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.
Sources & confidence
Every dollar amount and contract clause below traces back to a sourced fact. We don't manufacture composite scores.
Plans at a glance
Every tier per product. Lock one to drive the cost row above and reveal a tier-specific outbound CTA.
Contract terms
The fine print, surfaced. Green = buyer-friendly. Each clause backed by a quoted source.
What users say
Aggregated, with sample sizes. We use whichever review platform has data.
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 | — |
Continue researching
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.