Ranked 3 of 7 in best AI coding assistants
Works in VS Code, the Copilot CLI and GitHub.com, and can take an issue to a pull request. Usage is metered in AI credits, and it fits best where code already lives on GitHub.
Best for Teams already hosting code on GitHub
About GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot is GitHub's AI coding assistant and agent. According to its product page, it works in VS Code, in a GitHub Copilot desktop app, in the Copilot CLI and on GitHub.com, where agents can take an issue through to a pull request. Its agent features are tied to GitHub repositories, issues and code review.
The plans page lists Free at $0, Pro at $10 a month, Pro+ at $39 a month and Max at $100 a month. Usage is measured in GitHub AI Credits, which the plans page describes as the units used when interacting with Copilot. Teams already hosting code on GitHub get the most from the integration, while teams on other hosts get less of it.
Key features
- VS Code integration
- Copilot CLI
- Agents on GitHub
- Code review
Strengths
- Works in VS Code and on GitHub.com
- Agents can move an issue to a pull request
- Free plan is available
Limits
- Usage is measured in GitHub AI Credits, which adds a metered cost
- Works best for code already hosted on GitHub
Where GitHub Copilot ranks
| List | Rank | Score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best AI coding assistants | 3 of 7 | 91.5 | Teams already hosting code on GitHub |
Questions about GitHub Copilot
- Is GitHub Copilot free?
- GitHub Copilot can be used without paying: Free plan; Pro $10 a month; Pro+ $39 a month; Max $100 a month. Check the vendor’s pricing page for current limits.
- Is GitHub Copilot open source?
- No. GitHub Copilot is proprietary software; its source code is not public.
- Which platforms does GitHub Copilot support?
- GitHub Copilot is available on: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line.
- What is GitHub Copilot best for?
- Teams already hosting code on GitHub. In our ranking of AI coding assistants it is number 3 of 7 with a score of 91.5.
- What are the best alternatives to GitHub Copilot?
- The highest-ranked alternatives on listme.name are Claude Code, Cursor, Cline, Aider.