Quick answer
Every Copilot plan includes the base experience and meters premium model usage differently. Free has a small allowance; Pro adds a larger personal allowance; Business and Enterprise allocate per seat with admin controls. The unit may be credits or premium requests depending on your plan, so read the label in Copilot settings.
What differs
| Plan | Who it is for | Metering | Admin controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Trying Copilot | Small allowance | None |
| Pro | Individuals | Monthly allowance | Personal settings |
| Pro+ | Heavy individual use | Larger allowance | Personal settings |
| Business | Teams | Per seat | Policy and reporting |
| Enterprise | Large orgs | Per seat, contract | Advanced policy |
The table describes structure. It does not list quantities, because published allowances change and vary by promotion.
Read your own limit
- Open GitHub Settings, then Copilot.
- Read the usage section and note the unit.
- Note the period end date.
- For a seat, check whether the organization capped it below the plan allowance.
Choose a plan
- Use Free to evaluate the editor experience.
- Choose Pro if one person regularly hits the free allowance.
- Choose Business when you need seat management and reporting.
- Choose Enterprise when policy, audit, or procurement requires it.
For a cross-vendor view, see which AI coding subscription is cheapest.
What changes by tier
| Tier | Audience | Metering | Admin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Evaluation | Small monthly allowance | None |
| Individual | Solo developer | Monthly premium requests | Personal |
| Business | Organizations | Per-seat, policy controls | Yes |
| Enterprise | Large orgs | Contract and policy | Full |
The quantities change; the structure does not. Every tier has a periodic allowance, a premium model concept, and a policy layer that can disable features. Compare tiers on the policy and reporting you need, then size the allowance with two weeks of real usage.
For the seat-level view, see business seat usage.
Questions, answered
How many premium requests does each plan include?
The number changes and some plans now use credits instead. Check the usage section of Copilot settings for your account.
Do Business seats share an allowance?
Each seat has its own allocation. Organization policy controls enablement and budgets.
Is Copilot Free permanent?
The free tier exists as a limited plan, but its allowance and availability can change. Treat it as an entry point, not a guarantee.