Cursor vs GitHub Copilot
Detailed comparison of features, performance, and use cases
94/100
Cursor
A polished AI-native code editor with sophisticated hybrid architecture, combining agentic reasoning with vector search for strong cross-file understanding.
Quick Verdict
Cursor excels at ai-native development and code refactoring with a score of 94/100. Cursor delivers the most polished AI-native IDE experience, with seamless integration of frontier models directly into the editing workflow.
92/100
GitHub Copilot
The pioneering AI pair programmer with the widest IDE support and deepest GitHub ecosystem integration, optimized for rapid inline code completion and suggestions.
Quick Verdict
GitHub Copilot excels at code completion and speed & repetition with a score of 92/100. GitHub Copilot pioneered AI-assisted coding and remains unbeatable for frictionless IDE integration with 82% enterprise adoption.
📊 Visual Score Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of key performance metrics across six evaluation criteria
Technical Specifications
| Feature | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Core AI Model(s) | Supports frontier models including Claude Sonnet 4, OpenAI o3-pro, OpenAI GPT-4.1, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Claude Opus 4. It also utilizes custom, purpose-built models for features like its native autocomplete, 'Tab'. | Powered by a variety of generative AI models from GitHub, OpenAI, and Microsoft. Specific models available depend on the user's plan, including Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4.1 (Free), Claude 3.7/4 Sonnet, Gemini 2.5 Pro (Pro), and Claude Opus 4, o3 (Pro+). |
| Context Window | The Pro plan provides access to maximum context windows. | Context is derived from the code within your editor, focusing on the lines immediately surrounding your cursor, other open files in your workspace, and the URLs of relevant repositories or file paths to provide relevant suggestions. |
| Deployment Options | Cursor is a downloadable desktop application for macOS, Windows, and Linux. For teams, it offers an Enterprise plan with SAML/OIDC SSO and SCIM seat management for centralized administration. | Available as an extension for major IDEs including Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, Xcode, Eclipse, and the JetBrains suite. It also integrates with the GitHub CLI, GitHub Mobile, and directly into the GitHub.com interface for Enterprise users. |
| Offline Mode | Cursor has offline capabilities. A GitHub repository provides a guide for offline activation, enabling all features to work without a cloud or login requirement in airgapped systems. However, some users have reported difficulty using agent mode specifically in an offline setting. | No, GitHub Copilot requires a constant internet connection to function. It sends code snippets and context to GitHub's cloud servers for processing and cannot generate suggestions while offline. |
Core Features Comparison
Cursor Features
- AI-powered code completion and generation
- Multi-file code editing with AI chat
- Advanced code understanding and refactoring
- Integrated terminal and debugging tools
- Native Docker and deployment integration
- Multiple frontier model support (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini)
GitHub Copilot Features
- Real-time code suggestions and completions
- Context-aware code generation
- Support for dozens of programming languages
- Integration with popular IDEs and editors
- Agent mode for iterative development
- Coding agent for async PR generation
Pricing & Value Analysis
| Aspect | Cursor | GitHub Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing URL | View Cursor Pricing | View GitHub Copilot Pricing |
| Overall Score | 94/100 | 92/100 |
| Best For | AI-Native Development, Code Refactoring, Multi-file Projects, Rapid Prototyping | Code Completion, Speed & Repetition, IDE Integration, GitHub Workflow Integration |
Best Use Cases
Cursor Excels At
- Large-scale refactoring across multiple files with AI understanding the full codebase context
- Building complex features by describing functionality in natural language and letting AI generate the implementation
- Code reviews and debugging with AI analyzing relationships between files and suggesting improvements
GitHub Copilot Excels At
- Writing boilerplate code and repetitive functions with intelligent autocomplete suggestions
- Learning new programming languages and frameworks by getting contextual code examples
- Accelerating API integration by generating code based on documentation and existing patterns
Performance & Integration
| Category | Cursor | GitHub Copilot | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDE Support | Cursor is a standalone code editor that is a fork of VS Code. This allows users to import their existing VS Code extensions, themes, and keybindings with a single click. | Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, Xcode, Eclipse, Azure Data Studio. | Tie |
| Community | Active community | Active community | Tie |
| Data Richness | Comprehensive | Comprehensive | Tie |
| Overall Score | 94/100 | 92/100 | Cursor |
The Bottom Line
Both Cursor and GitHub Copilot are capable AI coding tools, but they serve different needs. Cursor scores higher (94/100 vs 92/100) and excels in ai-native development and code refactoring. The choice depends on your specific workflow, team size, and technical requirements.
Choose Cursor if: you prioritize ai-native development and code refactoring and want the higher-rated option (94/100).
Choose GitHub Copilot if: you prioritize code completion and speed & repetition and don't mind a slightly lower score for specialized features.