Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
Detailed comparison of Cursor and GitHub Copilot — pricing, features, ratings, and our verdict on which to choose.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Feature
C
CursorG
GitHub CopilotOverall Rating
4.6
4.3
Starting Price
Free
Free
Free Tier
API Access
Open Source
Platforms
desktop
desktop
Base Model
Multi-model (GPT-5.2, Claude, Gemini)
GPT-5 / Claude / Multi-model
Ease of Use
4.5
4.6
Value
4.3
4.5
Quality
4.7
4.2
Which is Better For...
code qualityCursor
multi fileCursor
priceGitHub Copilot
editor supportGitHub Copilot
ease of setupGitHub Copilot
Cursor
Pros
- Best-in-class code generation
- VS Code compatible (extensions work)
- Multi-file editing with Composer
- Inline completions are fast
Cons
- $20/mo for real usage
- 500 premium request limit
- Can be slow on large codebases
- Occasional context misunderstanding
GitHub Copilot
Pros
- Works in existing editor (no switch needed)
- Cheapest pro plan ($10/mo)
- GitHub integration is seamless
- Supports many IDEs
Cons
- Completions less accurate than Cursor
- Chat less capable than dedicated chatbots
- Free tier quite limited
- Multi-file editing still maturing
Our Verdict
Cursor is the better AI-first coding experience with superior multi-file editing, while GitHub Copilot is cheaper and works in your existing editor. Cursor for power users, Copilot for convenience.