GitHub Copilot vs Codex: pricing and usage limits (Oct 2026)
GitHub Copilot starts at $10/mo, Codex at $8/mo. Both have a free plan. Every plan from both vendors, the limits each one actually publishes, and what changed recently, with a source on every line.
The short answer
- Cheaper to start
- Codex. ChatGPT Go (Codex) is $8/mo; the cheapest GitHub Copilot plan, GitHub Copilot Pro, is $10/mo ($2 more).
- Free plan
- Both have one. What each includes is quoted under Free plans below.
- Top of the ladder
- GitHub Copilot Max at $100/mo vs ChatGPT Pro (Codex) from $100/mo.
- Latest move
- GitHub Copilot, 1 Jun 2026: GitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches.
Pick Codex if you want the lowest monthly bill. Beyond price and free access, the deciding factor is which models and features you need; we track the money, not the model quality.
Head to head
| Fact | GitHub Copilot | Codex |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free tier | Free tier |
| Cheapest plan | Pro · $10/mo | Go · $8/mo |
| Top plan | Max · $100/mo | Pro ($100/$200/$500) · from $100/mo |
| Plans tracked | 3 | 4 |
| Yearly discount | None shown | None shown |
| Allowance periods | Monthly | 5-hourWeekly |
| Latest change | billing model | None logged |
| Last checked |
Closest price match: GitHub Copilot Pro vs ChatGPT Go (Codex)
Go
Every plan side by side
| Tool | Plan | Price | Limits as stated & source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Pro | $10/mo | Unlimited completions/next-edit suggestions; $15/month total GitHub AI Credits ($10 base + $5 flex). Chat, agent mode, code review, cloud agent and CLI consume credits. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| GitHub Copilot | Pro+ | $39/mo | $70/month total AI Credits ($39 base + $31 flex); premium models incl. Opus; '4x+ included usage than Pro'. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| GitHub Copilot | Max | $100/mo | $200/month total AI Credits ($100 base + $100 flex); '2.9x+ included usage than Pro+'; priority access to new models. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Codex | Go | $8/mo | GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app (lightweight tasks). Caps not published. Source: developers.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Codex | Plus | $20/mo | Estimated local messages per 5 hours: GPT-6 Astra 5-45; GPT-6.1 Sol 15-160; GPT-6 Sol 15-150; GPT-6 Luna 350-3,000. Weekly limits may also apply. Shared with ChatGPT Work. Source: developers.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Codex | Pro ($100/$200/$500) | $100/mo | 'Pro plans currently have no five-hour limit'; weekly allowances vary by tier (not published). Ultrafast mode on Pro $500 only. Source: developers.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Codex | API key | API token pricing | Pay per token; no cloud features (GitHub code review, Slack). Source: developers.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Free plans
| Tool | Free? | What you get for $0 & source |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Copilot | Free tier | Free $0: 2,000 completions per month; 'limited chat and agent usage'; Haiku 4.5, GPT-5 mini and more; Copilot CLI. No credit card. Verified students get a free Copilot Student plan; verified teachers and popular OSS maintainers may get Pro free. Source: github.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
| Codex | Free tier | Free $0: GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app, 'subject to rollout'. No image generation on Free. Source: developers.openai.com · checked 2026-10-16 |
Recent price and limit changes
-
billing modelGitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches
Premium requests replaced by AI Credits billed at model API rates. Pro $10 includes $15 total ($10 base + $5 flex), Pro+ $39 includes $70, new Max $100 includes $200. Flex allotments may change over time.
Questions people ask
Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or Codex?
Codex is cheaper to start: ChatGPT Go (Codex) costs $8/mo, against $10/mo for GitHub Copilot Pro. At the top end, GitHub Copilot Max is $100/mo and ChatGPT Pro (Codex) is from $100/mo.
Is GitHub Copilot or Codex free?
GitHub Copilot: Yes. Free $0: 2,000 completions per month; 'limited chat and agent usage'; Haiku 4.5, GPT-5 mini and more; Copilot CLI. No credit card. Verified students get a free Copilot Student plan; verified teachers and popular OSS maintainers may get Pro free. Codex: Yes. Free $0: GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app, 'subject to rollout'. No image generation on Free.
How do the usage limits compare at the closest price?
GitHub Copilot Pro ($10/mo): Unlimited completions/next-edit suggestions; $15/month total GitHub AI Credits ($10 base + $5 flex). Chat, agent mode, code review, cloud agent and CLI consume credits. ChatGPT Go (Codex) ($8/mo): GPT-6 Luna at Standard speed in the desktop app (lightweight tasks). Caps not published.
When did GitHub Copilot and Codex last change their pricing?
1 Jun 2026, GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot switches to usage-based GitHub AI Credits; Max plan ($100) launches.