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Cursor vs GitHub Copilot

A side-by-side look at Cursor and GitHub Copilot: what each costs to start, whether there is a free plan, how easy they are to pick up, and which features and integrations they cover.

Which should you choose?

Choose Cursor if

  • Developers who want deep AI assistance without leaving a VS Code-style editor
  • Small teams shipping quickly
  • Engineers experimenting with agentic coding workflows

Choose GitHub Copilot if

  • Teams already hosting code on GitHub
  • Individual developers who want completion, chat and an agent in one subscription
  • Students and open-source maintainers eligible for free access

Cheapest to start

Not confirmed

Free plan

Cursor, GitHub Copilot

Highest editor rating

GitHub Copilot · 4.5

Comparison of Cursor and GitHub Copilot
CompareCursor
Free planYes
Free trialYes
Starting priceFrom $20/mo
Editor rating4.4
Ease of useEasy (4/5)
CategoryDevelopment
Pricing modelHobby is free with limited usage; Pro is $20 per month with a usage allowance, Ultra approximately $200 per month; Teams is $40 per user per month and Enterprise is custom-priced.
Plans
  • Hobby Free
  • Pro $20/user/mo
  • Ultra $200/user/mo
  • Teams $40/user/mo
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Web, CLI
IntegrationsGitHub, OpenAI, Slack
Best for
  • Developers who want deep AI assistance without leaving a VS Code-style editor
  • Small teams shipping quickly
  • Engineers experimenting with agentic coding workflows
Pros
  • Familiar VS Code base with extension compatibility
  • Tab autocomplete predicts multi-line edits, not just the next token
  • Agent mode handles multi-file changes and terminal commands
  • Choice of frontier models from several providers in one editor
  • Privacy mode and SSO for teams
Cons
  • Usage-based allowances make monthly cost hard to predict for heavy users
  • Pricing model has changed several times, frustrating existing subscribers
  • Agent output still needs careful review; mistakes can be subtle
  • No plugin version for JetBrains or other editors
AI agentsYes
AI assistantYes
Audit logsNo
Code completionYes
Code reviewYes
Desktop appYes
Git integrationYes
Mobile appNo
Roles & permissionsYes
SSO / SAMLYes

Common questions

Does Cursor or GitHub Copilot have a free plan?
Both do. Cursor and GitHub Copilot each offer a free tier, so you can try either without paying.
How long is the Cursor and GitHub Copilot free trial?
Cursor offers a 14-day free trial, and GitHub Copilot offers a 30-day free trial.

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