GitHub Copilot has quickly become a favorite among developers since its debut in 2021. Touted as an AI pair programming tool, it transforms coding by providing real-time code suggestions, autocompletions, and even generating entire blocks of code. Built on advanced AI models, Copilot has streamlined software development, saving developers significant time and effort. Now, with the announcement of a free version, GitHub is expanding its accessibility to a wider audience.
The free Copilot plan offers essential features to occasional users. Developers can now enjoy up to 2,000 code completions per month and 50 Copilot Chat messages. While some advanced options, such as Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro and OpenAI’s o1-preview models, remain exclusive to paid plans, the free tier still provides robust support with Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o. The service integrates seamlessly with popular editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and even GitHub.com, making it a versatile choice for developers across platforms.
For those curious about the motivation behind this move, GitHub’s CEO, Thomas Dohmke, framed it as a step toward making software development accessible to all. He highlighted the disparity in affordability of paid plans globally and emphasized the company’s mission to enable a billion users to become developers. Offering a free plan reduces barriers for aspiring coders, especially in regions where $10 per month is a significant expense.
GitHub has been building toward this moment for years. From introducing free private repositories in 2019 to free Codespaces for developers, the company has consistently pushed to democratize access to its tools. The free Copilot aligns with this vision, inviting more students, hobbyists, and part-time developers to experience the productivity boost it delivers.
In a competitive market with alternatives like Tabnine, Qodo, and AWS’s AI tools, GitHub’s freemium approach is strategic. By bundling Copilot with VS Code — one of the most widely used editors — GitHub is positioning itself to maintain its lead in the AI coding tools space.
As Dohmke puts it, this initiative is about more than just AI tools; it’s about the joy of creating software without barriers. For developers who’ve been waiting to try Copilot or are looking for a cost-effective AI coding assistant, this free version is a great opportunity to get started.
For more details, check out the official announcement on TechCrunch.