GitHub Copilot vs OpenAI Codex (2026)
Pricing, features and who each one is for, checked against both vendors' pricing pages in November 2026.
Quick verdict: These solve different jobs: GitHub Copilot is a ai coding agent and extension, OpenAI Codex is a coding agent (cloud, cli, ide). Many developers use one of each. GitHub Copilot is cheaper to start (from $10/mo). Pick GitHub Copilot for cheap and free AI coding tools, professional developers, teams, beginners. Pick OpenAI Codex for professional developers, AI coding agents for the terminal, teams.
Try GitHub CopilotTry OpenAI Codex
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Side by side
| GitHub Copilot | OpenAI Codex | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI coding agent and extension | Coding agent (cloud, CLI, IDE) |
| Made by | GitHub (Microsoft) | OpenAI |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Starts at | From $10/mo | From $20/mo |
| Plans | Free (2,000 completions/mo), Pro $10/mo, Pro+ $39/mo, Max $100/mo; Business and Enterprise for orgs | Included in ChatGPT Plus $20/mo, Pro $100/mo, Business $20/user/mo (2+ seats, annual) |
| Open source | No | No |
| Runs in | IDE extension, CLI, GitHub.com, Mobile | Cloud, CLI, IDE extension, ChatGPT app |
GitHub Copilot strengths
- Cheapest serious paid tier at $10/mo
- Works in almost every editor
- Assign issues to Copilot and get a pull request back
OpenAI Codex strengths
- Included with ChatGPT plans you may already pay for
- Parallel cloud agents that keep running when you close your laptop
- Automatic PR review
GitHub Copilot drawbacks
- Agent usage draws down monthly AI credits
- Individual-plan data may be used for training unless you opt out
- Third-party agent delegation needs Pro+
OpenAI Codex drawbacks
- Usage caps on Plus are aimed at focused sessions
- Best experience assumes a ChatGPT account and GitHub repos
Read the full reviews: GitHub Copilot · OpenAI Codex