Quick answer
Overage depends on your plan and billing settings. Some plans allow additional usage billed at published rates; others stop premium requests when the allowance is exhausted. Check whether additional usage is enabled before you rely on it, and set a budget cap if the account offers one.
The three possible outcomes
| Setting | At the limit | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Additional usage off | Premium requests stop | Work blocked |
| Additional usage on, no cap | Charges continue | Surprise bill |
| Additional usage on, with cap | Charges stop at cap | Predictable |
Check your setting
- Open GitHub Settings, then Copilot, then billing or usage.
- Find the additional usage control.
- Note whether it is on and whether a cap exists.
- For an organization, confirm the policy at the org level, which overrides personal preference.
Avoid the surprise
- Set a cap slightly above one normal month, not at infinity.
- Use the default model for routine work.
- Keep agent runs short; each call is billable.
- Review the balance weekly, not when the invoice arrives.
- Alert at 80% of the period allowance.
UsageAtlas shows the reported balance, and the monthly limit guide covers what to do once you are blocked.
What happens past the allowance
Once the included premium requests are used, behaviour depends on the plan and on whether overage is enabled. Some accounts stop premium features, some continue at a per-request price, and some fall back to the standard model. Read your own billing settings before assuming.
- Check whether overage is enabled on the account.
- Know the per-request price before enabling it.
- Set a budget if the setting allows one.
- Confirm which features keep working after the cap.
UsageAtlas can alert before the allowance is spent. The plan limits guide covers what each tier includes.
Questions, answered
Does Copilot charge automatically when I exceed the allowance?
Only if additional usage is enabled on the account or organization. Otherwise premium requests stop.
Can I set a spending cap?
Where the plan supports additional usage, it usually supports a cap. Check the billing settings for your plan.
Do unused premium requests convert to credits?
No. The allowance expires at the end of the period.