Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving GitHub Copilot.
Want the closest match?
CursorMost similar to GitHub Copilot in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Cursor in a new tab)Need a free plan?
Blackbox AIHas a free plan, rated 5.0 out of 5.
Visit (opens Blackbox AI in a new tab)Want to pay less than GitHub Copilot?
ContinueFrom $3/mo, against from $10/mo for GitHub Copilot.
Visit (opens Continue in a new tab)Want the best rated?
JetBrains JunieRated 4.3 out of 5 in our review, against 4.6 for GitHub Copilot.
Visit (opens JetBrains Junie in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than GitHub Copilot, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 GitHub CopilotBaseline | 4.6 | $10/mo | Yes | The 2021 launch that started this entire category | |
| Cursor | 4.7+0.1 | $20/mo$10 more | Yes | The AI-native editor most competitors now get compared against | vs GitHub Copilot |
 CodeGPT | 4.1−0.5 | $7/mo$3 less | Yes | A marketplace of specialized coding agents, not one fixed assistant | vs GitHub Copilot |
| JetBrains Junie | 4.3−0.3 | $10/moSame price | Yes | JetBrains' autonomous agent, separate from its inline AI Assistant | vs GitHub Copilot |
| Blackbox AI | 5.0+0.4 | $10/moSame price | Yes | Started as code search in 2019, before the LLM coding wave | vs GitHub Copilot |
 Google Antigravity | 4.2−0.4 | Free | Yes | Google's agent-first IDE that can act inside the browser too | vs GitHub Copilot |
| Continue | 4.4−0.2 | $3/mo$7 less | Yes | Open source and built to be configured exactly how you want it | vs GitHub Copilot |
 Tabby | 4.3−0.3 | $19/mo$9 more | Yes | An open-source, self-hostable alternative to Copilot's autocomplete | vs GitHub Copilot |
 Visual Studio Code | 3.9−0.7 | Free | Yes | "The open source AI code editor" - hand off tasks to AI agents that autonomously plan, edit code, run commands, and iterate, across dozens of models. | vs GitHub Copilot |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches GitHub Copilot.
Cursor
4.7$20/mo
vs GitHub Copilot$10 more+0.1
The AI-native editor most competitors now get compared against.
- Multi-line Tab autocomplete predicting full edits
- Composer agent mode for multi-file changes
- Choice of multiple underlying AI models
Widely regarded as the category's leading AI-native editor by adoption
Higher usage requires a paid subscription fairly quickly
CodeGPT
4.1$7/mo
vs GitHub Copilot$3 less−0.5
A marketplace of specialized coding agents, not one fixed assistant.
- Marketplace of framework- and task-specific coding agents
- VS Code and JetBrains IDE support
- Multiple underlying LLM provider options
Specialized agents can outperform a generalist on a specific stack
Marketplace quality varies since agents come from different sources
JetBrains Junie
4.3$10/mo
vs GitHub CopilotSame price−0.3
JetBrains' autonomous agent, separate from its inline AI Assistant.
- Autonomous, multi-step task execution
- Runs tests to verify its own changes
- Built into JetBrains' existing IDE suite
Genuine autonomous, multi-file task handling within a familiar IDE
Overlaps with JetBrains' own AI Assistant, worth comparing both directly
Blackbox AI
5.0$10/mo
vs GitHub CopilotSame price+0.4
Started as code search in 2019, before the LLM coding wave.
- Code search across GitHub and similar sources
- AI code completion and chat-based generation
- Multi-file editing support
Code search capability adds real examples alongside generated suggestions
Less specialized than newer, agent-first coding tools
Google Antigravity
4.2Free
vs GitHub Copilot−0.4
Google's agent-first IDE that can act inside the browser too.
- Agents that act across editor, terminal, and browser
- Built on a VS Code foundation
- Support for Gemini 3 Pro, Claude Sonnet 4.5, and GPT-OSS models
Cross-surface agent action, including the browser, is a genuine differentiator
Very new product still in public preview, features may change
Continue
4.4$3/mo
vs GitHub Copilot$7 less−0.2
Open source and built to be configured exactly how you want it.
- Fully configurable model, context, and command setup
- Works with hosted or locally run models
- Custom context providers and slash commands
Deep configurability suits developers who want full control over their setup
Configuration flexibility means more setup time than an opinionated out-of-the-box tool
Tabby
4.3$19/mo
vs GitHub Copilot$9 more−0.3
An open-source, self-hostable alternative to Copilot's autocomplete.
- Open-source, self-hostable code completion
- Focused specifically on inline autocomplete, not broader chat or agents
- No code sent to external APIs when self-hosted
Genuine self-hosting keeps code entirely off external servers
Scoped to completion only, not chat, agents, or code review
Visual Studio Code
3.9Free
vs GitHub Copilot−0.7
"The open source AI code editor" - hand off tasks to AI agents that autonomously plan, edit code, run commands, and iterate, across dozens of models.
- Multi-agent development - agents autonomously plan, edit, and run commands
- AI-powered inline suggestions and intelligent completions
- Model flexibility - Copilot, Claude, OpenAI, and dozens of others
Free with just a GitHub login - no paywall to access core agent features
Advanced reasoning models may carry separate usage costs depending on provider
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is GitHub Copilot free?
GitHub Copilot has a free plan, and paid plans start from $10/mo.
What is the best free alternative to GitHub Copilot?
Blackbox AI is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (5.0 out of 5). Other free options: Cursor, Continue, JetBrains Junie.
What is the cheapest alternative to GitHub Copilot?
Among paid plans, Continue has the lowest starting price (from $3/mo). If you need it free, start with Blackbox AI.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.