Anthropic's AI assistant for writing, analysis, coding and multi-step work, with free and paid plans.
Free stops at: Usage limits apply, Projects: up to 5
Listed Not yet reviewed
Free · paid from $20/mo US · checked Sep 30
Head-to-head · profiles checked Sep 30, 2026
Claude vs GitHub Copilot in 2026: which one fits your work
GitHub Copilot fits daily coding inside your editor and GitHub workflow; Claude fits mixed work where code is one task among writing, research and documents. Copilot Pro is $10/mo against $20/mo for Claude Pro. Claude and GitHub Copilot both have a Free plan, and Claude sells a separate pay-per-token API, while Copilot documents none.
Starting pricePro $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually) · Pro $10/moClaude · GitHub Copilot
Free tierYes · Yes (free for verified students)Claude · GitHub Copilot
Plans documented8 · 7Claude · GitHub Copilot
Top individual tierMax 20x $200/mo · Max $100/moClaude · GitHub Copilot
We based this comparison on our verified profiles of Claude and GitHub Copilot, pricing-checked on 2026-09-30; it uses no third-party benchmarks, we ran no benchmark for this pair, and no vendor paid for it.
Is Claude better than GitHub Copilot? The short answer
Claude is a general chat assistant for writing, research, documents and code, with a Free plan and Pro at $20/mo. GitHub Copilot is built for coding inside the editors and GitHub workflow you already use, with a Free plan and Pro at $10/mo. Pick Claude if code is one of several kinds of work you do, or you want a pay-per-token API. Pick Copilot if you write code every day in VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode or similar and your team is on GitHub.
Based on our verified profiles of Claude and GitHub Copilot, both pricing-checked on 2026-09-30; no benchmark run.
Claude or GitHub Copilot: which to use, by task
If you only want the answer, this is the table. Everything below is the evidence from the two documented profiles.
| You want to | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Autocomplete code while typing | GitHub Copilot | Copilot offers inline suggestions in VS Code, JetBrains, Xcode and other IDEs; Claude's profile lists no inline completions. |
| Write or edit long documents | Claude | Claude lists writing and editing documents as a use case; Copilot's profile centers on code. |
| Summarize a long PDF | Claude | Claude chat takes PDFs up to 1,000 pages and 500 MB per file. |
| Create Word, Excel or PowerPoint files | Claude | Claude creates files through code execution, including decks via Slides. |
| Research a topic with web search | Claude | Claude lists web search with citations on all plans; Copilot's profile does not list it. |
| Have an agent open a pull request from a GitHub issue | GitHub Copilot | Copilot's cloud agent takes assigned issues and opens pull requests. |
| Review a pull request | GitHub Copilot | Copilot reviews pull requests on GitHub and file diffs in editors on paid plans. |
| Write code with a terminal agent | Either | Claude Code (paid plans) and the Copilot CLI both run in the terminal. |
| Build your own app on a model API | Claude | Claude Platform is pay-per-token; Copilot's SDK exposes sessions and AI-credit usage, not a model API. |
| Generate photos or illustrations | Either | Claude does not generate images, and Copilot's profile lists no image generation. |
Who should pick which
Pick Claude if
- You also write, research or analyze long documents, not only code (PDFs up to 1,000 pages in chat)
- You want one assistant that creates Word, Excel and PowerPoint files and connects to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack and GitHub
- You want a developer API billed per token through the Claude Platform
- You need Team or Enterprise plans with SSO, admin controls and no training on content by default
Pick GitHub Copilot if
- You want completions and chat directly inside VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Eclipse, Xcode or Neovim
- Your team is on GitHub and wants a cloud agent that works on issues and opens pull requests
- You want a lower entry price: Pro is $10/mo, and verified students get access free
- You need content exclusion, audit logs and IP indemnity on Business ($19/user/mo) or Enterprise ($39/user/mo)
What Claude does better, and what GitHub Copilot does better
Claude
- Works with long documents: PDFs up to 1,000 pages, 20 files per chat
- Creates Word, Excel and PowerPoint-style files, artifacts and charts from a chat prompt
- Web search with citations on every plan, including Free
- Connectors to Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, GitHub and any MCP service, plus a Chrome extension
GitHub Copilot
- Inline completions and next edit suggestions inside VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Eclipse, Xcode and Neovim
- Cloud agent that works on GitHub issues and opens pull requests
- Pull request code review and a public code duplication filter
- Content exclusion, IP indemnity and pooled AI credits on Business and Enterprise
Claude vs GitHub Copilot pricing: plans and free tiers
| Plan | Tool | Price | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Free | Claude | $0 | Usage limits apply; up to 5 projects; Sonnet and Haiku only |
| Claude Pro | Claude | $20/mo ($17/mo billed annually) | More usage than Free; usage limits apply |
| Claude Max | Claude | $100/mo (5x) or $200/mo (20x) | 5x or 20x Pro usage; usage limits apply |
| Claude Team (Standard seat) | Claude | $25/seat/mo ($20 billed annually) | More usage than Pro; usage limits apply |
| Claude Team (Premium seat) | Claude | $125/seat/mo ($100 billed annually) | 5x more usage than standard seats |
| Claude Enterprise | Claude | $20/seat/mo billed annually plus usage at API rates | Usage cost scales with model and task |
| Copilot Free | GitHub Copilot | $0 | 2,000 completions per month; limited chat and agent usage; auto model selection only |
| Copilot Pro | GitHub Copilot | $10/mo | 1,500 total monthly AI credits; unused credits do not carry over |
| Copilot Pro+ | GitHub Copilot | $39/mo | 7,000 total monthly AI credits |
| Copilot Max | GitHub Copilot | $100/mo | 20,000 total monthly AI credits |
| Copilot Business | GitHub Copilot | $19/user/mo | 1,900 AI credits per user per month, pooled |
| Copilot Enterprise | GitHub Copilot | $39/seat/mo | 3,900 AI credits per user per month, pooled; requires GitHub Enterprise Cloud |
USD as published on each vendor's pricing page, checked Sep 30, 2026. Claude pricing in full · GitHub Copilot pricing in full
Usage limits: what the vendors state
| Claude | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Messages / rate limits | Usage limits on all plans; session limits reset every five hours and are shared across claude.ai, Claude Code and Desktop | Monthly AI credit allowance by plan (1,500 on Pro); extra usage billed at $0.01 per AI credit if allowed |
| Context / file size | 500 MB per file, 20 files per chat; context up to 1M tokens on paid plans for current models | Not stated |
| Seats / team | Team for 2-150 users; Enterprise with SSO, SCIM and audit logs | Business and Enterprise with seat management, policies and budgets; Enterprise requires GitHub Enterprise Cloud |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Claude | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Image generation | No | Not stated |
| Voice | Yes | Not stated |
| File upload | Yes | Not stated |
| Web search | Yes | Not stated |
| Agents / tools | Yes: Claude Code, Cowork, MCP connectors | Yes: IDE agent mode, cloud agent, CLI, MCP servers |
| API | Yes, pay-per-token, billed separately | No standalone model API; Copilot SDK available |
| Mobile apps | Yes (iOS and Android) | GitHub Mobile |
| Inline code completions | Not stated | Yes |
Privacy and data training
| Claude | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Training on your data | Free, Pro and Max: may be used for training unless you opt out; Team and Enterprise: no training by default | Free, Pro and Pro+: may be used for training unless you opt out; Business and Enterprise: not used for training |
| Retention | Deleted chats removed from the back end within 30 days; Enterprise offers custom retention | Business and Enterprise IDE chat and completions: engagement data kept two years |
| Business controls | SSO, SCIM, audit logs, Compliance API, IP allowlisting, HIPAA-ready configuration | Content exclusion, audit logs, budgets, MCP allow lists, public code filter, Data Protection Agreement |
Taken from each vendor's published policy pages at the time of our check. Policies change; the source links are at the bottom.
Switching between Claude and GitHub Copilot: what carries over
Claude → GitHub CopilotCarries over
- Claude is available inside Copilot as a third-party coding agent (Preview, Pro+ and above)
- Project instructions can be recreated as Copilot custom instructions
- Document and PDF analysis, and Word, Excel and PowerPoint file creation
- Web search and Claude's connectors to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
GitHub Copilot → ClaudeCarries over
- Claude Code gives terminal coding on paid plans
- Claude has a GitHub connector and MCP support
- Inline completions inside your IDE
- Copilot cloud agent and pull request review tied to GitHub
Pros and cons
Claude
- Free plan includes web search, file creation and code execution
- Apps for web, desktop and mobile
- Developer API available
- Free plan has usage limits
- Claude Code and Projects require a paid plan
- Heaviest usage tiers start at $100/month
GitHub Copilot
- Free plan available
- Works across a wide range of editors
- Free access for verified students
- Free plan caps completions and chat usage
- Usage beyond the plan allowance is metered via AI credits
- Requires a GitHub account
The two tools
AI coding assistant from GitHub offering code completions, chat and agent features in editors, the terminal and GitHub.
Free stops at: 2,000 completions per month, Limited chat and agent usage (allowance of GitHub AI Credits)
Listed Not yet reviewed
Verified github.com (opens GitHub Copilot website in a new tab)
Free · paid from $10/mo US · checked Sep 30
Claude or GitHub Copilot: how to choose
- If you code every day in an editor like VS Code or JetBrains, start with Copilot Free or Pro at $10/mo.
- If your work mixes documents, research and code, start with Claude Free or Pro at $20/mo.
- If your team lives on GitHub issues and pull requests, Copilot's cloud agent fits.
- If you need a pay-per-token API for your own app, choose Claude.
- If you need content exclusion and IP indemnity, look at Copilot Business at $19/user/mo.
- Our pick: Copilot for developers, Claude for everyone whose work is more than code.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude or GitHub Copilot cheaper?
GitHub Copilot is cheaper to start: Pro is $10/mo against $20/mo for Claude Pro. Both have a Free plan with limits. Heavier tiers converge, since Copilot Max and Claude Max both start at $100/mo.
Does GitHub Copilot work with Claude?
Yes, in preview. Our GitHub Copilot profile lists third-party coding agents, including Claude and Codex, on Pro+ and above. Claude also has a GitHub connector on its side.
Do Claude and GitHub Copilot have a free plan?
Yes, Claude and GitHub Copilot both have a free plan. Claude Free includes web search, file creation and code execution with usage limits. Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions per month and limited chat and agent usage, and verified students get Copilot access free.
Do Claude and GitHub Copilot train on my data?
On individual plans, Claude and GitHub Copilot may both use your data for training unless you opt out in settings. Claude Team and Enterprise do not train on content by default, and GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise data is not used for training.
Sources
- https://claude.com
- https://claude.com/pricing
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/cloud-agent/about-cloud-agent
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/copilot-cli/about-copilot-cli
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/billing-and-usage/individuals/billing
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/security-governance-and-network-settings/content-exclusion
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/get-started/plans
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/copilot-sdk/features/usage-and-billing
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/how-tos/manage-your-account/get-started-with-a-copilot-plan
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/reference/copilot-feature-matrix
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/responsible-use/chat
- https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-for-additional-products-and-features
- https://github.blog/changelog/label/copilot/
- https://github.com/features/copilot
- https://github.com/features/copilot/plans
- https://platform.claude.com/docs/en/about-claude/pricing
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/10769299-how-to-use-claude-in-your-preferred-language
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11049741-what-is-the-max-plan
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11176164-use-connectors-to-extend-claude-s-capabilities
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11647753-how-do-usage-and-length-limits-work
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12138966-release-notes
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12260368-use-incognito-chats
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12326764-can-i-use-my-outputs-to-train-an-ai-model
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/12429409-manage-usage-credits-for-paid-claude-plans
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/13117299-minimum-age-requirement-access-restriction
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/14246112-buy-usage-bundles
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8114494-how-up-to-date-is-claude-s-training-data
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8241126-upload-files-to-claude
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8325621-i-would-like-to-input-sensitive-data-into-my-chats-with-claude-who-can-view-my-conversations
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8461763-where-can-i-access-claude
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/8606394-how-large-is-the-context-window-on-paid-claude-plans
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9002504-can-claude-produce-images
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9266767-what-is-the-team-plan
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9450526-export-your-claude-data
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9797531-what-is-the-enterprise-plan
- https://support.claude.com/en/articles/9876003-i-have-a-paid-claude-subscription-pro-max-team-or-enterprise-plans-why-do-i-have-to-pay-separately-to-use-the-claude-api-and-console
- https://www.anthropic.com/legal/consumer-terms
- https://www.anthropic.com/legal/privacy
Only official vendor pages. No third-party benchmarks, forum threads or press were used. How we review.