GitHub Copilot vs Cursor vs Tabnine (October 2026)
Short answer
GitHub Copilot is the cheapest paid option at $10 a month and fits teams that work in GitHub and several editors. Cursor ($20 a month) suits developers who want an AI-first editor with multi-file agent edits. Tabnine is positioned around privacy and deployment control; we could not confirm its current prices, so check its site.
If you mainly want an agent that changes code from the terminal, also look at Claude Code, OpenAI Codex and Gemini CLI.
Plans and fit
| GitHub Copilot | Cursor | Tabnine | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: 2,000 completions + 50 chat requests/month (Verified) | Hobby: limited agent requests (Verified) | Check provider (not confirmed) |
| Individual paid | Pro $10/month; Pro+ $39/month; Max $100/month (Verified) | Individual $20/month; Pro+ and Ultra higher (Verified) | Check provider (not confirmed) |
| Team / business | Business and Enterprise: price not listed on plans page | Teams $40/user/month; Enterprise custom (Verified) | Check provider (not confirmed) |
| Where it runs | Extensions for major editors plus GitHub itself | Its own VS Code-based editor | Extensions for major editors |
| Positioning | GitHub-native assistant and agents | AI-first editor | Privacy and deployment control |
Use-case matrix
| Your situation | Best choice | Reason | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your team reviews code on GitHub | Copilot | Works in GitHub as well as the editor | Editorial assessment |
| Lowest paid price per developer | Copilot Pro | $10/month vs $20/month for Cursor Individual | Verified |
| You want AI editing across many files in one editor | Cursor | Editor built around multi-file agent edits | Editorial assessment |
| You need on-premise or air-gapped deployment | Tabnine (verify) | Tabnine markets deployment control; confirm current options with the vendor | Claimed by provider |
| You prefer working in a terminal | Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI | Terminal agents; see our three-way comparison | Editorial assessment |
Pricing
Copilot Pro at $10 a month is the lowest verified paid price. Copilot Max ($100 a month) includes $100 a month in GitHub AI Credits for heavy agent use. Cursor's Individual plan is $20 a month, with Pro+ and Ultra tiers above it. Tabnine's prices could not be confirmed on its site from our checking environment.
For more tools, see best AI coding assistants.
Privacy and training data
Evidence: VerifiedGitHub's plans page says it may use interactions from Free, Pro and Pro+ subscribers to train models unless they opt out in settings. Business plans of every vendor typically add admin controls and data-use commitments; read the current terms before connecting company code.
Also consider
Claude Code is included in paid Claude plans. OpenAI Codex is included with ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Edu and Enterprise. Gemini CLI has a free tier of 1,000 requests a day. See Claude Code vs Cursor vs Codex.
How we compared
Prices and plan limits come from the vendors' pricing pages on the dates shown. Positioning statements are our editorial assessment. We have not run speed or accuracy tests; if we do, we will publish the prompts, versions and dates.
What changed in this update
- Copilot plans updated from GitHub's plans page: Free, Pro $10, Pro+ $39, Max $100. The 'Business $19/user' and '$100/yr' figures are not on that page and were removed.
- Cursor plans updated: Hobby (free), Individual $20, Teams $40/user, Enterprise custom.
- Removed outdated model lists (GPT-4o, Claude 3.7) and G2 scores without a source date.
- Removed the 'speed and accuracy test' table: the test was never run, so every cell was an empty placeholder.
Common questions
Is Cursor better than GitHub Copilot?
Neither is better for everyone. Cursor suits developers who want an AI-first editor and multi-file agent edits. Copilot suits teams on GitHub and costs less at $10 a month versus $20 for Cursor Individual.
Which AI coding assistant has the best free plan?
Copilot Free includes 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests a month. Cursor's Hobby plan limits agent requests. Gemini CLI, a terminal agent, allows 1,000 requests a day with a personal Google account.
How much is Copilot Business?
GitHub's public plans page did not list a Business or Enterprise price when we checked on 5 October 2026. Ask GitHub sales for a current quote.
Does Tabnine still have a free plan?
We could not confirm Tabnine's current plans from our checking environment. Check tabnine.com/pricing.
Sources
- GitHub Copilot plans · checked 5 October 2026
- Cursor pricing · checked 5 October 2026
- Claude pricing · checked 5 October 2026
- openai/codex on GitHub · checked 5 October 2026
- google-gemini/gemini-cli on GitHub · checked 5 October 2026