Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
Verified 2026-07-18 by Michael Okeje
Cursor and GitHub Copilot are the two most popular AI coding tools, but they work differently. Copilot is an assistant that lives inside your existing editor (VS Code, JetBrains, and more) and starts at $10/month, with a genuinely free tier and a free plan for verified students. Cursor is an AI-first code editor (a VS Code fork) at $20/month, built around heavier agent features. Copilot is cheaper and free for students; Cursor goes further for an AI-native workflow.
Side by side
| Tool | Free tier | Cheapest paid | Annual discount | Best current deal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cursor | Yes | $20/mo | - | Free Hobby plan; no authorized reseller discounts |
| GitHub Copilot | Yes | $10/mo | - | Copilot Student is free, but new sign-ups are paused |
Prices are hand-verified against each tool's official page. See the full breakdown on each deal page linked above.
Which should you pick?
Cheapest, and free for students
GitHub Copilot
Copilot Pro is $10/month, has a free tier, and is free for verified students and teachers.
Get GitHub Copilot →Most powerful AI-first editor
Cursor
Cursor is a full editor built around AI agents, suited to developers who want AI at the centre of their workflow.
Get Cursor →The verdict
Choose GitHub Copilot if you want to keep your current editor and add strong AI assistance cheaply - and definitely if you are a student, since it is free. Its completions and chat cover most everyday coding help at $10/month.
Choose Cursor if you want to work inside an AI-first editor and will actually use its agentic features to edit across files and run larger tasks. It costs more at $20/month, but for developers who lean on the agent heavily, that is where it earns its price.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cursor or GitHub Copilot cheaper?
GitHub Copilot is cheaper at $10/month (Pro), versus $20/month for Cursor Pro. Copilot also has a free tier and is free for verified students, while Cursor has a limited free Hobby plan.
Is GitHub Copilot free for students?
Yes. Verified students and teachers get a free Copilot Student plan (unlimited completions plus monthly AI credits). Note GitHub temporarily paused new paid and student sign-ups in April 2026, so check current status.
Which is better, Cursor or Copilot?
Copilot is better if you want affordable AI inside your existing editor; Cursor is better if you want an AI-first editor with stronger agent features and will use them. Both have free options to try first.
KEEP READING
Comparisons reflect documented positioning and hand-verified pricing on the date shown; capabilities and prices change, so confirm current details on each tool's official page. Some outbound links are affiliate links; see the disclosure in the footer.