Cursor vs GitHub Copilot (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
GitHub Copilot
From $10/mo against from $20/mo
Free plan
Tie
Both have one
Higher rating
Cursor
4.7 against 4.6
Same job?
Yes
Both are Coding tools

Side by side

Compared on	Cursor	GitHub Copilot
Our rating	4.7Better	4.6
Starts at	$20/mo	$10/moBetter
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Category	Coding	Coding
Plans	HobbyFree Pro$20/mo Pro+$60/mo Ultra$200/mo Teams$40/user/mo	Free$0 Pro$10/mo Pro+$39/mo Max$100/mo Business$19/user/mo
Key features	Multi-line Tab autocomplete predicting full edits Composer agent mode for multi-file changes Choice of multiple underlying AI models Built as a full VS Code fork, not a plugin Free tier with limited usage	Original AI coding autocomplete, launched in 2021 Chat-based assistance and multi-file agent mode Multiple underlying model options beyond OpenAI Deep integration across GitHub, VS Code, and JetBrains Free tier with limited monthly usage
Pros	Widely regarded as the category's leading AI-native editor by adoption Composer handles genuinely complex, multi-file tasks well Model choice avoids lock-in to a single AI provider	Earliest mover in this category with the largest existing user base Deep, native integration with GitHub's own platform Expanded well past autocomplete into full agentic capabilities
Cons	Higher usage requires a paid subscription fairly quickly Popularity has driven pricing changes some long-time users have pushed back on Fork-based editor requires migrating settings from plain VS Code	Free tier's completion and chat limits are restrictive for daily professional use Newer, more specialized competitors move faster on some agentic features Full capability requires a paid subscription
Company	Anysphere, founded 2022	GitHub (Microsoft), founded 2021

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 2026-09-25. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?

In our reviews Cursor scores 4.7 and GitHub Copilot scores 4.6. The better pick depends on the job. Cursor: The AI-native editor most competitors now get compared against. GitHub Copilot: The 2021 launch that started this entire category.

Which is cheaper, Cursor or GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot has the lower starting price: from $20/mo for Cursor and from $10/mo for GitHub Copilot.

Do Cursor and GitHub Copilot have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

More comparisons

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All Cursor alternatives

GitHub Copilot compared with

All GitHub Copilot alternatives