GitHub Copilot vs Vertex AI: Pricing Comparison 2026
Side-by-side pricing comparison of GitHub Copilot and Vertex AI. See all plans, features, and costs at a glance.
Bottom line: Vertex AI starts at $2/mo, making it $8/mo cheaper than GitHub Copilot ($10/mo). GitHub Copilot offers a free plan.
Last updated: March 16, 2026
GitHub Copilot vs Vertex AI: Quick Pricing Facts
| Feature | GitHub Copilot | Vertex AI |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $10/mo | $2/mo |
| Number of Plans | 3 | 12 |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | per-seat | usage-based |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
Vertex AI is the more affordable option, starting at $2/mo compared to GitHub Copilot's $10/mo. Both are AI & ML tools with 15 combined pricing plans and 16 features compared.
GitHub Copilot stands out with a free plan for getting started. GitHub Copilot uses per-seat pricing while Vertex AI uses usage-based pricing, which may affect your total cost at scale.
Review the detailed tier-by-tier comparison above to see exactly which features are included at each price point and find the best fit for your AI & ML needs.
| Pricing Plans |  GitHub Copilot Try it free |  Vertex AI Try it free |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free $0/monthCheapest Includes
| cached Custom pricing |
| Tier 2 | ProPopular $10/monthCheapest $8 / year Includes
| $14 per 1,000 search queries $14/month |
| Tier 3 | Pro+ $39/month $33 / year Includes
| $14 per 1,000 queries $14/monthCheapest |
| Tier 4 | — | Gemini 2.0 Flash $2/monthCheapest |
| Tier 5 | — | $45 per 1,000 grounded prompts $45/monthCheapest |
| Tier 6 | — | $25 per 1,000 grounded prompts $25/monthCheapest |
| Tier 7 | — | Gemini Flash Custom pricing |
| Tier 8 | — | $35 per 1,000 grounded prompts $35/monthCheapest |
| Tier 9 | — | Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 10 | — | Open Source Model Custom pricing |
| Tier 11 | — | Duration Custom pricing |
| Tier 12 | — | $10 per 1000 searches $10/monthCheapest |
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What Reviewers Say
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot offers a free plan.
Based on pricing data only. Review the full comparison below for your specific needs.
Best value: GitHub Copilot
Try GitHub Copilot freeWhich Should You Choose?
Choose GitHub Copilot if:
- •You need a free plan with 50 agent mode or chat requests per month, 2,000 completions per month—GitHub Copilot offers no-cost access with no credit card required
- •You want more features built-in—GitHub Copilot offers 16 additional features across its plans
- •You prefer GitHub Copilot's per-seat model with its 3-tier structure
Choose Vertex AI if:
- •You want lower per-user costs—Vertex AI starts at $2/mo, saving $8/mo compared to GitHub Copilot at $10/mo
- •You need 12 pricing tiers for flexible team sizing—more options mean less overpaying for features you don't need
- •Your team needs custom enterprise pricing—Vertex AI offers negotiated terms for large deployments
GitHub Copilot offers a free plan [1], eliminating the cost barrier for evaluation, while Vertex AI requires paid subscription from the start. This gives GitHub Copilot a significant advantage for teams with budget constraints or extended trial periods. Once you outgrow GitHub Copilot's free tier, upgrading to a paid plan at approximately $10/mo provides substantial additional functionality. Compare this pricing path against Vertex AI's tiering starting at $2/mo to assess total cost of ownership over 12 months. GitHub Copilot's 3 tiers provide flexibility at different budgets, while Vertex AI's 12 tiers structure may force you into higher-cost plans than necessary for your use case. If evaluation cost matters to your decision, GitHub Copilot is the obvious starting point with zero financial commitment. Use the free tier to validate core functionality before committing to paid plans from either tool.
Frequently Asked Questions: GitHub Copilot vs Vertex AI
Which is cheaper, GitHub Copilot or Vertex AI?
How many pricing plans does GitHub Copilot have vs Vertex AI?
Does GitHub Copilot or Vertex AI offer a free plan?
Can I save money by paying annually for GitHub Copilot or Vertex AI?
What is the most popular GitHub Copilot plan?
Does GitHub Copilot or Vertex AI offer custom enterprise pricing?
What pricing models do GitHub Copilot and Vertex AI use?
Sources
- GitHub Copilot Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
- Vertex AI Official Pricing— Vendor pricing page
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