Codeium vs GitHub Copilot (2026): Which Is Better?
Winner
GitHub Copilot is the better pick for most people as of September 2026, rated 4.4/5 versus 4.1/5 for Codeium. Both have free plans. Codeium is the better choice for individual developers on a budget.
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Compiled from BestAI's full reviews of Codeium and GitHub Copilot, using the same ratings, pricing and test notes. See our review methodology.
- Starting at
- $10/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Criteria won
- 2 of 12
Codeium vs GitHub Copilot: side-by-side
| Criterion | Codeium | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| BestAI rating | 4.1/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Starting price | Not listed | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| Ease of use | 4.0/5 | 5.0/5 |
| Features | 4.0/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Output quality | 4.0/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Value for money | 5.0/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Platforms | API, Mac, Web, Windows | API, Mac, Web, Windows |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Individual developers on a budget | In-editor code completion |
| Company | Exafunction, Inc., 2021 | GitHub (Microsoft), 2021 |
Strengths and weaknesses
Codeium
- Historically generous free tier for individuals
- Wide IDE and editor support
- Chat and search alongside completion
- Related Windsurf editor for deeper agentic features
- Plans and pricing have shifted as the product line expanded
- Enterprise/self-hosted features require a paid plan
- Best agentic features live in the separate Windsurf editor, not the plugin
GitHub Copilot
- Tight integration with VS Code and GitHub
- Broad language and framework support
- Chat interface for code questions and generation
- Free for students and eligible open-source maintainers
- No ongoing free tier for most individual users
- Repo-wide context can trail dedicated AI-native IDEs
- Suggestion quality varies by language and codebase size
Key features
Codeium
- AI code completion
- In-IDE chat
- Codebase search
- Wide editor support
- Enterprise self-hosted options
GitHub Copilot
- Inline code completion
- Chat-based coding assistant
- Test and documentation generation
- Multi-editor support
- Organization policy controls (Business/Enterprise)
Which should you choose?
Choose Codeium if you need:
- Individual developers on a budget
- Multi-editor AI code completion
- Teams evaluating free AI coding tools
- A free plan (paid plans from Not listed)
Choose GitHub Copilot if you need:
- In-editor code completion
- Boilerplate and test generation
- Teams standardized on GitHub
- A free plan (paid plans from $10/mo)
Frequently asked questions
Is Codeium better than GitHub Copilot?+
For most people, GitHub Copilot comes out ahead: BestAI rates it 4.4/5 against 4.1/5 for Codeium. Codeium is still the better fit for individual developers on a budget.
Which is cheaper, Codeium or GitHub Copilot?+
Codeium costs Not listed; GitHub Copilot costs $10/mo. Both have free plans.
Do Codeium and GitHub Copilot have free plans?+
Codeium has a free plan (generous free tier for individual use, historically unlimited basic completions). GitHub Copilot has a free plan (free for verified students and eligible open-source maintainers; otherwise a limited trial only).
What is the main difference between Codeium and GitHub Copilot?+
Codeium is best for individual developers on a budget, and its standout strength is historically generous free tier for individuals. GitHub Copilot is best for in-editor code completion, with tight integration with VS Code and GitHub as its biggest advantage.