// head_to_head
Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot
Plans, included models and benchmark scores for Claude Code and GitHub Copilot, side by side — and which to pick for what.
All coding toolsPlans checked 2026-10-27
Which to choose
- You want the lowest paid entry price: GitHub Copilot. GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/mo against $20/mo for Claude Code Pro.
- You want to pay per token with your own API key: Claude Code. Claude Code accepts your own API key, so cost tracks usage instead of a plan’s limits.
- You want to switch between labs’ models: GitHub Copilot. GitHub Copilot’s plans include models from 5 providers.
Side by side
| Claude Code | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Anthropic | GitHub (Microsoft) |
| Where you use it | Terminal agent, plus IDE extensions, desktop and web | IDE extensions, github.com, CLI and a cloud coding agent |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Paid from | $20/mo · Pro | $10/mo · Pro |
| Best coding model | 97.7Claude Fable 5.1 | 97.7Claude Fable 5.1 |
| Best agentic model | 77.9Claude Fable 5.1 | 77.9Claude Fable 5.1 |
| Own API key | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | No |
Claude Code plans and models
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | $20/mo$17/mo billed annually | At least 5× Free usage per five-hour session; weekly limits apply+ Fable via usage credits |
| Max | from $100/mo | 5× or 20× Pro usage per session, plus $100 or $200 in monthly API credits; Fable capped at 50% of weekly limits |
| Team (Standard)team | $25/moper seat · $20 billed annually | More usage than Pro; 2–150 seats |
| Team (Premium)team | $125/moper seat · $100 billed annually | 5× Standard usage; Fable capped at 50% of weekly limits |
| Model | Coding | Long-horizon agentic | Same work via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1 | 97.7 | 77.9 | $6,540/mo |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 96.3 | 72.8 | $2,672/mo |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | 94.7 | 63.4 | $1,336/mo |
| Claude Haiku 5.5 | 91.4 | 40.0 | $69.60/mo |
GitHub Copilot plans and models
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Limited chat and agent usage; no cloud coding agent |
| Pro | $10/mo | $15 of AI credits a month ($10 base + $5 flex); cloud coding agent |
| Pro+ | $39/mo | $70 of AI credits a month; can delegate to Claude and Codex agents |
| Max | $100/mo | $200 of AI credits a month; can delegate to Claude and Codex agents |
| Model | Coding | Long-horizon agentic | Same work via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Fable 5.1 | 97.7 | 77.9 | $6,540/mo |
| Claude Opus 5.5 | 96.3 | 72.8 | $2,672/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 96.0 | 68.7 | $1,336/mo |
| Claude Sonnet 5.5 | 94.7 | 63.4 | $1,336/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Terra | 94.3 | 48.6 | $668.00/mo |
Claude Code vs GitHub Copilot FAQ
Is Claude Code or GitHub Copilot cheaper?
GitHub Copilot has the lower entry price: Claude Code Pro is $20/mo and GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/mo.
Which is better if you want the lowest paid entry price?
GitHub Copilot. GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/mo against $20/mo for Claude Code Pro.
Which is better if you want to pay per token with your own API key?
Claude Code. Claude Code accepts your own API key, so cost tracks usage instead of a plan’s limits.
Do Claude Code and GitHub Copilot have free plans?
Claude Code: no. GitHub Copilot: yes.
Where these numbers come from
- Plans and prices — each vendor's own pricing page, checked 2026-10-27: Claude Code, GitHub Copilot. Usage allowances change often; check before you buy.
- Model scores — LiveBench coding and long-horizon agentic categories for the models each plan includes, live from the same data as the leaderboard. A tool's own agent loop matters too; these scores rate the model, not the tool.
- “Same work via API” — a heavy coding-agent month (40K tokens in, 4K out, 20K requests, 70% cached input) at OpenRouter list price, for comparing a subscription against paying per token.