Pick GitHub Copilot if
developers already in GitHub who want completions and chat without switching to a separate AI IDE.
Read the GitHub Copilot pageGitHub Copilot vs Cursor
Our take
Pick GitHub Copilot if developers already in GitHub who want completions and chat without switching to a separate AI IDE. Pick Cursor if software engineers already in git who want an agent in the editor. Skip GitHub Copilot if teams that cannot send code to GitHub’s model pool, or users who want a local-only model (Ollama). Skip Cursor if non-developers, or teams that cannot send code to a third-party model API.
Best for
GitHub Copilot Code in a real editor
Cursor Changing a real repo
Free plan
GitHub Copilot $0 · limited completions and chat
Cursor $0 · limited Agent and Chat requests
Lowest paid
GitHub Copilot Pro $10/mo
Cursor Plus $8/mo · Grok models only
Next step up
GitHub Copilot Pro+ $39/mo
Cursor Premium $30/mo · other models at API price
Coding agent
GitHub Copilot Agent + Tab inside the editor
Cursor Agent + Tab inside the editor
Runs where
GitHub Copilot
Cursor Desktop editor; models hosted
Watch out
GitHub Copilot Flex credits are not unlimited Agent
Cursor Plus is Grok-only
Last checked
GitHub Copilot 2026-10-19 · github.com/features/copilot
Cursor 2026-10-19 · cursor.com/pricing
Which one, then?
Pick Cursor if
software engineers already in git who want an agent in the editor.
Read the Cursor page