The short answer: GitHub Copilot for code, Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 work
Pick GitHub Copilot when the job is writing or reviewing code in an IDE or on GitHub. Pick Microsoft Copilot when the job is chat, drafting or analysis inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook or Teams. Paying for one does not replace the other.
Scope and evidence
Task: telling apart Microsoft's two Copilot products for everyday work. GitHub Copilot facts come from GitHub Docs plans pages; Microsoft Copilot facts from Microsoft's individual Microsoft 365 Copilot pages and our published profiles. Checked November 9, 2026.
This is a source-based comparison. AppFor.ai did not run a same-input coding or writing trial for this page.
Compare the same criteria
Each line sets GitHub's Copilot documentation against Microsoft's Copilot for individuals pages.
- Primary job. GitHub Copilot: code completions, chat and agents in editors, the terminal, the Copilot app and on GitHub. Microsoft Copilot: chat, research and creation, plus Copilot inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook on Microsoft 365 plans. What this means: one is a coding assistant; the other is a work assistant in Office apps.
- Where it runs. GitHub Copilot: IDEs, CLI, GitHub.com and the Copilot app, per GitHub Docs. Microsoft Copilot: web, Windows, Mac, mobile and Microsoft 365 apps. What this means: overlapping devices, different default surfaces.
- Free start. GitHub Copilot Free: limited AI credits and Auto model selection only; Student plan is free for verified students. Microsoft Copilot: free with a signed-in Microsoft account, with higher usage on paid Microsoft 365 plans. What this means: both offer a free trial of their core chat or completion experience with limits.
- Paid individual ladder. GitHub Copilot: Pro $10/month (1,000 AI credits), Pro+ $39 (3,900), Max $100 (10,000), from GitHub Docs. Microsoft 365 with Copilot: Personal $9.99, Premium $19.99, Pro $99.99 per month in the US on the personal plans page we read (Family also listed on our profile). What this means: similar dollar steps, spent on different products.
- Org plans. GitHub Copilot Business $19 and Enterprise $39 per granted seat per month with larger credit pools. Microsoft also sells Microsoft 365 Business plans with Copilot built in (for example Business Standard with Copilot at $23.50 user/month paid yearly on the business pricing page). What this means: company buyers must match the seat to coding vs Office work.
- Agents. GitHub Copilot: agent features and cloud agent options depend on plan; Free has limited agents. Microsoft Copilot: Cowork, Researcher and Analyst appear on higher personal plans (Premium/Pro) and business Copilot experiences. What this means: both market agents, in different workflows.
Which fits your real work?
A developer who wants completions and agents in VS Code or JetBrains. GitHub Copilot fits.
A knowledge worker drafting in Word and summarizing mail in Outlook. Microsoft Copilot on a Microsoft 365 plan fits.
Someone who only needs occasional free AI chat and does not write code. Microsoft's free Copilot is the closer match; GitHub Copilot Free is still aimed at coding.
Cost of getting the work done
GitHub Copilot individual prices from Docs: $0 (Free/Student), $10 Pro, $39 Pro+, $100 Max per month, with AI credit allowances; org seats from $19. Feature access depends on admin policy.
Microsoft individual Microsoft 365 + Copilot prices from the personal page (US, monthly): Personal $9.99, Premium $19.99, Pro $99.99, with a free Copilot tier when signed in. Business Copilot bundles start higher and bill per user. Prices vary by country.
Try both on the same small task
Suggested check: run the same small task in both products' free tiers where you can.
- In GitHub Copilot, note whether completions and chat stay inside the editor and whether tests still pass.
- In Microsoft Copilot, note whether the status email draft is usable in Outlook or Word without extra cleanup.
- Record which product you would keep for each half of the task.
- Do not treat this trial as a quality benchmark.
Decision checklist
Use the lines that match your situation. Our GitHub Copilot and Microsoft Copilot profiles have more product detail.
- If your day is mostly code in an IDE or on GitHub, start with GitHub Copilot.
- If your day is mostly Microsoft 365 documents and mail, start with Microsoft Copilot.
- If you need both, budget for both; one license does not cover the other product.
- Re-check plan tables before buying; credit and usage rules change.
Go to the source
Sources & further reading
Based on the official documentation below. Features and access can change; check the provider before making a decision.
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