Max
$100/mo
Limits $200/month total AI Credits ($100 base + $100 flex); '2.9x+ included usage than Pro+'; priority access to new models.Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16
GitHub Copilot vs Claude Code: pricing and usage limits (Oct 2026)
GitHub Copilot starts at $10/mo, Claude Code at $20/mo. Only GitHub Copilot has a free plan. Every plan from both vendors, the limits each one actually publishes, and what changed recently, with a source on every line.
The short answer
Verdict from the data
- Cheaper to start
- GitHub Copilot. GitHub Copilot Pro is $10/mo; the cheapest Claude Code plan, Claude Code via Claude Pro, is $20/mo ($10 more).
- Free plan
- Only GitHub Copilot. Claude Code has no free plan.
- Top of the ladder
- GitHub Copilot Max at $100/mo vs Claude Code via Claude Max 20x at $200/mo.
- Paying yearly
- Claude Code takes up to 15% off (Claude Pro); GitHub Copilot shows no yearly discount on the plans we track.
- Hard numbers
- Claude Code doesn't publish exact allowances, so the limits below are quoted, not counted.
- Latest move
- GitHub Copilot, 1 Jun 2026: GitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches.
Pick GitHub Copilot if you want the lowest monthly bill and you need to start at $0. Beyond price and free access, the deciding factor is which models and features you need; we track the money, not the model quality.
Head to head
| Fact | GitHub Copilot | Claude Code |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free tier | No free tier |
| Cheapest plan | Pro · $10/mo | Via Claude Pro · $20/mo |
| Top plan | Max · $100/mo | Via Claude Max 20x · $200/mo |
| Plans tracked | 3 | 4 |
| Yearly discount | None shown | up to 15% |
| Allowance periods | Monthly | 5-hourWeekly |
| Latest change | billing model | None logged |
| Last checked |
Closest price match: GitHub Copilot Max vs Claude Code via Claude Max 5x
Via Claude Max 5x
$100/mo
Limits 5x Pro per-session allowance; five-hour session + general weekly limit + separate weekly Fable limit, shared with Claude.Source: support.claude.com · checked 2026-10-16
Every plan side by side
| Tool | Plan | Price | Limits as stated & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Pro | $10/mo | Unlimited completions/next-edit suggestions; $15/month total GitHub AI Credits ($10 base + $5 flex). Chat, agent mode, code review, cloud agent and CLI consume credits. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| GitHub Copilot | Pro+ | $39/mo | $70/month total AI Credits ($39 base + $31 flex); premium models incl. Opus; '4x+ included usage than Pro'. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| GitHub Copilot | Max | $100/mo | $200/month total AI Credits ($100 base + $100 flex); '2.9x+ included usage than Pro+'; priority access to new models. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Claude Code | Via Claude Pro | $20/mo | Five-hour session limit and weekly limit, shared with Claude chat (web/desktop/mobile). Usage credits can be enabled to continue past limits. Counts not published. Source: support.claude.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Claude Code | Via Claude Max 5x | $100/mo | 5x Pro per-session allowance; five-hour session + general weekly limit + separate weekly Fable limit, shared with Claude. Source: support.claude.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Claude Code | Via Claude Max 20x | $200/mo | 20x Pro per-session allowance; same limit structure as Max 5x. Source: support.claude.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Claude Code | API (pay-as-you-go) | Usage billed at API token rates | No subscription limit; pay per token. Source: claude.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Free plans
| Tool | Free? | What you get for $0 & source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Free tier | Free $0: 2,000 completions per month; 'limited chat and agent usage'; Haiku 4.5, GPT-5 mini and more; Copilot CLI. No credit card. Verified students get a free Copilot Student plan; verified teachers and popular OSS maintainers may get Pro free. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Claude Code | No free tier | Not included in the Free Claude plan (pricing table: Claude Code 'No' on Free). Can alternatively be used pay-as-you-go with API credits via a Console account. Source: claude.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Recent price and limit changes
-
billing modelGitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches
Premium requests replaced by AI Credits billed at model API rates. Pro $10 includes $15 total ($10 base + $5 flex), Pro+ $39 includes $70, new Max $100 includes $200. Flex allotments may change over time.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or Claude Code?
GitHub Copilot is cheaper to start: GitHub Copilot Pro costs $10/mo, against $20/mo for Claude Code via Claude Pro. At the top end, GitHub Copilot Max is $100/mo and Claude Code via Claude Max 20x is $200/mo.
Is GitHub Copilot or Claude Code free?
GitHub Copilot: Yes. Free $0: 2,000 completions per month; 'limited chat and agent usage'; Haiku 4.5, GPT-5 mini and more; Copilot CLI. No credit card. Verified students get a free Copilot Student plan; verified teachers and popular OSS maintainers may get Pro free. Claude Code: No. Not included in the Free Claude plan (pricing table: Claude Code 'No' on Free). Can alternatively be used pay-as-you-go with API credits via a Console account.
How do the usage limits compare at the closest price?
GitHub Copilot Max ($100/mo): $200/month total AI Credits ($100 base + $100 flex); '2.9x+ included usage than Pro+'; priority access to new models. Claude Code via Claude Max 5x ($100/mo): 5x Pro per-session allowance; five-hour session + general weekly limit + separate weekly Fable limit, shared with Claude.
Is it cheaper to pay yearly?
GitHub Copilot: no yearly discount on the plans we track. Claude Code: up to 15% off when billed yearly (Claude Pro: $17/mo instead of $20).
When did GitHub Copilot and Claude Code last change their pricing?
1 Jun 2026, GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches.
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