GitHub Copilot wins on our tests — it scores 9.0 against Aider's 8.7. Note that Aider is open source, so it wins on data control and self-hosting even if it scores lower.
Head to head Code & Dev
Aider vs GitHub Copilot
Two code & dev tools, one honest verdict — scores, pricing and free tiers compared side by side.
 Aider |  GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.7/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Free version | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Open source | ✓ Apache-2.0 | No |
| GitHub stars | ★ 28k | — |
| Partner deal | — | — |
Aider in short
AI pair programming in your terminal — edits real repos with git. It is completely free.
GitHub Copilot in short
Your AI pair programmer, free for students and open source. It is free to start, with paid upgrades.
FAQ
Which is better, Aider or GitHub Copilot?
Aider scores 8.7/10 and GitHub Copilot scores 9.0/10 in our hands-on tests. GitHub Copilot comes out ahead overall.
Is Aider free?
Yes, Aider has a real free version.
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes, GitHub Copilot has a real free version.
Can I try both for free?
Yes — both have free versions, so test them on the same task and keep the winner.
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