GitHub Launches Free Version of Copilot for AI Code Assistance

GitHub, the Microsoft-owned platform for developers, announced the release of a free version of its Copilot AI-powered code completion tool. Starting today, the free version will ship by default with Microsoft’s popular Visual Studio Code (VS Code) editor, making it more accessible to developers worldwide.

Until now, Copilot required a monthly subscription fee starting at $10, except for verified students, teachers, and open-source maintainers who had free access. This new offering represents GitHub’s commitment to broadening access to AI tools, especially for aspiring developers and those in regions where affordability has been a barrier.

What the Free Plan Offers

The free version of Copilot is designed for occasional users and includes:

• 2,000 code completions per month: Each AI-generated suggestion, whether accepted or not, counts toward this limit.

• Limited foundational models: Access is restricted to Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o, while paid plans also include models like Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro and OpenAI’s o1-preview and -mini.

• Copilot Chat: Limited to 50 chat messages per month.

• Full Extensions Access: All Copilot extensions and skills are available, ensuring that developers can leverage its full capabilities for smaller projects.

The free plan works across multiple editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and GitHub.com.

Copilot’s Growing Reach

Copilot launched in 2021 and quickly became a leading AI coding assistant. With this new offering, GitHub aims to expand its reach further, aligning with its goal of enabling a billion people worldwide to become developers.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke highlighted the significance of this move: “There should be no barrier to entry for experiencing the joy of creating software. Copilot Free ... lays the groundwork for something far greater: AI represents our best path to enabling a GitHub with one billion developers.”

Dohmke also acknowledged that the subscription fee has been a barrier for many potential users, particularly in regions like South America, South Asia, and Africa. By offering a free plan, GitHub hopes to empower developers in these areas to start their coding journeys or enhance their productivity.

Competitive Landscape

The decision to offer a free version of Copilot also aligns with industry trends. Competitors like Tabnine, Qodo (formerly Codium), and AWS already provide free tiers for their AI coding tools. Offering Copilot Free strengthens GitHub’s position in this increasingly crowded market and leverages the widespread use of VS Code to boost adoption.

What This Means

The introduction of Copilot Free is a bold step in making AI coding tools accessible to more users globally. By lowering financial barriers, GitHub is encouraging aspiring developers to explore software creation and experienced developers to enhance their productivity.

This initiative could also set a precedent for other AI coding platforms to reevaluate their accessibility strategies. As competition in the AI coding space heats up, GitHub’s freemium model may help solidify its position as a leader in democratizing AI for developers.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.