Side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool
GitHub Copilot is a specialized AI coding assistant deeply integrated into development environments, excelling at accelerating code generation and improving developer workflows. ChatGPT is a more general-purpose AI, adept at a wider range of tasks including coding, writing, and conversational interactions, making it a versatile tool for broader applications.
We've analyzed GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and dozens of other tools to find the top performers for your specific needs.
Quick recommendations based on your use case
ChatGPT
ChatGPT's versatility in handling various tasks, including coding, writing, and general knowledge, along with its user-friendly interface, makes it a more accessible and broadly useful tool for students.
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot's enterprise-grade security, extensive IDE integrations, and features like agent mode for autonomous coding provide significant advantages for large development teams.
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot offers superior coding-specific features and integrations that directly boost developer productivity, making it ideal for freelancers focused on coding tasks.
| Specification | GitHub Copilot | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| model | GPT-4.1, GPT-5 mini, Claude Sonnet 4/4.5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Claude Opus 4.1, Haiku 4.5 (varies by plan) | GPT-3.5 (free), GPT-4 (Plus) |
| users | Millions of individual users and tens of thousands of business customers | N/A |
| security | Enterprise-grade controls, SOC2 (implied by GitHub's overall security posture), GDPR (implied) | N/A |
| platforms | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, Azure Data Studio, Eclipse, Raycast, GitHub CLI, Windows Terminal Canary, GitHub Mobile, GitHub.com | Web, Mobile |
| context window | N/A | N/A |
| gdpr compliant | N/A | N/A |
| soc2 compliant | N/A | N/A |
| enterprise features | ✓ Yes | N/A |
| free tier allowance | 50 agent mode/chat requests/mo, 2,000 completions/mo | N/A |