Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot scores 8.5 to Cursor's 8.4 among the AI coding assistants we rate, and is the better pick for 1 of the 4 kinds of buyer below.
GitHub Copilot wins, 8.5 to 8.4
Cursor is its own code editor, built around agents that work across your whole codebase. GitHub Copilot is an assistant that plugs into the editor you already use, from VS Code and JetBrains to Visual Studio, Neovim and Xcode. That one difference settles most of the choice: move to a new editor for deeper agent work, or keep your setup and add AI to it.
Pick Cursor if you want an editor built around agents that work across your whole codebase, with cloud agents you can run on your own machines and a choice of Claude, Gemini, Grok and its own Composer model. Expect to pay $20 a month for Pro and to give up GPT models after November 12.
Pick GitHub Copilot if you want AI inside the editor you already use, at $10 a month for Pro with a clear $15 credit allowance. It keeps OpenAI's models, and Business and Enterprise never train on your code, with IP indemnity on Enterprise.
Best for
Who each one suits, decided on the criteria that matter to that buyer and the checked facts where the two differ.
- Monthly price, cheapest paid plan: $10 against $20
- AI model families you can choose: Claude, gpt, gemini, grok, own against Claude, gpt, gemini, grok
- Runs on your own servers or cloud: Cursor yes, GitHub Copilot no
- Legal cover for generated code: GitHub Copilot yes, Cursor no
- Editors and terminals it works in: Cli, vscode, jetbrains, visual_studio, neovim, xcode against Cli, jetbrains, xcode, own editor
How they score
Both are scored the same way, against the other AI coding assistants we rate, from facts on each vendor's own pages. They split the criteria 2 each, with the rest level.
Where they differ
Every point where the two vendors' published facts disagree, with a link to where each fact was read. "Not published" means the vendor does not say either way.
Where they match (11)
Pricing, plan by plan
Every plan each vendor publishes, monthly and yearly where both are offered.
Cursor
GitHub Copilot
For everything else about each tool, read the full Cursor review and GitHub Copilot review.
Where each one runs
Cursor is a standalone desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux, with a command-line tool, a JetBrains integration and agents you can start from the web, Slack, GitHub, GitLab or Bitbucket. Copilot works the other way round: it is an extension inside VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim and Xcode, plus a command-line tool and github.com. Its desktop app manages agents rather than editing code. If your team is settled on one editor, Copilot asks nothing of it.
What you pay
Copilot is the cheaper start. Its free plan gives 2,000 completions a month, Pro is $10 a month with $15 of monthly AI credits and unlimited code completion, and Pro+ is $39. Cursor's free Hobby plan has limited Agent requests, Pro is $20 a month, Pro+ $60, Ultra $200 and Teams $40 per user. Copilot states its allowance in dollar credits; Cursor's Pro plan promises extended limits on Agent without publishing a number, which makes Copilot easier to budget.
Models, and OpenAI leaving Cursor
Both let you choose models from several companies, including Claude, GPT, Gemini and Grok, and both accept your own API key. Cursor adds its own Composer model; Copilot also lists Moonshot's Kimi and Microsoft's MAI-Code. One change matters here: OpenAI is removing its models from Cursor on November 12, 2026, after SpaceX bought the company, and will not add future models. If GPT is your model of choice, Copilot keeps it.
Agents and code review
Both have an agent mode that edits across files, cloud agents that keep working in the background, code review (Cursor calls its version Bugbot) and MCP support. Cursor indexes your codebase and can run its cloud agents on machines you host. Copilot states codebase indexing for its Enterprise plan.
Privacy and company controls
On individual plans both use your code for training unless you switch it off: Privacy Mode in Cursor, an opt-out in Copilot. Copilot Business and Enterprise never train on your code and keep no prompts by default in the IDE; Cursor keeps no data when Privacy Mode is on. Cursor lists SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and, on Enterprise, HIPAA. Copilot lists SOC 2 and ISO certification, and its Enterprise plan adds IP indemnity, which Cursor does not publish.
Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: common questions
Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?
It depends on whether you will change editors. Cursor is a full editor built around agents and codebase-wide work. Copilot adds similar agent features to the editor you already use and costs less to start, at $10 a month against Cursor's $20 for Pro.
Can I still use GPT models in Cursor?
Until November 12, 2026. OpenAI is removing its models from Cursor after SpaceX's purchase of the company and will not add future ones. Claude, Gemini, Grok and Cursor's own Composer stay. GitHub Copilot continues to offer GPT models.
Which one trains on my code?
Both do on individual plans unless you opt out: Privacy Mode in Cursor, an opt-out setting in Copilot. Copilot Business and Enterprise do not train on your code.
