Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot

In short

• Both: Chat about your code, Agent that edits files, Knows the whole codebase, Runs commands, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Command line
• Only GitHub Copilot states: Inline completion, Reviews pull requests, Choice of models, No code retained, Builds agents and workflows, Search over your data

Claude Code

Claude Code is an AI coding agent that works in terminals, IDEs, Slack, and the web to plan, write, test, and review code.

Plans

Free

Free

• Chat on web, desktop, and mobile
• Search the web, create files, and run code
• Memory across conversations
• Connect your apps and tools
• Create Artifacts

Pro

• $17 Per month with annual subscription discount
• $200 billed up front
• $20 if billed monthly

• Claude Code included
• More usage
• Hand off and schedule tasks
• Claude Design, Slides, Docs
• Claude Science
• Projects

Max

• From $100 Per month

• Claude Code included
• Choose 5x or 20x more usage than Pro
• Higher output limits for all tasks
• Early access to advanced Claude features
• Priority access at high traffic times

Standard seat

• $20 Per seat / month if billed annually
• $25 if billed monthly

• All Claude features, plus more usage than Pro
• Claude Code and Claude Cowork
• Claude Design, Slides, and Docs
• Claude Science
• Enterprise search across your organization
• Central billing and administration

Premium seat

• $100 Per seat / month if billed annually
• $125 if billed monthly

• 5x more usage than standard seats
• Claude Code and Claude Cowork
• Claude Design, Slides, and Docs
• Claude Science
• Enterprise search across your organization
• Central billing and administration

Enterprise

• US$20/seat/month, billed annually

• All Team plan features
• Admins set user and org spend limits
• Role-based access with fine grained permissioning
• System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM)
• Audit logs
• Custom data retention controls

Enterprise (sales-assisted)

Price on request

• All Team plan features
• Admins set user and org spend limits
• Role-based access with fine grained permissioning
• System for Cross-domain Identity Management (SCIM)
• Audit logs
• Custom data retention controls

Prices checked 2026-09-25 on the maker’s page.

Capabilities

• Chat about your code — “I'm new to this codebase. Can you explain it to me?” source
• Agent that edits files — “Claude Code builds the plan, asks clarifying questions, and handles work that runs for hours or days.” source
• Knows the whole codebase — “Claude Code maps and explains entire codebases in a few seconds.” source
• Runs commands — “Claude Code runs in your terminal and works alongside your preferred IDE and development tools without requiring you to change your workflow.” source
• VS Code — “Native extensions for VS Code (+ Cursor, Devin Desktop) and JetBrains IDEs.” source
• JetBrains IDEs — “Native extensions for VS Code (+ Cursor, Devin Desktop) and JetBrains IDEs.” source
• Command line — “Super powerful terminal integration. Works with all your CLI tools alongside any IDE.” source

Latest updates

• 2026-09-24 2.1.282 (2.1.282)
• 2026-09-23 2.1.281 (2.1.281)

  Added Claude Desktop policy keys, assumed-role and guardrail support for Bedrock upstreams, and telemetry resource attributes to gateway config.

• 2026-09-22 2.1.280 (2.1.280)

  Added Claude Opus 5.5 as the default Opus model, with a 1M context window and listed token pricing.

GitHub Copilot

AI coding assistance for code completion, chat, agents, code review, and command-line workflows.

Plans

Free

Free

• Limited chat and agent usage
• CLI included
• Agent mode included
• 2,000 inline suggestions per month
• Copilot Spaces included

Pro

• $10 per month

• App modernization for Java and .NET
• Assign work to Copilot to create a pull request
• Code review in GitHub and code editors
• Cloud agent included
• Unlimited inline suggestions
• Copilot Spaces included

Pro+

• $39 per month

• Delegate tasks to third-party coding agents (Preview)
• Cloud agent included
• Code review in GitHub and code editors
• Unlimited inline suggestions
• Copilot Spaces included
• CLI included

Max

• $100 per month

• Cloud agent included
• Code review in GitHub and code editors
• Unlimited inline suggestions
• Copilot Spaces included
• CLI included
• Built for heavy Copilot usage

Prices checked 2026-09-24 on the maker’s page.

Capabilities

• Inline completion — “Unlimited code completion and next edit suggestions” source
• Chat about your code — “All the offerings include both inline suggestion and chat assistance.” source
• Agent that edits files — “Assign work to Copilot to research, plan, and write code — with or without a pull request” source
• Knows the whole codebase — “GitHub Copilot Enterprise can index an organization’s codebase for a deeper understanding of the customer’s knowledge for more tailored suggestions” source
• Runs commands — “run terminal checks” source
• Reviews pull requests — “Pull request reviews in GitHub” source
• VS Code — “GitHub Copilot is available as an extension in Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Vim, Neovim, the JetBrains suite of IDEs, and Azure Data Studio.” source
• JetBrains IDEs — “GitHub Copilot is available as an extension in Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Vim, Neovim, the JetBrains suite of IDEs, and Azure Data Studio.” source
• Command line — “Use Copilot from your terminal” source
• Choice of models — “Choose from leading LLMs optimized for speed, accuracy, or cost.” source
• No code retained — “Prompts and Suggestions: Not retained” source
• Builds agents and workflows — “Turn skills and prompts into repeatable work that can be run on a regular basis.” source
• Search over your data — “creating a shared source of truth that includes context from your docs and repositories.” source

Security

• SOC 2 — “GitHub’s API stays secure with ISO, SOC 2, and GDPR.” source

Latest updates

• 2026-09-23 More ways to request and configure Copilot code reviews
• 2026-09-23 Local sandboxing in the GitHub Copilot app
• 2026-09-22 OpenTelemetry in the GitHub Copilot app