JetBrains AI Assistant vs GitHub Copilot
Plans, free access, limits and intended use side by side, taken from each vendor’s own pages. No score and no winner: the facts show where the two differ.
Change tools
AI chat and code suggestions inside JetBrains IDEs, with separate model and agent choices.
Coding assistance inside your editor, with a separate cloud agent for GitHub repositories.
- Free access
- JetBrains AI Assistant: Free access
- GitHub Copilot: Free access
- Paid from
- JetBrains AI Assistant: EUR 10 per user per month
- GitHub Copilot: USD 10 per person per month
- Plans listed
- JetBrains AI Assistant: 3
- GitHub Copilot: 4
- Public API
- JetBrains AI Assistant: Not confirmed
- GitHub Copilot: Yes
Where JetBrains AI Assistant and GitHub Copilot differ
- CardJetBrains AI Assistant needs a card to start; GitHub Copilot does not.
- PlansJetBrains AI Assistant lists 3 plans and GitHub Copilot lists 4.
Head to head
Each value from the tool’s profile and the vendor’s own pages
| JetBrains AI Assistant | Fact | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Access and price | ||
| Free access availableAI Free · EUR 0 | Free accessSame | Free access availableFree · USD 0 |
| EUR 10 per user per monthAI Pro, individual · billed monthly | Lowest listed paid plan | USD 10 per person per monthPro · monthly subscription |
| Eligible Free tier; personal Pro EUR 10 per month | Pricing model | Free access; individual Pro USD 10 per month |
| 3 | Plans listedDiffers | 4 |
| Not confirmed | Public API | Yes |
| Required | Card to startDiffers | Not required |
| No | Open sourceSame | No |
| What it is for | ||
| Reviewing refactoring suggestions within JetBrains IDEs | Built for | Reviewing small code changes in an existing editor |
| Coding | CategorySame | Coding |
| Platforms |
|
| Works with |
|
| How current | ||
| Profile sources checked | ||
| Prices confirmed · Sep 27, 2026 | Pricing checkSame | Prices confirmed · Oct 2, 2026 |
Official source check for both tools. No hands-on testing and no score: “Differs” marks a documented difference, not a better tool.
Plans and prices
JetBrains AI Assistant
Prices confirmed · Sep 27, 2026- AI FreeEUR 0
- AI Pro, individualEUR 10 per user per monthbilled monthly
- AI Ultimate, individualEUR 30 per user per monthbilled monthly
GitHub Copilot
Prices confirmed · Oct 2, 2026- FreeUSD 0
- ProUSD 10 per person per monthmonthly subscription
- Pro+USD 39 per person per monthmonthly subscription
- MaxUSD 100 per person per monthmonthly subscription
Strengths and limits
JetBrains AI Assistant
Strengths
- Work in a familiar IDE: The assistant is integrated with supported JetBrains products rather than requiring a separate coding editor.
- Inspect suggestions before applying: Chat mode supports a deliberate review step for generated code.
- Choose the context: Files and symbols can be attached to focus a question on a specific change.
Limits to plan around
- Free-tier IDE restrictions: AI Free is unavailable in Android Studio and specified free/community IDE editions; check the exact product and license.
- Cloud budget varies by task: A long conversation or agent run can use more credits than a short code explanation.
- AI and IDE licenses differ: An AI subscription does not replace the required IDE license; bundled entitlements depend on the product.
GitHub Copilot
Strengths
- Keep the current editor: Supported IDE integrations let a developer evaluate assistance without replacing the entire coding environment.
- Separate local and delegated work: Chat, local agent mode and the cloud agent address different levels of repository work.
- Visible billing units: The individual billing documentation explains credit conversion, base allowance and variable flex allotment.
Limits to plan around
- Free is not unlimited agent work: Free has limited chat and agent usage; cloud agent and code review require paid access.
- Variable interaction cost: Long context, model choice and repeated edits change credit consumption.
- Exclusion gaps: Content exclusion is not supported in Edit or Agent modes; do not treat a file policy as a universal boundary.
See both products
Start from your task, not from a winner.
Run both tools on the same real task, then compare the result, how much editing it needs and how fast it uses your plan’s allowance.
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Comparing tools from different categories is fine, and often useful — a writing assistant and a research tool solve different halves of the same job. The table will show you exactly where they diverge.
Questions about comparing tools
How does the comparison work?
Add two tools to the comparison tray from any tool card, then open this page. The table pulls each tool's verified plan details, platforms, strengths and limits from its profile, so both columns carry the same kind of evidence, with a separate source-check date for each tool.
Do you declare a winner?
No. The table sets two tools against each other on documented facts, not on a score. Which one wins depends on your task, your budget and your usage volume — three things we cannot see from here.
Why are some cells empty or marked unverified?
Because we could not confirm that detail on the vendor's own pages. Rather than filling the gap with a figure from elsewhere, we mark it and say why on the tool's profile.
Can I compare more than two tools?
Not at once. Two columns keep the differences readable and force a real decision. Remove either selected tool to replace it, or clear both to start a new pair.
Every figure in the table above comes from the linked profile, where the source and the verification date are listed. Browse all tools or read the editorial policy.