WhichBot › Alternatives › Alternatives to GitHub Copilot
Last checked Oct 28, 2026 · plain English · no paid picks
Best alternatives to GitHub Copilot
Stay with GitHub Copilot if your code lives on GitHub and you want unlimited code completion for $10 a month.
Try Cursor if you want an AI agent built right into your code editor.
Try Claude Code if you're a developer who wants Hector's coding pick and already pays for Claude Pro or Max.
Try OpenAI Codex if you want to try a coding agent for free with your ChatGPT account.
The alternatives
Coding agents
Cursor
Code editor with an AI agent built in · Cursor / X Subscription
Pick it if you want an AI agent built right into your code editor.
Price: Free; Plus $8; Premium $30; Super $100; Ultra $200 /mo; Teams $30+/user
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Third-party model usage billed separately
GitHub Copilot vs Cursor · Alternatives to Cursor · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Coding agents
Claude Code
Coding agent from Anthropic · Anthropic
Pick it if you're a developer who wants Hector's coding pick and already pays for Claude Pro or Max.
Price: Included in Claude Pro $20/mo, Max $100/$200; or pay-per-token via Console
Free plan: No
Watch out for: Not on the free plan; shares usage limits with chat
GitHub Copilot vs Claude Code · Alternatives to Claude Code · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Coding agents
OpenAI Codex
Coding agent from OpenAI · OpenAI
Pick it if you want to try a coding agent for free with your ChatGPT account.
Price: Included with ChatGPT incl. Free and Go (limited); Codex cloud on Plus and up
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Fuller usage needs Plus or Pro
GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex · Alternatives to OpenAI Codex · Checked Oct 28, 2026
Coding agents
Cline
Free, open-source coding agent for your code editor · Cline
Pick it if you want a free, open-source agent inside your code editor.
Price: Free
Free plan: Yes
Checked Oct 28, 2026
Coding agents
Gemini CLI
Free coding agent from Google that runs in the terminal · Google
Pick it if you want a free coding agent in the terminal with a big daily allowance.
Price: Free with a personal Google account: 1,000 requests/day, 60/min
Free plan: Yes
Watch out for: Unpaid developer service key limited to Flash models, 250/day
Alternatives to Gemini CLI · Checked Oct 28, 2026
GitHub Copilot next to the top alternatives
| GitHub Copilot | Cursor | Claude Code | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Coding agent from GitHub (Microsoft) | Code editor with an AI agent built in | Coding agent from Anthropic |
| Made by | GitHub (Microsoft) | Cursor / X Subscription | Anthropic |
| Price | Pro $10/mo with 1,500 AI credits; agent use consumes credits | Free; Plus $8; Premium $30; Super $100; Ultra $200 /mo; Teams $30+/user | Included in Claude Pro $20/mo, Max $100/$200; or pay-per-token via Console |
| Free plan | Not listed in our data | Yes | No |
| Good at | Unlimited code completion on Pro | Agent built into the editor; cloud agents and code reviews on Premium | Hector's coding pick (with Fable/Opus) |
| Watch out for | Credits expire monthly | Third-party model usage billed separately | Not on the free plan; shares usage limits with chat |
| Privacy | Not listed in our data | Privacy mode guarantees code isn't used for training by Cursor or model providers | Not listed in our data |
| Who it's for | Developers on GitHub | Developers | Developers |
| Where it runs | code editor, command line, cloud agent on GitHub | code editor (desktop), cloud agents | terminal, code editor (VS Code, JetBrains) |
| Status | Current. GitHub removed Gemini 3.7 Flash, GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini, GPT-5 mini and Grok 4.5 from most Copilot experiences on Oct 19, 2026 (suggested: Gemini 3.8 Flash, GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6 Luna, Grok 4.7; Enterprise admins may need to enable alternatives). Next: GitHub removes Claude Opus 4.8 (kept for individual annual plans), Claude Opus 5 and GPT-5.6 Terra from Copilot on Nov 16, 2026; suggested: Opus 5.5, GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna | Current. Now sold as part of the X Subscription (Cursor + Grok + X) | Current |
| Sources | docs.github.com · github.blog · github.blog (2) · github.blog (3) | cursor.com | code.claude.com · support.claude.com · claude.com |
Related pages
- Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
- OpenAI Codex vs GitHub Copilot
- Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot
- Alternatives to Claude Code
- Alternatives to Cursor
- Alternatives to OpenAI Codex
- Alternatives to Gemini CLI
- Alternatives to Devin
Questions people ask
What is the best alternative to GitHub Copilot?
It depends on what you need. Try Cursor if you want an AI agent built right into your code editor. Try Claude Code if you're a developer who wants Hector's coding pick and already pays for Claude Pro or Max. Try OpenAI Codex if you want to try a coding agent for free with your ChatGPT account.
Is there a free alternative to GitHub Copilot?
Yes. These have a free plan: Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Cline, Gemini CLI.
Is GitHub Copilot still worth using?
Yes, if your code lives on GitHub and you want unlimited code completion for $10 a month. Its status in our directory: current.
Are these picks paid for?
No. There are no paid picks, sponsors are always labeled, and WhichBot never takes sponsorship from AI labs.
Facts come from the companies' own pages, linked above, and were last checked Oct 28, 2026. Prices are US and can change. Picks are Hector's: no paid picks, sponsors always labeled, and no sponsorship from AI labs. Our policy.