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HomeWhich Plan Guide

Updated April 2026

Which GitHub Copilot Plan Should You Get?
2026 Decision Guide

No hedging. Direct recommendations based on your situation. Find your scenario below.

Common Mistakes

Paying for Business when Free or Pro would do

For solo freelancers working on personal projects, Business adds nothing over Pro. IP indemnity only matters when shipping commercial software as an org.

Choosing Enterprise without GitHub Enterprise Cloud

Enterprise requires GHE Cloud. If you are on GitHub Team or Free, the real cost is $60/seat. Many procurement teams only see the $39 price and are surprised later.

Staying on Free when you hit the 50 PRU limit every month

If Chat stops working on the 10th of every month, the constant interruption costs more in frustration than $10/month. Upgrade to Pro.

Buying individual Pro for a team instead of Business

Individual Pro has no IP indemnity, no policy control, no central management, and no audit logs. For any engineering team building commercial products, Business is the right tier.

If You Are Still Not Sure

Start with the Free tier for 30 days. Track how often you hit the 50 premium request limit. If you hit it in the first 2 weeks, upgrade to Pro. If you are evaluating for a team, have 2-3 developers use Free for two weeks and report whether the limits were constraining. That will tell you whether Business is worth the investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best GitHub Copilot plan for a startup?
For a startup shipping commercial software: Business at $19/seat. IP indemnity matters from day one if your code could be used in a product. The $9 premium over individual Pro accounts is worth it for the legal protection and central admin. If you are a solo founder still in early exploration, Pro at $10/month is sufficient.
Should I start on Free and upgrade later?
Yes. Start with the Free tier for 30 days. Track how often you hit the 50 premium request limit. If you exhaust it in the first 2 weeks, upgrade to Pro. If you are running a team, start with Free individually and evaluate Business when you have more than 2-3 developers or when IP concerns become real.
What is the difference between Pro and Business for an individual?
If you are an individual freelancer: Pro at $10/month. Business is designed for organisations and adds no meaningful features for a solo developer. The extra $9/month for Business only makes sense if you have an org to manage and need the policy controls and IP indemnity for commercial client work.