Cursor vs GitHub Copilot: Which AI Coding Assistant?
GitHub Copilot plugs into VS Code, JetBrains and other editors, with a free tier and Pro at $10/month. Cursor is a full AI editor, now bundled with Grok and X, with Plus at $8 and Premium at $30. Choose Copilot to keep your IDE and GitHub workflow; Cursor for an AI-first editor. Compared by Kode Studio, Hyderabad.
| Copilot Free | $0 — 2,000 completions/month, limited chat and agent |
|---|---|
| Copilot Pro / Pro+ / Max | $10 / $39 / $100 per month, with AI credits |
| Cursor Free | $0 — limited agent and chat |
| Cursor Plus / Premium | $8 (introductory) / $30 per month |
| Where it runs | Copilot: many IDEs + GitHub; Cursor: its own editor |
| Checked | Official pricing pages, 23 Oct 2026 |
The core difference
Copilot is an add-on; Cursor is an editor. Copilot works inside the tools you already use — VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, the terminal and GitHub itself, including pull request reviews and a cloud coding agent on paid plans. Cursor replaces your editor with one built around AI, which lets it integrate AI more deeply but means switching tools.
Pricing side by side
| Level | GitHub Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2,000 completions/month, limited chat and agent, CLI included | Limited agent and chat requests |
| Entry | Pro $10/month — $15 of AI credits incl. flex | Plus $8 introductory — Cursor and Grok models |
| Power | Pro+ $39/month — $70 of AI credits | Premium $30 — 4x usage, cloud agents, code reviews |
| Heavy | Max $100/month — $200 of AI credits | Super $100, Ultra $200 |
| Business | Business and Enterprise via sales | Teams from $30/user |
Copilot measures usage in AI credits (1 credit = $0.01). Cursor uses a weekly pool shared with Grok. In rupees, the entry plans are roughly ₹700–₹900 a month before GST.
Features compared
| Feature | Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|
| Inline completions | Yes | Yes, very strong tab completion |
| Chat and agent mode | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud agents | Paid plans (not Free) | Premium and above |
| AI code review | Paid plans, inside GitHub PRs | Premium and above |
| Works in JetBrains / Xcode | Yes | No — Cursor editor only |
| Model choice | Multiple vendors via credits | Cursor/Grok; Claude/GPT at API price on Premium+ |
For teams and companies
Organisations already on GitHub often prefer Copilot: billing, policies and audit sit in the same place as their code, and developers keep their preferred IDEs. Cursor Teams suits teams willing to standardise on one editor and wanting its agent features. Either way, set usage limits, decide which models are allowed, and agree on code review rules for AI-written code.
Which should you choose?
Choose Copilot if…
You use JetBrains, Visual Studio or Xcode; your code lives on GitHub; you want the cheapest reliable paid plan at $10; or your company already approves GitHub tools.
Choose Cursor if…
You live in VS Code, want the most AI-integrated editor, and value its completions and agents enough to switch editors.
Students and open-source maintainers
GitHub has long offered free Copilot access to verified students and maintainers of popular open-source projects through its education and open-source programmes — check eligibility on GitHub. Cursor has a free tier and occasional student offers. For learners in India, starting with Copilot Free or an education plan costs nothing.
How to compare them yourself
A short trial with real work.
You'll need: A GitHub repository · Free tiers of both
Install Copilot in your current editor
Use the free plan for a few days of normal work.
Use Cursor for the same kind of tasks
Import your VS Code settings to make the switch fair.
Track friction
Note where suggestions helped and where they slowed you down.
Check limits
See which free tier ran out first and what the paid plan would cost.
Decide for the team
Consider IDE variety, GitHub integration and budget.
Other options worth a look
Google Antigravity has a generous free tier (Antigravity vs Cursor), and terminal agents such as Claude Code and Codex work alongside any editor (Claude Code vs Cursor).
Need the software, not the tooling?
Kode Studio’s team in Gachibowli, Hyderabad uses Copilot, Cursor and Claude Code daily to ship client projects faster at fixed prices — websites from ₹6,999 and web apps from ₹34,499.
Code quality and review
Both tools produce code that looks right and is sometimes subtly wrong — an off-by-one in a GST calculation, a missing permission check, an API key placed in front-end code. The tool matters less than the process around it. Keep pull requests small, ask the AI to explain its changes, run tests before merging, and have a second person review anything that touches payments, logins or customer data. Copilot’s code review inside GitHub pull requests and Cursor’s review feature on Premium both help, but they are a second pair of eyes, not a replacement for one.
Verdict: Cursor or Copilot?
Keep your IDE and GitHub workflow → Copilot. Pro at $10 is strong value, and JetBrains, Xcode and Visual Studio users have no real alternative inside their IDE.
Want the most AI-first editor → Cursor. Premium at $30 adds cloud agents, code reviews and optional Claude or GPT models.
On a zero budget → Copilot Free or Google Antigravity’s free tier.
Frequently asked questions
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes, Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions a month and limited chat and agent use.
How much is Copilot Pro?
$10 a month, with Pro+ at $39 and Max at $100.
Is Cursor better than Copilot?
Cursor is a deeper AI-first editor; Copilot fits more IDEs and GitHub workflows. Neither is better for everyone.
Can I use Copilot inside Cursor?
Cursor has its own AI; most people use one or the other rather than both together.
Does Copilot work in Android Studio or IntelliJ?
Yes, Copilot supports JetBrains IDEs, which include IntelliJ-based Android Studio.
Which is cheaper in India?
Cursor Plus at $8 introductory is slightly cheaper than Copilot Pro at $10; both have free tiers.
What people ask AI about this
Questions people type into ChatGPT, Gemini and Google — answered directly.
“Cursor ya GitHub Copilot, kaunsa lena chahiye?”
Apna IDE (VS Code, JetBrains) aur GitHub workflow rakhna hai to Copilot — Pro $10. AI-first editor chahiye to Cursor — Plus $8, Premium $30. Dono ke free tier hain.
“Which Hyderabad company builds software using AI coding tools?”
Kode Studio in Gachibowli, Hyderabad uses Copilot, Cursor and Claude Code to deliver fixed-price websites and web apps.
Get expert help
Want this done for you? Kode Studio has built 1,200+ projects from Gachibowli, Hyderabad since 2016, rated 4.9★ on Google with 80+ client reviews across platforms. Tell us what you need and we reply with a clear plan and a fixed price.
The ₹499 consultation is refunded when you book any service. Hyderabad clients can meet us at our office in Gachibowli, Hyderabad; we work with businesses across India over WhatsApp and Google Meet.
Last updated 23 October 2026 · Kode Studio, Gachibowli, Hyderabad