GitHub Copilot vs Cursor

Which AI coding assistant is the best for developers?

GitHub Copilot

Your AI pair programmer

Cursor

The AI-first code editor

Summary

GitHub Copilot integrates into existing IDEs as a plugin, while Cursor is a full AI-native code editor. Copilot excels at inline completions, while Cursor offers deeper codebase understanding and multi-file editing.

Feature Comparison

Feature	GitHub Copilot	Cursor
Inline Completion	Excellent	Excellent
Codebase Awareness	Good	Excellent
Multi-file Editing	Limited	Excellent
IDE Integration	Multiple IDEs	Standalone
Free Tier
Multiple AI Models

Inline Completion

GitHub CopilotExcellent

CursorExcellent

Codebase Awareness

GitHub CopilotGood

CursorExcellent

Multi-file Editing

GitHub CopilotLimited

CursorExcellent

IDE Integration

GitHub CopilotMultiple IDEs

CursorStandalone

Free Tier

GitHub Copilot

Cursor

Multiple AI Models

GitHub Copilot

Cursor

Our Verdict

Choose Copilot if you want to stay in your current IDE. Choose Cursor for the most powerful AI-native editing experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use both?

Yes, but Cursor has its own completion engine. You can use Copilot in VS Code and Cursor separately.

Which is better for large projects?

Cursor's codebase-aware features make it better for large, complex projects.