Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
AI Coding Assistants pricing comparison · 2026
Cursor pricing ranges from $0–$200/month, while GitHub Copilot ranges from $0–$39/user/month. These products use different pricing models (Per-seat subscription vs Hybrid (seat + usage)), so a direct price comparison isn't meaningful — costs depend on usage volume and mix.
Cursor and GitHub Copilot are two of the most popular AI coding assistants, but they take different approaches to pricing. Cursor starts with a free Hobby tier and charges $20/month for its Pro plan, while GitHub Copilot offers a more affordable entry point at $10/month for its Pro plan. At the business tier, Cursor costs $40/user/month compared to GitHub Copilot's $19/user/month, making Copilot the significantly cheaper option for teams.
Plan-by-Plan Pricing
| Plan | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Hobby | Free /month | Free /month |
| Pro | $20 /month | $10 /user/month |
| Pro+ | $60 /month | $39 /user/month |
| Ultra | $200 /month | $19 /user/month |
| Business | $40 /user/month | $39 /user/month |
| Enterprise | Custom | — |
Cost at Scale
Total cost of ownership — licenses, implementation, and hidden costs included.
Cursor
8 scenariosGitHub Copilot
4 scenariosMarket Intelligence
Cursor
- Median annual cost
- $5,520
GitHub Copilot
- Median annual cost
- $1,200
- Based on
- 120 deals
Contract Terms
| Term | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-renewal | Yes | Yes |
| Cancellation | Unknown - users report difficulty canceling | Unclear - UI makes cancellation difficult to find |
| Minimum commitment | Monthly or Annual options available | Monthly or annual depending on plan selected |
| Price escalation | Pricing changes mid-contract without notification. Users report unexpected price increases and model downgrades during their subscription period. | — |
| Can downgrade | No | — |
Our Verdict
Choose Cursor if you want a full AI-native IDE experience with deep codebase understanding and are willing to pay a premium for advanced agentic coding features. Choose GitHub Copilot if you want a cost-effective AI assistant that integrates directly into your existing editor, especially at the team level where it costs less than half of Cursor's business pricing at $19/user/month vs $40/user/month.
Frequently Asked Questions
01 Is Cursor cheaper than GitHub Copilot?
No, GitHub Copilot is generally cheaper than Cursor. Copilot's Pro plan costs $10/month compared to Cursor's Pro at $20/month. The gap widens at the business level, where Copilot charges $19/user/month versus Cursor's $40/user/month. Both offer free tiers for individual developers getting started.
02 Which is better for individual developers on a budget?
GitHub Copilot is the more budget-friendly choice for individual developers, with its Pro plan at $10/month being half the price of Cursor Pro at $20/month. However, both tools offer free tiers, so you can try each before committing to a paid plan.
03 Can Cursor replace GitHub Copilot?
Cursor can replace GitHub Copilot for developers who want an all-in-one AI IDE rather than an editor extension. However, you will pay more for Cursor at $20/month versus $10/month for Copilot Pro. Cursor functions as a standalone editor built on VS Code, while Copilot works as a plugin within your existing IDE.