Installed and tested

GitHub Copilot

AI development suite spanning IDE completion, chat, CLI, code review, cloud agents, and GitHub-native workflows.

A first-party commercial option relevant to GitHub-centric teams, IDE users, enterprise engineering organizations.

Reading this record

GitHub Copilot lists 4 plan(s) in this record; entry cost in the retained snapshot is a free entry tier on the Free plan (checked 2026-07-12). The recorded integration surface covers 6 named target(s) and 4 extensibility path(s); treat those lists as the practical ceiling of this snapshot. Its verification stage rests on 2 retained run(s) using Hands-on setup or capability check retained by RepoRadar verification harness, not on score alone. RepoRadar keeps permanent head-to-head records for it: GitHub Copilot vs Cursor vs Windsurf (against Cursor, Windsurf); GitHub Copilot CLI vs OpenAI Codex vs Claude Code (against OpenAI Codex, Claude Code). This decision log retains 1 dated change event(s) (1 new entity); the most recent was new entity on 2026-07-14.

Who it fits

GitHub-centric teamsIDE usersenterprise engineering organizations

Deployment

IDE_extension, CLI, vendor_cloud

Integrations

GitHub, VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim

Extensibility

Copilot Extensions, MCP, custom instructions, third-party agents

Dated pricing intelligence

PlanPriceBilling
Free$0month
Pro$10user/month
Pro Plus$39user/month
Max$100user/month

Paid plans include monthly AI credits; additional use and signup availability are governed by current GitHub plan terms.

Checked 2026-07-12 · Source is stale; recheck before purchase.

Privacy and code-data boundary

Copilot processes prompts, suggestions, context, engagement, and feedback data; retention and training controls differ between individual and organizational plans.

Training/data-use check: Individual subscribers can review training controls in Copilot settings; business terms should be evaluated separately.

Verification record

Installed and tested · Hands-on setup or capability check retained by RepoRadar verification harness · last checked 2026-07-13T11:47:44.798456Z

Hands-on runs

partial · cohort-20260712-github-copilot-isolated-version

Tester
RepoRadar automated local verification harness
Started
2026-07-13T11:47:34.312454Z
Completed
2026-07-13T11:47:41.993817Z
Environment
Windows 10 AMD64; Python 3.11.9; credential-stripped child environment; disposable home/cache
Install/setup time
1 minute(s)
Evidence scope
Bounded setup or capability check
Cleanup
Per-check temporary home and work directory removed. Shared cohort package cache removed.
Actions exercised
  • Created a disposable home, work directory, and isolated package cache with credential-like environment variables excluded.
  • Executed bounded check: Resolve the official GitHub Copilot CLI package and read its version in an isolated cache.
  • Captured the complete sanitized stdout, stderr, exit status, artifact checks, and 7.68-second wall time.
Observed results
  • Command exited 0 after 7.68 seconds.
  • The command produced a successful local process exit; complete output is retained.
Observed strengths
  • The pinned @github/[email protected] package resolved and launched in isolation, reporting GitHub Copilot CLI 1.0.70 and its own latest-version status.
Friction
  • No blocking friction was observed during this bounded local check.
Limitations
  • Version startup proves package resolution and local CLI launch only; no Copilot authentication, AI credit, repository access, or model request was used.
  • This bounded cohort check is not a production benchmark or a claim of real user-workflow adoption.

Pricing assessment: No paid plan or metered provider usage was exercised; package or licensing, hosting, and provider costs remain workflow-dependent.

Privacy assessment: No repository content, user data, or provider prompt was transmitted; broader product data handling was not assessed by this bounded run.

Open retained test log →

partial · cohort-20260712-github-copilot-isolated-help

Tester
RepoRadar automated local verification harness
Started
2026-07-13T11:47:42.096685Z
Completed
2026-07-13T11:47:44.798456Z
Environment
Windows 10 AMD64; Python 3.11.9; credential-stripped child environment; disposable home/cache
Install/setup time
1 minute(s)
Evidence scope
Bounded setup or capability check
Cleanup
Per-check temporary home and work directory removed. Shared cohort package cache removed.
Actions exercised
  • Created a disposable home, work directory, and isolated package cache with credential-like environment variables excluded.
  • Executed bounded check: Resolve the official GitHub Copilot CLI package and inspect its command and permission surface.
  • Captured the complete sanitized stdout, stderr, exit status, artifact checks, and 2.70-second wall time.
Observed results
  • Command exited 0 after 2.70 seconds.
  • The command produced a successful local process exit; complete output is retained.
Observed strengths
  • GitHub Copilot CLI's retained help exposed interactive and --prompt scripting modes, configurable permissions, and an Agent Client Protocol server mode.
Friction
  • No blocking friction was observed during this bounded local check.
Limitations
  • Help output proves the local command surface only; no Copilot authentication, permission grant, repository operation, AI credit, or model request was used.
  • This bounded cohort check is not a production benchmark or a claim of real user-workflow adoption.

Pricing assessment: No paid plan or metered provider usage was exercised; package or licensing, hosting, and provider costs remain workflow-dependent.

Privacy assessment: No repository content, user data, or provider prompt was transmitted; broader product data handling was not assessed by this bounded run.

Open retained test log →

First-party sources

Dated sources behind this record

This record renders 3 retained source link(s) across 1 source host(s). A checked date is shown only when the record contains one; multiple vendor documents are not presented as independent corroboration.

Follow the linked sources before purchasing or standardizing.

Longitudinal intelligence

How this decision record is moving

Raw history JSON →

28 dated snapshots retained from 2026-07-14 through 2026-08-28; see the snapshot index for explicit coverage gaps. Stars, version, release, pricing, integration, risk, maintenance, verdict, score, and momentum fields remain explicit even when a source has not reported them. Repository momentum is a normalized 0–10 RepoRadar signal; GitHub stars appear only where the popularity monitor retained exact timestamped observations.

RepoRadar scoreTrend begins after a second recorded point.
Momentum signalTrend begins after a second recorded point.
GitHub starsNot tracked for this record
VersionNot reported by source
Last releaseNot reported by source
Maintenanceofficial product reviewed
Current riskplan-dependent
Current verdictevaluate
Pricing baselineFree: $0 month; Max: $100 user/month; Pro: $10 user/month; Pro Plus: $39 user/month
Pricing checked2026-07-12
Pricing freshnessRecheck required
Integrations baselineGitHub, VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Neovim

Recent dated points

DateScoreMomentumStarsRiskVerdictMaintenance
2026-08-28Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-26Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-21Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-20Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-19Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-18Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-17Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-15Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-14Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-13Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-12Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed
2026-08-11Not recordedNot recordedNot recordedplan-dependentevaluateofficial product reviewed

Why the record changed

new entity

Newly added to RepoRadar's decision catalog.

Record facts

Vendor
GitHub
Category
coding agent
Maintenance status
official product reviewed
First tracked
2026-07-12
Record updated
2026-08-28
Verification stage
installed and tested
Local-model compatibility
not marked compatible

Every value above is rendered from a field in the retained commercial record; RepoRadar supplies the labels and formatting. Review the linked evidence before relying on a missing or ambiguous field.

Frequently asked questions

Does GitHub Copilot have a free plan?

Yes — GitHub Copilot's recorded pricing includes a free entry point (Free), checked 2026-07-12. Confirm current eligibility on the linked pricing source before relying on it.

Can GitHub Copilot run against locally hosted models?

The retained record does not mark it as compatible with locally hosted models. That absence is not proof of incompatibility; confirm current support with the vendor.

Who publishes GitHub Copilot?

GitHub Copilot is published by GitHub. RepoRadar tracks it as a commercial record and links the supporting record sources that are available.

Where can GitHub Copilot be deployed?

Retained deployment models for GitHub Copilot: IDE_extension, CLI, vendor_cloud. Governance-sensitive teams should confirm data-residency behavior on the linked privacy source.

Produced and maintained by RepoRadar Research under the methodology; corrections via report an error.