// head_to_head
GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex
Plans, included models and benchmark scores for GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex, side by side — and which to pick for what.
All coding toolsPlans checked 2026-10-27
Which to choose
- You want the strongest model for coding work: GitHub Copilot. Its best included model, Claude Fable 5.1, scores 97.7 on LiveBench coding against 96.0 for GPT-6.1 Sol on OpenAI Codex.
- You want the lowest paid entry price: OpenAI Codex. OpenAI Codex Go is $8/mo against $10/mo for GitHub Copilot Pro.
- You want to pay per token with your own API key: OpenAI Codex. OpenAI Codex 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
| GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | GitHub (Microsoft) | OpenAI |
| Where you use it | IDE extensions, github.com, CLI and a cloud coding agent | Terminal, IDE extension, desktop app and cloud tasks |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Paid from | $10/mo · Pro | $8/mo · Go |
| Best coding model | 97.7Claude Fable 5.1 | 96.0GPT-6.1 Sol |
| Best agentic model | 77.9Claude Fable 5.1 | 77.5GPT-6 Astra |
| Own API key | No | Yes |
| Open source | No | No |
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 |
OpenAI Codex plans and models
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout |
| Go | $8/mo | GPT-6 Luna in the desktop app, subject to rollout |
| Plus | $20/mo | About 15–160 GPT-6.1 Sol messages per five hours; weekly limits may apply |
| Pro | from $100/mo$200 and $500 tiers | No five-hour limit |
| Businessteam | $25/moper user · $20 billed annually | Same five-hour estimates as Plus |
| Model | Coding | Long-horizon agentic | Same work via API |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPT-6.1 Sol | 96.0 | 68.7 | $1,336/mo |
| GPT-6.1 Terra | 94.3 | 48.6 | $668.00/mo |
| GPT-6 Astra | 93.7 | 77.5 | $6,960/mo |
| GPT-6 Luna | 84.5 | 30.9 | $69.60/mo |
GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex FAQ
Is GitHub Copilot or OpenAI Codex cheaper?
OpenAI Codex has the lower entry price: GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/mo and OpenAI Codex Go is $8/mo.
Which is better if you want the strongest model for coding work?
GitHub Copilot. Its best included model, Claude Fable 5.1, scores 97.7 on LiveBench coding against 96.0 for GPT-6.1 Sol on OpenAI Codex.
Which is better if you want the lowest paid entry price?
OpenAI Codex. OpenAI Codex Go is $8/mo against $10/mo for GitHub Copilot Pro.
Do GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex have free plans?
GitHub Copilot: yes. OpenAI Codex: yes.
Where these numbers come from
- Plans and prices — each vendor's own pricing page, checked 2026-10-27: GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex. 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.