GitHub Launches Free Version of Copilot for Developers

GitHub, owned by Microsoft, announced on Wednesday the release of a free version of its popular AI-powered coding assistant, Copilot. The tool, designed for code completion and AI pair programming, will now be included by default in Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code editor. Previously, most developers had to pay a $10 monthly subscription fee, though students, educators, and open-source maintainers had free access. The announcement was first reported by TechCrunch.

According to GitHub, the platform now hosts over 150 million developers, a significant increase from 100 million at the beginning of 2023.

The new free version of Copilot is primarily designed for casual users, offering up to 2,000 code completions per month. Each suggestion, whether accepted or not, will count toward this limit.

Free plan users will have access to models such as Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonata and OpenAI’s GPT-4. Meanwhile, paid plans will include advanced models like Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro and other OpenAI offerings. Copilot Chat will also have a limit of 50 messages per month, though users will still be able to access all Copilot extensions and features.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke stated, “Our goal is to create one billion developers. We want everyone to experience the joy of coding.”

The introduction of free Copilot aims to make coding more accessible for developers in emerging markets such as Brazil, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia, helping them enhance their skills and productivity.

Copilot’s free version will be compatible with platforms like VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and GitHub.com.

Dohmke added, “With Copilot Free, we are returning to our freemium model and building a strong foundation for the future.”

This initiative aligns with GitHub’s ambition to empower a billion developers worldwide and create a more inclusive global coding community.