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The best GitHub Copilot alternatives, in our order, are Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Gemini, Grok, Windsurf and DeepSeek. We rank them by their scores in our reviews, and we break ties with each tool’s best entry on Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index.
People look for the best GitHub Copilot alternatives for three reasons. Since June 1, 2026, Copilot bills chat and agent work in AI credits, and part of each allowance can change. Its personal plans also train on your interaction data by default since April 24. Finally, no independent benchmark scores Copilot’s own agent. Our GitHub Copilot review covers all three.
Best GitHub Copilot Alternatives: The Short Answer
Among the best GitHub Copilot alternatives on this list, Claude ranks first. It shares our top review score, 3.6, with ChatGPT and Cursor, and Claude Code holds the highest current entry on the agent index: 68 with Sonnet 5.5 at maximum effort. That run, however, cost $14.19 a task, so it is not the cheapest route. Our GitHub Copilot vs Tabnine comparison also weighs a cloud assistant against an on-premises one.
ChatGPT’s Codex, by contrast, scores 63 at $1.04 a task, while Cursor suits developers who want AI inside a new editor. Gemini, Grok, Windsurf and DeepSeek trail on our scores, and some cost less to start. Before switching, though, note that Copilot’s own paid plans already include Claude and GPT models.
The List at a Glance
| Tool | Coding agent; best current index entry | Standard plan |
|---|---|---|
| Claude | Claude Code; 68 (Sonnet 5.5, max) | Pro $20/mo or $200/yr |
| ChatGPT | Codex; 63 (GPT-6.1 Sol, extra high) | Plus $20/mo |
| Cursor | Its own editor; no current entry (62 in May) | Pro $20/mo |
| Gemini | Antigravity; 41.9 (Gemini 3.8 Flash, via BenchLM) | Google AI Pro $19.99/mo |
| Grok | Grok Build; 56 (Grok 4.7) | SuperGrok Lite $10/mo, reported |
| Windsurf | Devin Desktop; no index entry | Pro $20/mo |
| DeepSeek | No agent of its own; 43.1 inside Codex | Free app; API from $0.15 per 1M tokens |
How We Ordered the Best GitHub Copilot Alternatives
We order the tools by their scores in our reviews, because those cover each product as a whole. Where scores tie, the best entry on the current version of Artificial Analysis’s Coding Agent Index decides. That index tests coding agents together with their models, and it changed version in September.
Therefore, we compare only September figures. Cursor’s only entry comes from the May version, which is why it sits third among the three tools tied at 3.6. Our list of the best AI for coding ranks the agents by index score alone.
1. Claude: The Top Current Agent Score
Claude Code runs in the terminal and in IDEs on Claude’s Pro and Max plans, and its limits are shared with chat. On the September index, Claude Code with Sonnet 5.5 scored 68 at maximum effort. At extra-high effort it scored 63, at $3.33 a task, so the effort setting matters as much as the tool.
The catch is cost at the top setting: $14.19 and about 1.5 hours per task. Also, Claude’s consumer plans train on chats unless you opt out. Notably, Copilot’s paid plans already list Claude Opus 5.5 and Sonnet 5.5, so the reason to switch is Anthropic’s own agent. Our guide to Claude for coding covers the setup.
2. ChatGPT: Codex at a Low Cost per Task
Codex comes with every ChatGPT plan, although Free and Go get only a trial. It also runs as a desktop app, a command-line tool, an IDE extension and a cloud agent. With GPT-6.1 Sol, it scored 63 on the September index at $1.04 a task, and it starts with network access turned off.
However, its limits come as ranges, and personal plans train on chats unless you opt out. GitHub also lists OpenAI’s Codex as a third-party agent inside Copilot, in public preview. Our guide to ChatGPT for coding covers each plan’s Codex allowance.
3. Cursor: A Whole Editor Built Around AI
Unlike Copilot, Cursor replaces your editor rather than adding a plugin. Pro costs $20 a month with unlimited Tab completions and models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, SpaceXAI and Meta. Its own Composer 2.5 scored 62 on the May version of the index, at $0.07 a task.
The catch is cost in heavy months, since Cursor itself estimates $60 to $100 a month for daily agent users. In addition, Cursor fixed two critical flaws in version 3.0, and it may train on code unless Privacy Mode is on. Our Cursor review and list of Cursor alternatives go deeper.
4. Gemini: Antigravity Replaces Gemini CLI
Google’s coding agent for individuals is now Antigravity. On June 18, 2026, Google stopped serving Gemini CLI and the Code Assist IDE extensions for free, Google AI Pro and Ultra accounts, several guides report. Instead, those users move to Antigravity CLI, which has a smaller free quota.
On the agent index, moreover, Antigravity with Gemini 3.8 Flash scored 41.9, as mirrored by BenchLM rather than read on Artificial Analysis directly. Google AI Pro costs $19.99 a month and adds 1M tokens of context in the Gemini app. Our Gemini review covers the plans.
5. Grok: Grok Build From Cursor’s Owner
Meanwhile, Grok Build with Grok 4.7 scored 56 on the September index, according to an Artificial Analysis post of September 21, 2026. SuperGrok Lite costs $10 a month, as reported by third-party readings of grok.com.
Grok models also appear inside Copilot and in Cursor’s own model pool, since SpaceXAI now owns Cursor. So you may reach Grok without switching tools at all. Our Grok review covers its accuracy and data rules.
6. Windsurf: Now Devin Desktop
Windsurf now ships as Devin Desktop, after Cognition renamed it on June 2, 2026. Pro costs $20 a month on daily and weekly quotas, and its board runs local, cloud and third-party agents, Codex and Claude’s agent included. Our review scores it 3.1.
The catch: it has no entry on the agent index, its Devin Local agent replaced Cascade only in July, and personal plans need a training opt-out. Our Windsurf review covers the rename and its 2025 security flaws.
7. DeepSeek: A Cheap API, Not an Agent
DeepSeek has no coding agent of its own; instead, its API plugs into Codex with one-click setup, its news page says. Run that way, V4 Pro scored 43.1 on the index, as mirrored by BenchLM. The API starts at $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak.
The catch is data, because DeepSeek stores personal data in China, so keep client code out of it, or run its open weights on your own servers. Our guide to DeepSeek for coding explains both routes.
Reasons to Stay With Copilot
Copilot still combines several strengths in one plan. Pro costs $10 a month with unlimited completions, and it works in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode and Eclipse. Its menu covers models from six providers, including Claude and GPT, and its cloud agent turns a GitHub issue into a pull request.
So if your complaint is the training default, opt out under Privacy in your GitHub settings first. Likewise, if it is cost, set a budget for extra credits before you move a whole workflow.
Not Ranked Here
For now, JetBrains AI Assistant, Amazon’s coding tools and Tabnine are not ranked, because we have not reviewed them yet. We will add them after their reviews, under the same rule.
Which Alternative for Which Developer
For the highest current agent score, take Claude Code, and for the lowest cost per task among those agents, Codex. If you want AI inside a new editor, Cursor fits, while teams running several agents at once may prefer Windsurf, now Devin Desktop. Gemini suits Google users, and DeepSeek suits budget API work on code you can share. In short, the best GitHub Copilot alternatives each fix a different complaint. Our guide on GitHub Copilot for teams also covers admin controls and training rules.
Beginners, meanwhile, can compare free options in our list of the best AI for coding beginners.
How We Research
Review scores come from our own reviews of each tool. Agent scores come from Artificial Analysis’s May article on Composer 2.5 and its September index, read on September 30, 2026. Two entries come from BenchLM’s mirror, marked where used.
Plans come from each company’s pricing pages, read between September 30 and October 2, 2026. The Gemini CLI change comes from guides citing Google’s announcement. We run no tests of our own, and our about page explains the criteria.
Best GitHub Copilot Alternatives FAQ
On this list, Claude ranks first: it ties on our top review score of 3.6, and Claude Code holds the highest current agent index entry, 68. ChatGPT’s Codex and Cursor follow.
Cursor’s Hobby plan and Antigravity CLI are free with limits, and DeepSeek’s app is free. Codex comes as a limited trial on ChatGPT Free, and Copilot itself has a free plan with 2,000 completions a month.
Since June 1, 2026, chat and agent work draw down AI credits whose flex share can change. Personal plans also train on interaction data by default, and no independent benchmark scores Copilot’s own agent.
Yes. Copilot’s paid plans list Claude Opus 5.5, Sonnet 5.5 and GPT-6.1 Sol, among others. GitHub also lists OpenAI’s Codex and Anthropic’s Claude as third-party agents, in public preview.
On June 18, 2026, Google stopped serving Gemini CLI for free, Google AI Pro and Ultra accounts, several guides report. Those users move to Antigravity CLI.
The Verdict
The best GitHub Copilot alternatives depend on why you are leaving. For the strongest current agent score, take Claude Code, and for a low cost per task, Codex. For a new editor, take Cursor.
Yet Copilot remains the cheapest way to get several labs’ models in your existing editor. Turn off training and set a credit budget before you decide it has to go.