Enterprise
- Custom pricing
GitHub Copilot
Free: 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month, no AI credits. Pro: $10 a month, unlimited completions plus $15 a month in AI credits. Pro+: $39 a month with $70 in credits. Max: $100 a month with $200 in credits. Business and Enterprise are priced per user for organizations.
- Free
- $0
- Pro
- $10 a month
- Pro+
- $39 a month
- Max
- $100 a month
- Business
- $19 a user a month
- Enterprise
- $39 a user a month
| Cursor | $20 a month on Cursor Individual, with extended agent limits included |
|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | $10 a month on GitHub Copilot Pro for unlimited completions plus $15 in AI credits, moving to Pro+ at $39 a month if that credit allowance runs out regularly |
Prices in USD from the official pricing pages on 29 September 2026. They change often, so confirm on cursor.com and github.com before you commit.
Should you choose Cursor or GitHub Copilot?
Choose Cursor if
- You want a purpose-built AI editor rather than adding AI to your current one
- You want agent mode and multi-file generation built directly into the editor
- You want access to models from multiple AI providers in one place
- You're starting a new project and are open to switching your primary editor
Choose GitHub Copilot if
- You want to keep your current editor, whether that's VS Code, a JetBrains IDE or Neovim
- You're already working inside the GitHub ecosystem and want tight pull request integration
- You want unlimited code completions at a lower entry price
- You want built-in automated code review tied to your GitHub workflow
Switching between Cursor and GitHub Copilot
Moving from GitHub Copilot to Cursor means switching your primary editor to Cursor's VS Code fork, though most VS Code extensions and settings carry over since Cursor is built on the same base. Moving from Cursor to GitHub Copilot means going back to your previous editor and installing the Copilot extension there instead, keeping your existing editor setup rather than adopting a new one.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: common questions
Is Cursor built on VS Code?
Yes, Cursor is a fork of Visual Studio Code, so many VS Code extensions and keybindings work in it. GitHub Copilot, by contrast, installs as an extension inside VS Code or another editor rather than being its own editor.
Is GitHub Copilot cheaper than Cursor?
Its entry price is lower, $10 a month for Pro versus $20 a month for Cursor Individual, but Copilot's chat and agent use draws from a monthly AI credit allowance, while code completions stay unlimited on both platforms' paid plans.
Can I use GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs?
Yes, GitHub Copilot supports JetBrains IDEs, Visual Studio, VS Code and Neovim. Cursor only runs in its own editor.
Does Cursor have a free plan?
Yes, the Hobby plan is free with limited agent requests and access to Composer. GitHub Copilot's free tier includes 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month, with no AI credits.
Does GitHub Copilot review pull requests automatically?
Yes, GitHub Copilot includes built-in code review features, including automated pull request review. Cursor doesn't name an equivalent standalone code review feature.
Other options to consider
All ai coding tools tools
Claude Code
Anthropic's agentic coding tool for the terminal, included with Claude Pro and Max subscriptions.
Open Interpreter
Open source coding agent for running code locally with low-cost and open-weight AI models.
GPT Engineer
Early open source tool for generating an entire codebase from a natural-language prompt.
Aider
Open source AI pair programming tool that runs in the terminal and edits your codebase with git commits.
Sources
More sources for each tool are on the Cursor and GitHub Copilot pages.
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