GitHub Copilot

by GITHUB (Microsoft)

AI pair programmer that grew from autocomplete into agent mode, a cloud coding agent, a CLI and a desktop app.

Features

• Completions and next edit suggestions in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains and others; unlimited on paid plans and they do not consume AI Credits.
• Chat and agent mode in the IDE (generally available in VS Code; multi-file edits, terminal commands, MCP). An Agents window was added to VS Code Stable as a preview in May 2026.
• Copilot coding agent (cloud): delegate an issue, it works in its own environment and opens a draft PR; generally available for paid subscribers since 2025-09-25.
• Copilot CLI: terminal agent, GA 2026-02-25.
• GitHub Copilot app: native desktop app for agentic sessions tied to GitHub work (one session per branch, Agent Merge, Canvases); technical preview since 2026-05-14, opened to all Pro/Pro+/Business/Enterprise customers in June 2026.
• Agent Plugins 1.0 GA (2026-08-12) across VS Code, CLI, the Copilot SDK and the app. Code review with effort levels (GA 2026-08-07).
• Multi-model: Claude, GPT and Gemini models selectable.
• Custom instructions: .github/copilot-instructions.md; also reads agents-md.

Plans and billing (changed 2026-06-01)

All plans moved from premium request units to usage-based billing with GitHub AI Credits (credits are consumed by tokens at model API rates). Annual Pro/Pro+ subscribers stayed on the old model until expiry.

• Free: limited completions/chat; includes CLI and agent mode per the plans page).
• Plans: Pro, Pro+, Max (new, upgrade-only at launch), Business (per user), Enterprise (per user). Each individual plan includes a monthly credit allotment that grows with the tier (the May 2026 “flex allotment” update changed the Pro and Pro+ amounts).
• Current prices: see https://github.com/features/copilot/plans.
• Business/Enterprise: budget controls per enterprise, cost center and user; lower-cost model fallback removed.
• Note: the audit’s Appendix A said a “Sept 2026” billing reset; the change actually took effect June 1, 2026.

Related

• Microsoft Edge Copilot - Copilot in the Edge browser (different product)

Sources

• https://github.blog/news-insights/company-news/github-copilot-is-moving-to-usage-based-billing/ (2026-09-30)
• https://github.blog/news-insights/company-news/github-copilot-individual-plans-introducing-flex-allotments-in-pro-and-pro-and-a-new-max-plan/ (via search snippet, 2026-09-30)
• https://github.com/features/copilot/plans (2026-09-30)
• https://github.blog/changelog/2026-05-14-github-copilot-app-is-now-available-in-technical-preview/ and /2026-06-02-expanded-technical-preview-availability-for-the-github-copilot-app/ (2026-09-30)
• https://github.blog/changelog/2025-09-25-copilot-coding-agent-is-now-generally-available/ (2026-09-30)
• https://github.blog/changelog/2026-02-25-github-copilot-cli-is-now-generally-available/ (2026-09-30)