GitHub Copilot Free Version Launched

GitHub Announces Free Version of Copilot and Increased Developer Base

On Wednesday, GitHub, a subsidiary of Microsoft, revealed a complimentary version of its widely-used Copilot code completion and AI pair programming tool. This offering will also be integrated as a standard feature within Microsoft’s popular VS Code editor.

Previously, the majority of developers were required to subscribe to a monthly plan, beginning at $10, with exemptions granted only to verified students, educators, and maintainers of open-source projects.

Growth of the GitHub Platform

Alongside this announcement, GitHub reported a significant increase in its developer community, now totaling 150 million developers. This represents a substantial rise from the 100 million developers recorded in early 2023.

A Natural Progression Towards Accessibility

According to GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke, the move to offer a free version was a logical step in the platform’s evolution. “In 2018, my initial project at GitHub involved free private repositories, launched in early 2019,” Dohmke explained. “We then introduced free private organizations in 2020, alongside complimentary GitHub Actions entitlements and Codespaces. Offering a completely free Copilot, extending beyond students and open-source contributors, felt like a natural progression.”

Limitations of the Free Copilot Version

The free version of Copilot is designed for users with occasional coding needs, rather than extensive work on large-scale projects.

Free plan users will have access to 2,000 code completions per month. Importantly, each code suggestion generated by Copilot will count towards this limit, regardless of whether the suggestion is accepted, as clarified by a GitHub spokesperson.

Furthermore, while GitHub recently expanded the range of available foundation models, free plan users are restricted to utilizing Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet and OpenAI’s GPT-4o. Paid subscriptions also provide access to Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro, and OpenAI’s o1-preview and -mini models.

Copilot Chat and Extensions

For Copilot Chat, the free version limits users to 50 chat messages. However, there are no significant restrictions on access to Copilot Extensions and skills.

Data-Driven Decision Making

Dohmke stated that the team analyzed Copilot usage data from the past several years to determine the appropriate threshold between casual and professional users.

“The goal is to allow users to log in and immediately begin coding with Copilot,” Dohmke emphasized. “The ultimate aim is to facilitate software creation, not simply to experiment with AI technology.”

Broad Editor Compatibility

The free Copilot version will be compatible with a variety of editors, including VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, and directly on GitHub.com.

Increased Competition in the AI Coding Space

Since its launch in 2021, Copilot has become a leading AI coding tool. However, the market has become more competitive, with companies like Tabnine, Qodo (formerly Codium), and AWS offering alternative services. Many of these competitors also provide free plans, prompting GitHub to adopt a freemium model to broaden Copilot’s reach through the widespread use of VS Code.

Expanding Access to Global Developers

“Our objective is to empower a billion users worldwide to become developers,” Dohmke explained. “Considering the economic realities in countries like Brazil, Argentina, South Africa, India, and Indonesia, a $10 monthly fee can be substantial. We hope to enable more individuals in these regions to pursue development or enhance their productivity with Copilot.”

Simplified Access for Students

Dohmke also anticipates increased adoption among students, as the previous requirement for student verification presented a barrier to entry.

“By returning to our freemium roots with Copilot Free, we are establishing a foundation for something even more significant: AI represents our most promising path towards enabling a GitHub community of one billion developers. There should be no obstacles to experiencing the satisfaction of software creation,” Dohmke concluded. “Six years after being acquired by Microsoft, GitHub remains true to its core values and continues to innovate.”