GitHub Copilot vs Windsurf
Short answer: GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; Windsurf is in AI IDEs, so they solve different parts of the job. GitHub Copilot has the lower entry price ($10/month vs $20/month for Windsurf). Both GitHub Copilot and Windsurf have a free plan.
| GitHub Copilot | Windsurf | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | IDE assistants | AI IDEs |
| Vendor | GitHub (Microsoft) | Cognition |
| Status | Active | Renamed: Renamed Devin Desktop on 2026-06-02 (devin.ai/blog/windsurf-is-now-devin-desktop); windsurf.com redirects to devin.ai/desktop |
| Free plan | Yes (Free: limited chat and agent usage.) | Yes (Light agent quota, unlimited inline edits and Tab completions.) |
| Paid plans from | $10/mo | $20/mo |
| Plans | Free: Free · Pro: $10 · Pro+: $39 · Max: $100 · Business: $19 · Enterprise: $39 | Free: Free · Pro: $20 · Max: $200 · Teams: $80 · Enterprise: — |
| Open source | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Editors named on vendor page | — | — |
| Features named on vendor page | — | code review, code completion, background/cloud agents, Figma, refactoring, SSO/SAML |
| Model families named | — | Claude, OpenAI GPT, Gemini, Grok, open-weight models |
| 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 Windsurf?
GitHub Copilot has the lower entry price ($10/month vs $20/month for Windsurf). Prices are from each vendor's pricing page.
Do GitHub Copilot and Windsurf have free plans?
Both GitHub Copilot and Windsurf have a free plan.
What is the difference between GitHub Copilot and Windsurf?
GitHub Copilot is in IDE assistants; Windsurf is in AI IDEs, so they solve different parts of the job. GitHub Copilot is made by GitHub (Microsoft); Windsurf is made by Cognition. 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://devin.ai/pricing
- https://devin.ai/blog/windsurf-is-now-devin-desktop