Side-by-side comparison
GitHub Copilot vs Windsurf
Plans, free tiers and API access for GitHub Copilot and Windsurf, from each vendor's own pages. Last checked Oct 4, 2026.
The short answer
- GitHub Copilot has the lower entry price at $10/mo, against $20/mo for Windsurf.
- Both GitHub Copilot and Windsurf have an ongoing free plan.
- Windsurf lists API access; we could not confirm it for GitHub Copilot.
Pricing and features
- Pro$10/mo
- Pro+$39/mo
- Pro$20/mo
How to choose
GitHub Copilot is Copilot embedded in GitHub workflows, while Windsurf is an agent-first IDE with cloud agent delegation and multi-model support. Copilot is cheaper: Pro at $10 per month and Pro+ at $39, versus Windsurf Pro at $20. Both have free plans. Copilot's Free plan has limited chat, agent and CLI usage, and Windsurf's includes unlimited inline edits and tab completions with light agent quotas. Copilot notes that higher tiers use GitHub AI Credits quickly in agent mode and that business plans are sold separately. Windsurf says its free tier limits model availability and agent quotas versus Pro and Max. Copilot's API is Not confirmed, while Windsurf mentions Devin API access on paid tiers for programmatic agent use.
- GitHub Copilot: You want the cheaper paid plan at $10 per month and your work centers on GitHub.
- Windsurf: You want an agent-first IDE, cloud agent delegation and programmatic access on paid tiers.
- Either: You are testing free plans first, noting that their free limits are structured differently.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or Windsurf?
GitHub Copilot has the lower starting price ($10/mo versus $20/mo). Compare plans before choosing, since limits differ.
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Free plan. Free plan with limited chat, agent, and CLI usage per plans page
Is Windsurf free?
Free plan. Free plan includes unlimited inline edits and tab completions with light agent quotas