GitHub Copilot AI Credits Explained: How Billing Works Now

On June 1, 2026, GitHub Copilot moved from “premium requests” to usage-based billing with GitHub AI Credits (GitHub changelog). If your Copilot bill or limits feel different, this is why.

What’s an AI credit?

• 1 AI credit = $0.01 (GitHub docs).
• Each chat or agent request costs credits based on the input, output and cached tokens it uses, priced at that model’s listed API rate.
• Bigger models and longer tasks cost more credits. A quick question costs little; a long agent session costs a lot more.

What’s free (doesn’t use credits)

• Code completions as you type
• Next Edit suggestions

These stay included in paid plans.

What each plan includes

GitHub’s plans page shows each paid plan as a base credit amount equal to its price, plus an optional “flex” allotment. For example, Pro has a $10 base plus a $5 flex, which matches the 1,500-credit total in the docs (GitHub plans).

What happens when you run out

GitHub says “Fallback experiences will no longer be available.” You no longer get dropped to a cheaper model. Instead:

• Individuals can buy extra usage where the plan allows it.
• Business and Enterprise admins set budgets at the enterprise, cost-center and user level, and decide whether extra usage is allowed or capped.

What changed for existing subscribers

• Monthly Pro and Pro+ moved to the new billing on June 1, 2026.
• Annual Pro and Pro+ keep premium-request pricing until the plan expires. At expiry they move to Free, with the option to upgrade.
• Copilot code review also consumes GitHub Actions minutes.

How to avoid surprises

1. Check the Billing Overview page in GitHub. It shows your projected costs.
2. Use agents for the big tasks, and completions and quick chats for the rest.
3. Pick lighter models for simple questions.
4. On a team, set a user-level budget before turning on agents for everyone.

Our take

AI credits make Copilot fairer for light users and more expensive for people who run long agent sessions on big models. Check your usage page after the first week of the month and switch heavy tasks to a cheaper model if you're burning through credits.

Our take

AI credits make Copilot fairer for light users and more expensive for people who run long agent sessions on big models. Check your usage page after the first week of the month and switch heavy tasks to a cheaper model if you're burning through credits.

Read the full GitHub Copilot review or compare it with Cursor.

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Prices checked on October 18–19, 2026.