GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT are the two AI tools computer science students use most. Copilot lives inside your code editor and suggests code as you type; ChatGPT is a general assistant that can explain concepts, debug errors and tutor you with Study mode. Here's how they compare for students.
| Feature | GitHub Copilot | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Code suggestions and chat in your editor | General assistant for explanations, debugging and studying |
| Student offer | Free Copilot Student plan for verified students via GitHub Education (automatic model selection only) | Student offer of four free Plus months ended Oct 31, 2026 |
| Free plan | Copilot Free: up to 2,000 completions a month, limited chat | Free plan with limits; Study mode |
| Paid plan | Copilot Pro: $10/month | Go $8/month (US), Plus $20/month |
| Works in | VS Code, other IDEs, GitHub.com and the terminal | ChatGPT apps and web; Codex coding agent (limited on Free and Go) |
| Learning features | Explains code in chat | Study mode guides you with questions |
Prices and features as of November 2026 — check the official site for current details
Prices and features as of November 2026 — check the official site for current details
Best for: code completion inside VS Code and other editors
GitHub Copilot is an AI pair programmer that suggests code as you type and answers questions in Copilot Chat inside editors like VS Code, on GitHub.com and in the terminal. Since March 2026, verified students get a free Copilot Student plan through GitHub Education, with unlimited code completions and a monthly allowance of AI credits for chat (automatic model selection only). Anyone can use Copilot Free (up to 2,000 completions a month with limited chat), and Copilot Pro costs $10/month.
Why students use it:
Best for: explanations, debugging help and Study mode
ChatGPT can explain algorithms and error messages, walk through code line by line, and quiz you with Study mode, which guides you with questions instead of handing over answers. It also includes Codex, OpenAI's coding agent — limited on the Free and Go plans and fully available on Plus. Plans: Free, Go ($8/month in the US), Plus ($20/month). Through October 31, 2026, eligible US college and graduate students could claim four free months of ChatGPT Plus after SheerID verification; that offer has now ended.
Why students use it:
Verified students should claim the free Copilot Student plan for help inside their editor, and use ChatGPT's free plan or Study mode to understand concepts and errors. If you're early in your CS courses, lean on explanations rather than generated code — and check whether your course allows either tool on graded work.
Many programming courses ban AI-written code on graded assignments, and some allow only specific tools. Check your syllabus, never submit code you can't explain, and always run and test AI suggestions.