GitHub Copilot changed how developers write code, but at $19/month, it's not for everyone. Whether you're looking for something free, more private, or with different features, here are the best Copilot alternatives in 2026.
Why Look for Copilot Alternatives?#
Developers switch from Copilot for several reasons:
- Cost: $19/month ($39 for business) adds up
- Privacy: Code sent to Microsoft/OpenAI servers
- Features: Need capabilities Copilot lacks
- Model preference: Want Claude or other AI models
- IDE limitations: Need support beyond VS Code/JetBrains
Best Free Alternatives#
1. Codeium#
Best free Copilot replacement
Codeium offers unlimited code completions at no cost—no catches.
| Feature | Codeium Free | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Code completions | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Languages | 40+ | 40+ |
| IDEs supported | All major | All major |
| Chat | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $0 | $19/month |
Why choose Codeium:
- Truly unlimited free tier
- Fast response times
- No credit card required
- Supports all popular IDEs
Limitations:
- Less advanced reasoning than GPT-4
- No GitHub-native features
2. Tabnine Free#
Best for basic completion
Tabnine's free tier provides solid code completion without cost.
| Feature | Tabnine Free | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Completions | Short code | Full functions |
| Model | Basic | GPT-4 |
| Privacy | Good | Microsoft servers |
| Price | $0 | $19/month |
Why choose Tabnine Free:
- Privacy-focused
- Works offline (basic)
- No telemetry required
Limitations:
- Limited completion length
- No chat or advanced features
3. Aider#
Best open-source alternative
Aider is free and open source—you bring your own API key.
1# Install Aider
2pip install aider-chat
3
4# Use with Claude
5export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your_key
6aider
7
8# Use with GPT-4
9export OPENAI_API_KEY=your_key
10aiderWhy choose Aider:
- Completely free and open source
- Use any AI model
- Multi-file editing
- Git integration built-in
Limitations:
- Terminal-only interface
- Requires API key setup
- No inline completion
Best Paid Alternatives#
4. Cursor#
Best AI-native IDE
Cursor rebuilt VS Code around AI, offering deeper integration than any plugin.
| Feature | Cursor | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Full IDE | Extension |
| Multi-file editing | Composer mode | Limited |
| Context window | 128K tokens | 8K tokens |
| Price | $20/month | $19/month |
Why choose Cursor:
- AI-native architecture
- Powerful Composer for multi-file edits
- Feels like the future of coding
- Similar price to Copilot
Limitations:
- New IDE to learn (though VS Code-based)
- Slightly higher price
5. Bootspring#
Best for complex projects
Bootspring isn't a code completion tool—it's a platform with specialized AI agents.
| Feature | Bootspring | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Platform | Extension |
| Agents | Specialized | General |
| Integration | Full stack | IDE only |
| Autonomous | Yes | No |
| Price | $20/month | $19/month |
Why choose Bootspring:
- Specialized agents (frontend, backend, devops)
- Full codebase understanding
- Connects to databases, APIs, CI/CD
- Autonomous task completion
- Persistent memory
Limitations:
- Not inline completion
- Learning curve
- Best used with other tools
6. Claude Code#
Best for complex reasoning
Anthropic's CLI tool brings Claude's intelligence to development.
| Feature | Claude Code | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Context | 200K tokens | 8K tokens |
| Reasoning | Excellent | Good |
| Interface | CLI | IDE |
| Autonomous | Yes | No |
| Price | $20/month | $19/month |
Why choose Claude Code:
- Massive context window
- Superior reasoning ability
- Autonomous multi-file changes
- Full codebase awareness
Limitations:
- Terminal interface only
- No inline completion
- Different workflow
7. Amazon CodeWhisperer#
Best for AWS development
CodeWhisperer offers free individual use with strong AWS integration.
| Feature | CodeWhisperer | Copilot |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Individual) | Free | $19/month |
| AWS integration | Native | Good |
| Security scanning | Included | Extra |
| Languages | Focus on Python/Java | All |
Why choose CodeWhisperer:
- Free for individuals
- Built-in security scanning
- AWS expertise
- Reference tracking
Limitations:
- Less capable outside AWS context
- Weaker in some languages
Enterprise Alternatives#
8. Tabnine Enterprise#
Best for privacy-conscious enterprises
Tabnine offers on-premise deployment for complete code privacy.
| Feature | Tabnine Enterprise | Copilot Business |
|---|---|---|
| On-premise | Yes | No |
| Air-gapped | Yes | No |
| Team learning | Yes | Limited |
| Price | $39/user/month | $39/user/month |
Why choose Tabnine Enterprise:
- Full code privacy
- On-premise deployment
- Team-specific learning
- Compliance friendly
9. Bootspring Team#
Best for integrated development
Bootspring Team brings specialized agents to your entire team.
| Feature | Bootspring Team | Copilot Business |
|---|---|---|
| Specialized agents | Yes | No |
| Full integration | Yes | Limited |
| Shared context | Yes | No |
| Price | $30/user/month | $39/user/month |
Why choose Bootspring Team:
- Specialized domain agents
- Full stack integration
- Team knowledge sharing
- Lower per-user cost
Feature Comparison#
| Feature | Codeium | Tabnine | Cursor | Bootspring | Claude Code | CodeWhisperer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Unlimited | Limited | Trial | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Inline completion | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Multi-file | Limited | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Autonomous | No | No | Limited | Yes | Yes | No |
| Chat | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Security scan | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Custom models | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Choosing the Right Alternative#
By Use Case#
Just want free code completion:
- Codeium (best overall free)
- CodeWhisperer (if using AWS)
- Tabnine Free (basic needs)
Want better than Copilot:
- Cursor (best AI-native IDE)
- Claude Code (best reasoning)
- Bootspring (best integration)
Enterprise/Privacy requirements:
- Tabnine Enterprise (on-premise)
- CodeWhisperer (AWS compliance)
- Bootspring Team (full integration)
By Budget#
$0/month:
- Codeium - Best free all-around
- CodeWhisperer - Free + security scanning
- Aider + own API - Pay per use
$15-20/month:
- Cursor - Best AI IDE
- Bootspring - Best platform
- Claude Code - Best reasoning
Enterprise:
- Tabnine Enterprise - Best privacy
- Bootspring Team - Best value
- Copilot Business - Most familiar
By Workflow#
IDE-focused:
- Cursor - Full AI IDE
- VS Code + Codeium - Free option
- JetBrains + Tabnine - If in JetBrains
Terminal-focused:
- Claude Code - Best CLI experience
- Aider - Free, open source
Full-stack development:
- Bootspring - Specialized agents
- Claude Code + Cursor combo
Migration Tips#
From Copilot to Codeium#
- Install Codeium extension
- Sign up for free account
- Disable Copilot extension
- Similar keybindings, minimal adjustment
From Copilot to Cursor#
- Download Cursor
- Import VS Code settings
- Install extensions (most work)
- Learn Composer for multi-file edits
From Copilot to Bootspring#
- Keep Copilot or add Codeium for completion
- Install Bootspring
- Configure MCP
- Use Bootspring for complex tasks
The Bottom Line#
Best free alternative: Codeium
- Unlimited completions, all features free
Best paid alternative: Cursor
- AI-native IDE, similar price to Copilot
Best for complex projects: Bootspring
- Specialized agents, full integration
Best for reasoning: Claude Code
- 200K context, autonomous tasks
You don't have to choose just one. Many developers use:
- Codeium or Copilot for inline completion
- Bootspring or Claude Code for complex tasks
Want AI that understands your entire project? Try Bootspring free and see how specialized agents transform development.