A decision for a beginner, not a spec sheet. Scores are our weights. Prices are the public plans, and anything marked verify on the tool page should be re-checked before you pay.
Pick GitHub Copilot if you want an assistant inside VS Code, JetBrains, or GitHub.
Pick Windsurf if you want an editor agent at $20 with frontier models and cloud agents.
An IDE assistant at $10 a month, if you already live in GitHub.
Cheapest verified paid plan: Pro · $10/mo
The editor formerly called Windsurf, now sold as Devin Desktop.
Cheapest verified paid plan: Pro · $20/mo
Web app or SaaS
Mobile app
Game
Website or landing page
Automation or script
No code
I can follow a change
I already develop
Last verified 2026-10-19
Individual
Free
VerifyA limited free tier. The plans FAQ still lists 2,000 completions and 50 chat requests. The billing docs say 2,000 completions a month plus an AI credit allowance whose size is not stated, with auto model selection only.
The free price is real. On 2026-10-19 the chat allowance and the credit allowance still disagree across GitHub's own pages, so this row stays verify.
Individual
$10/mo
Verified1,500 AI credits a month (1,000 base + 500 flex). Completions and next edit do not use credits. 1 credit = $0.01.
From GitHub's usage-based billing docs for individuals.
Individual
$39/mo
Verified7,000 AI credits a month (3,900 base + 3,100 flex). Completions stay unlimited.
Flex allotments can change. Base credits are tied to the subscription price.
Individual
$100/mo
Verified20,000 AI credits a month (10,000 base + 10,000 flex).
The individual plan for sustained agent work.
Last verified 2026-10-19
Individual
Free
VerifiedLight agent quota, limited models, unlimited inline edits, and unlimited Tab. Quota size is not published.
Price and qualitative limits are from the Devin pricing page. The missing number is stated, not invented.
Individual
$20/mo
VerifiedDaily and weekly quotas, frontier models, free use of SWE-2, Devin Cloud, and extra usage at API pricing. One user. Quota size is not published.
Devin docs describe Pro as the entry individual plan at $20/mo. The pricing page lists free use of SWE-2 and does not print an end date for it.
Individual
$200/mo
VerifiedEverything in Pro with a significantly larger weekly quota and no daily cap. The quota multiple is not published as a number.
The no-daily-cap rule is on Devin's self-serve plan docs. The pricing page says significantly higher quotas and does not print a number.
Monthly. Included credits do not roll over. Base credits are used before the flex allotment.
Wait for the monthly reset.
Pro has daily and weekly quotas. Max has a weekly quota and no daily cap. Cognition does not publish the size. Past the quota, paid plans can buy extra usage at API pricing.
Check the in-app quota before you assume you need a new tool. Pro resets daily and weekly. Max has no daily cap, so a heavy afternoon may not clear overnight.
GitHub Copilot's cheapest paid plan the ranking counts is Pro at $10/mo. Windsurf's cheapest paid plan the ranking counts is Pro at $20/mo.
GitHub Copilot is for a developer who wants an assistant inside VS Code, JetBrains, or GitHub, staying near $10 a month, and web app and script work where you already have the repo open.
Windsurf is for an editor agent at $20 with frontier models and cloud agents, developers comparing Windsurf with Cursor's current plans, and people who still search for Windsurf and need the current product name.
GitHub Copilot scores 1 out of 5 for someone who does not want to read code. Windsurf scores 1 out of 5. The scores are the same. Copilot assumes an editor. It is the wrong first tool if you do not want files. You are in an IDE. Do not start here if you wanted a form.
GitHub Copilot: Free is real, with a tight cap. The plans FAQ still says 2,000 completions and 50 chats. A later billing post describes limited completions plus limited chat and agent usage. Confirm the live counter. Windsurf: A light agent quota, limited model access, unlimited inline edits, and unlimited Tab. Cognition does not publish the quota as a number.