GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex
Short answer: GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; OpenAI Codex is in CLI coding agents, so they solve different parts of the job. OpenAI Codex has the lower entry price ($8/month vs $10/month for GitHub Copilot). Both GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex have a free plan.
| GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | IDE assistants | CLI coding agents |
| Vendor | GitHub (Microsoft) | OpenAI |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Free plan | Yes (Free: limited chat and agent usage.) | Yes (Codex is included in ChatGPT Free (quick coding tasks).) |
| Paid plans from | $10/mo | $8/mo |
| Plans | Free: Free · Pro: $10 · Pro+: $39 · Max: $100 · Business: $19 · Enterprise: $39 | Free: Free · Go: $8 · Plus: $20 · Pro: $100 · Business: $25 · Enterprise & Edu: — |
| Open source | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Editors named on vendor page | — | terminal/CLI |
| Features named on vendor page | — | MCP, self-hosting, code review, code completion, security scanning, background/cloud agents, SSO/SAML |
| Model families named | — | Claude, OpenAI GPT |
| Checked | Oct 26, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 |
“Named on vendor page” means the phrase appears on the vendor's own page we captured; it is not a hands-on test. Unknown values are left blank rather than guessed.
FAQ
Is GitHub Copilot cheaper than OpenAI Codex?
OpenAI Codex has the lower entry price ($8/month vs $10/month for GitHub Copilot). Prices are from each vendor's pricing page.
Do GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex have free plans?
Both GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex have a free plan.
What is the difference between GitHub Copilot and OpenAI Codex?
GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; OpenAI Codex is in CLI coding agents, so they solve different parts of the job. GitHub Copilot is made by GitHub (Microsoft); OpenAI Codex is made by OpenAI. See the table for plans, editors and features each vendor names.
Sources
- https://github.com/features/copilot/plans
- https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/get-started/plans
- https://developers.openai.com/codex/pricing