A detailed comparison of Cursor and GitHub Copilot to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
AI pair programmer that helps you write code faster.
| Plan | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ 2,000 completions/mo | ✓ Free for OSS/students |
| Lowest Paid | $20/mo | $10/mo |
| Enterprise | $40/user/mo | $39/user/mo |
| Feature | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| AI autocomplete | ✓ | — |
| AI chat | ✓ | — |
| Code generation | ✓ | — |
| Codebase awareness | ✓ | — |
| Multi-file editing | ✓ | — |
| VS Code compatible | ✓ | — |
| Cmd-K editing | ✓ | — |
| Import extensions | ✓ | — |
| Custom models | ✓ | ✓ |
| Privacy mode | ✓ | — |
| Code completion | — | ✓ |
| Chat | — | ✓ |
| Code explanation | — | ✓ |
| Bug fixing | — | ✓ |
| Test generation | — | ✓ |
| Multi-language | — | ✓ |
| IDE integration | — | ✓ |
| CLI assistance | — | ✓ |
| Pull request summaries | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✗ | ✗ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.5 | ⭐ 4.4 |
Choose Cursor if: You need developers wanting ai-native coding. Cursor excels with its powerful ai features and vs code familiar.
Choose GitHub Copilot if: You need developers wanting ai code assistance. GitHub Copilot stands out with its great code suggestions and wide ide support.
Best free option: Both Cursor and GitHub Copilot offer free tiers. Cursor offers "2,000 completions/mo" while GitHub Copilot offers "Free for OSS/students".
It depends on your needs. Cursor is better for developers wanting ai-native coding, while GitHub Copilot is better for developers wanting ai code assistance. Both are excellent tools rated 4.5 and 4.4 respectively.
Cursor starts at $20/mo while GitHub Copilot starts at $10/mo. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying GitHub Copilot's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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