GitHub Copilot, Claude Code and Cursor are three of the most popular AI coding assistants, but they work in different ways and charge differently. GitHub Copilot has the cheapest entry point, with a free plan and a $10 Pro plan. Claude Code comes with a Claude Pro subscription from $20 a month and works as an agent that can edit files and run commands across your project. Cursor is an AI code editor whose plans now start at $8 a month with Grok models only. This guide compares their prices, features and best uses so you can choose the right one.
Quick comparison: Copilot vs Claude Code vs Cursor
| GitHub Copilot | Claude Code | Cursor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | AI assistant inside your editor, CLI and GitHub | Agentic coding tool from Anthropic | AI code editor |
| Free option | Yes, with limits | No (paid Claude plan or API account) | Yes, with limits |
| Cheapest paid plan | Pro, $10/month | Claude Pro, $20/month ($17/month billed annually) | Plus, $8/month (Grok models only) |
| Higher plans | Pro+ $39, Max $100 | Max from $100/month | Premium $30, Super $100, Ultra $200 |
| Where it runs | Editors, CLI, GitHub | Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app, web | Its own editor |
| Best for | Low-cost autocomplete and chat | Large, multi-file tasks done by an agent | An all-in-one AI editor |
Prices are the US monthly prices listed on each company’s official pricing page in October 2026. They exclude taxes and can change.
GitHub Copilot: the cheapest way to start
According to GitHub’s plans page, Copilot Free costs $0 and includes 2,000 code completions a month plus limited chat and agent use. It works in supported editors, the command line and on GitHub, and it includes agent mode, MCP and custom instructions.
The paid plans add more AI usage:
- Pro ($10/month): unlimited code completions, a monthly allowance of AI credits, a cloud agent, code review and Copilot Spaces.
- Pro+ ($39/month): everything in Pro with a larger credit allowance and the option to delegate tasks to third-party coding agents (in preview).
- Max ($100/month): the same features as Pro+ with the largest allowance, aimed at heavy agent use.
GitHub says code completions and next-edit suggestions do not use credits on paid plans, so everyday autocomplete stays unlimited. Business and Enterprise plans are sold through GitHub’s sales team.
Claude Code: an agent that works across your project
Anthropic describes Claude Code as “an agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands, and integrates with your development tools.” Instead of suggesting the next line, you describe a task in plain language, such as fixing a bug or writing tests, and Claude Code plans the steps, changes several files and checks the result.
According to Anthropic’s documentation, Claude Code runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains IDEs, in the Claude desktop app and on the web at claude.ai/code. It can create commits and pull requests, connect to tools such as Jira or Google Drive through MCP and follow project instructions stored in a CLAUDE.md file.
Claude Code is included with paid Claude plans, not the free plan. Claude’s pricing page lists Pro at $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually, and Max from $100 a month for 5x or 20x Pro usage. Team and Enterprise plans also include it. Developers can instead connect an Anthropic Console account and pay API rates.
Cursor: an AI-first code editor
Cursor is a full code editor with AI built in, so you switch editors rather than add an extension. Its pricing page in October 2026 lists:
- Free: limited agent and chat requests.
- Plus ($8/month): Cursor’s agent with a shared usage pool. Cursor says “Plus includes Grok models only.”
- Premium ($30/month): four times Plus usage, plus cloud agents and automations.
- Super ($100/month) and Ultra ($200/month): 15x and 50x Plus usage, with priority or early access.
Cursor says third-party models remain available at API list price and are billed separately by usage, and that usage allowances refresh weekly. If you specifically want to use Claude, GPT or Gemini models inside Cursor, add that usage to your budget.
Which AI coding assistant should you choose?
- You want the lowest cost: start with GitHub Copilot Free, then move to Pro at $10 if you hit the limits.
- You want an agent to handle bigger tasks: Claude Code is built for multi-file changes, tests and pull requests, and you may already have it if you pay for Claude Pro.
- You want everything in one editor: Cursor puts chat, agents and editing in a single app, but check which models your plan includes.
- You work in a company: ask your administrator first. Business plans add admin controls, and some companies only approve specific tools.
Many developers combine tools, for example Copilot for autocomplete and Claude Code for larger refactors. Start with one, use it for real work for a couple of weeks and track how much time it saves before you upgrade.
What should you watch out for?
All three tools send your code and prompts to AI models in the cloud. Before you use them on private code, check your company’s policy and the privacy settings of each service. Never paste passwords or API keys into a prompt, and keep secrets out of your code. Our guide on what an API key is and how to keep it safe explains how.
Always review AI-written code before you merge it, and run your tests. Agents can make changes quickly, which also means they can make mistakes quickly.
For the wider picture of AI assistants and agents, read our AI tools guide.
New to coding? These tools are built for developers. If you want to build an app by describing it in plain language, start with our guide to vibe coding.
When a fix goes wrong, follow our step-by-step guide on how to debug code with AI, which covers Copilot slash commands and a copy-paste debugging prompt.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes. Copilot Free includes 2,000 code completions a month and limited chat and agent use. Paid plans start at $10 a month.
Is Claude Code free?
No. Claude Code needs a paid Claude plan, such as Pro, or an Anthropic Console account billed at API rates.
Can I use Claude Code inside Cursor or VS Code?
Yes. Anthropic offers a Claude Code extension for VS Code, and its documentation includes an install link for Cursor as well.
The bottom line
Choose GitHub Copilot for affordable autocomplete, Claude Code for agent-driven work across your project and Cursor if you want a dedicated AI editor. To compare the chat assistants behind these tools, read our ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini guide.
Sources
This article is based on the official documentation and reporting listed in the sources above, checked on October 17, 2026. Features and prices change, so confirm details on the official pages before you buy. ShokokoTech does not accept payment for coverage. Read our editorial policy.
