Last updated: October 2026. Prices are in USD as listed by each company and can change; Canadian cards are charged in USD plus tax.
Cursor and GitHub Copilot are the two most popular AI coding assistants. The short answer: Cursor is the better AI-first code editor for deep, multi-file work, while GitHub Copilot is better value at $10/month and works inside the editor you already use.
Cursor for power, Copilot for value
Cursor wins on agent workflows and AI-first editing. GitHub Copilot (8.9/10) wins on price, editor choice and GitHub integration.
| Category | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Agent and multi-file edits | Winner | Good |
| Autocomplete | Winner (Tab) | Good |
| Editor choice | Cursor app only | Winner (VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode…) |
| GitHub integration | Basic | Winner (PR agent, reviews) |
| Free plan | Limited agent use | Winner (2,000 completions + 50 chats) |
| Cheapest paid plan | $20/month | Winner: $10/month |
| Model choice | Wide | Wide |
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot at a glance
| Cursor | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI-first code editor (VS Code-based) | AI assistant inside your editor |
| Free plan | Hobby: limited agent requests | 2,000 completions + 50 chat requests/month |
| Main paid plan | Pro $20/month | Pro $10/month |
| Heavy users | Pro+ $60, Ultra $200 | Pro+ $39, Max $100 |
| Teams | $40/user/month | Business $19, Enterprise $39 per user |
| Editors | Cursor only | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Eclipse |
| Agents | Agent mode, Cloud Agents, Bugbot reviews | Agent mode, cloud coding agent that opens pull requests |
Pricing compared
| Tier | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Hobby | Free |
| Individual | Pro $20 | Pro $10 (1,500 AI credits) |
| Power | Pro+ $60 / Ultra $200 | Pro+ $39 / Max $100 |
| Business | Teams $40/user | Business $19/user |
Copilot code completions are unlimited on all paid plans; chat and agent use draw from monthly AI credits. Cursor’s usage depends on which model you pick.
Coding experience
Cursor was built around AI: its agent plans changes, edits many files and runs commands, and its Tab completion predicts your next edit. Copilot offers agent mode too, but its standout is the cloud coding agent: assign an issue and it opens a pull request on GitHub.
Which one should you choose?
| Choose Cursor if you… | Choose Copilot if you… |
|---|---|
| Want the most powerful AI editing | Want to keep your current editor |
| Do large refactors and multi-file work | Work mainly in GitHub |
| Don’t mind switching editor | Want the lowest price ($10) |
FAQ
Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?
For deep AI-driven editing, yes. For price, editor choice and GitHub workflows, Copilot is better.
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes. Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests per month.
Can I use Cursor with VS Code extensions?
Yes. Cursor is built on VS Code, so most extensions and settings carry over.