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GitHub Copilot Introduces Premium Request System, Potentially Raising Costs for Some Users
GitHub Copilot, the AI coding assistant developed by Microsoft-owned GitHub, is set to become more expensive for certain users with the introduction of a new “premium requests” system. This change imposes rate limits for users who opt to utilize advanced AI models beyond the standard model for complex coding tasks.
New Rate Limits on Advanced AI Models
GitHub unveiled its “premium requests” system, which will institute rate limitations when subscribers choose to employ sophisticated AI models, other than the base model, for demanding tasks such as “agentic” coding and extensive multi-file edits. While GitHub Copilot subscribers retain unrestricted access to the basic model (OpenAI’s GPT-4o), usage of newer, more advanced models, such as Anthropic’s 3.7 Sonnet, will now be subject to caps under this new system.
Copilot Pro and Business Tier Details
According to a blog post from GitHub, users on the Copilot Pro plan, priced at $20 monthly, will receive 300 premium requests per month, effective May 5th. Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise subscribers will similarly be granted monthly premium requests, with 300 and 1,000 respectively, commencing between May 12th and May 19th.
Options for Additional Requests and Upgrades
For users on these plans requiring more capacity, additional premium requests can be purchased at a rate of $0.04 per request. Alternatively, users can upgrade to GitHub’s newly launched Copilot Pro+ plan. Priced at $39 per month, Copilot Pro+ offers a more generous allocation of 1,500 premium requests and grants “access to the best models,” including OpenAI’s GPT-4.5, according to GitHub.
Reflecting Increased Computing Costs
This effective price increase for Copilot’s more powerful AI models follows a rate adjustment by the AI coding platform Devin and may reflect the elevated computational expenses associated with running these advanced models. Reasoning models like 3.7 Sonnet, while offering enhanced reliability through more thorough fact-checking, require greater computing power, contributing to increased operational costs.
Copilot’s Revenue Contribution to GitHub
Despite the price adjustments, GitHub Copilot remains a profitable venture. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated last August that Copilot was responsible for over 40% of GitHub’s revenue growth in 2024. He also noted that Copilot’s business volume now surpasses the entirety of GitHub’s revenue at the time of its acquisition by the tech giant approximately seven years prior, highlighting the significant financial impact of the AI coding assistant.