Claude Code suits developers who want an agent that reads the whole codebase, edits files and runs commands from the terminal, IDE, desktop app or browser. GitHub Copilot suits teams who work in GitHub and want an assistant tied to issues, pull requests and code review, with a free plan to start on. They also overlap: Copilot's higher plans can hand tasks to Claude.
I read Anthropic's Claude Code documentation and Claude plans page, and GitHub's Copilot page and plans page. The facts below are from those pages.
Claude Code and GitHub Copilot compared
| Claude Code | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not on Claude Free; included from Claude Pro | Yes, Free |
| Made by | Anthropic | GitHub |
| Where it runs | Terminal, VS Code, JetBrains, desktop app, browser | GitHub, code editors, Copilot CLI and the Copilot app |
| What it does | Reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands | Agent mode, code review, Copilot in the cloud |
| Third-party agents | Not applicable | Can delegate to Claude and OpenAI Codex on Pro+ and Max (preview) |
| Other model providers | Terminal, VS Code and JetBrains support third-party providers | Not covered on the plans page I read |
How Claude Code works
Anthropic's docs describe Claude Code as an agentic coding tool that reads your codebase, edits files, runs commands and works with your development tools. It understands the whole project and can work across many files to build features, fix bugs and automate tasks.
It runs in the terminal, in VS Code and JetBrains, in a desktop app and on the web, with Slack, a Chrome extension, code review and your own CI too. The docs say most of those need a Claude plan or an Anthropic Console account, and Anthropic's plans page lists Claude Code from Pro, not on Free.
How GitHub Copilot works
GitHub calls Copilot your AI coding agent. Its plans page lists Free, Pro, Pro+ and Max, and explains that agent mode, code review, Copilot in the cloud, Copilot CLI and the Copilot app all use GitHub AI Credits.
Because it lives inside GitHub, Copilot connects naturally to issues and pull requests. From Pro upwards you can start and track issues from the agents page, and from code editors.
The overlap worth knowing
Here's the line on GitHub's own plans page I'd flag. On Pro+ and Max, Copilot can delegate tasks to third-party coding agents like Claude by Anthropic and OpenAI Codex, marked as a preview. It's not included on Free or Pro.
So for a GitHub-first team, this isn't always either-or. You can keep Copilot as the home for issues and reviews and send some tasks to Claude from there, or run Claude Code directly in your terminal for deeper work on a local repo.
Setup is different too. Anthropic's docs say you install Claude Code with one command in the terminal, or use it through the VS Code and JetBrains extensions, the desktop app or the web. Copilot starts from your GitHub account, so if your code already lives on GitHub, there's very little to set up before you try it.
Where the work happens differs too. Claude Code works in your own terminal or editor, on your project's files. Copilot also offers Copilot in the cloud, tied to GitHub and the issue that started the job. If your team has rules about where code is processed, read each provider's documentation on that before rolling either one out to everyone.
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Who each tool suits
Claude Code suits developers and technical founders who like working in the terminal and want an agent to take on multi-file changes. GitHub Copilot suits teams already organised around GitHub issues and pull requests. These prompts for faster coding work carry over to both, and my guide to developer productivity tools that work covers the rest of the stack.
My advice on Claude Code or GitHub Copilot
Pick one real ticket from your backlog, something that touches several files. Give it to Claude Code in your terminal and watch what it changes and why. Then try Copilot's Free plan on a smaller task inside GitHub. If your team reviews everything through pull requests, Copilot's place in that flow is a strong reason to keep it, and you can add Claude for the bigger jobs.
Do you make AI coding tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claude Code included in Claude Free?
No. Anthropic's plans page lists Claude Code from the Pro plan upwards.
Does GitHub Copilot have a free plan?
Yes. GitHub's plans page lists a Free plan alongside Pro, Pro+ and Max.
Can GitHub Copilot use Claude?
GitHub says Pro+ and Max can delegate tasks to third-party coding agents like Claude by Anthropic and OpenAI Codex, as a preview.
Where can I run Claude Code?
Anthropic's docs list the terminal, VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, a desktop app and the web.
What uses GitHub AI Credits?
GitHub says agent mode, code review, Copilot in the cloud, Copilot CLI and the Copilot app use GitHub AI Credits.
