# GitHub Copilot CLI — GitHub's agentic coding CLI that plans, edits, runs code and works with issues and pull requests.

> Source: The Agents Index — https://theagentsindex.com/copilot-cli (structured, researched, re-verified)
> Facts last verified: 2026-10-24

GitHub Copilot CLI is a terminal agent that reads, writes and runs code in your local repository. It authenticates with your GitHub account and works directly with issues and pull requests through GitHub's MCP server.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Website | https://github.com |
| Price | free, then from $10/month |
| Free tier | Yes |

Copilot Free costs $0 and includes the CLI with an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, auto model selection only, limited agent usage and 2,000 completions per month; pooled usage and purchasing extra credits are not available.

## What it does

**Writes code** · Yes — The agent writes new code from a plain-language prompt, including scaffolding a whole application from scratch in a new project directory.

> Ask Copilot to create an application from scratch—for example, as a proof of concept.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Use cases for GitHub Copilot CLI, Local tasks list

**Debugs and fixes** · Yes — GitHub documents debugging as a core use: you can ask it why a change it made is failing and tell it to fix the problem.

> You can use it to answer questions, write and debug code, and interact with GitHub.com.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Introduction, first paragraph

**Reviews code** · Yes — It can be pointed at an existing pull request and report problems in that diff, answering in the terminal rather than as a PR review.

> Ask Copilot to check the code changes in a pull request.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Use cases, Tasks involving GitHub.com list

**Whole-codebase work** · Yes — GitHub positions it for legacy codebase navigation and multi-step implementations, with auto-compaction so long sessions survive the token limit.

> Copilot CLI excels at legacy codebase navigation, new repository creation, cross-platform development setup, and multi-step implementations
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'What types of development tasks work best with Copilot CLI?'

**Ships it** · Yes — It goes past the diff: it commits locally, opens pull requests on GitHub.com on your behalf, and can merge or close them.

> Copilot creates a pull request on GitHub.com, on your behalf. You are marked as the pull request author.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Use cases, Tasks involving GitHub.com

## How much it does unattended

**Runs autonomously** · Partly — By default every file change and command needs your approval; autopilot mode and the blanket allow flag remove that, so unattended running is opt-in.

> Every file change and command execution requires your explicit approval before being applied.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'How does file modification and command execution work?'

**Multi-agent** · Yes — The /fleet command runs one task across several subagents in parallel, optionally on different models, and converges the results.

> Copilot CLI supports subagents and multi‑agent workflows. With /fleet, you can run the same task across multiple subagents in parallel
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'Does Copilot CLI support subagents or multi-agent workflows?'

**Agent permissions** · Yes — Permissions are per tool and configurable: approve once, approve for the session, or pass allow and deny flags, with deny taking precedence.

> There are three command-line options that you can use, in either interactive or programmatic sessions, to determine tools that Copilot can use without asking for your approval
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Security considerations, Allowing tools to be used without manual approval

## Which models it runs on

**Claude** · Yes — Claude is the default model in the CLI and further Claude versions are selectable with the /model command.

> By default, `copilot` utilizes Claude Sonnet 4.5. Run the `/model` slash command to choose from other available models
> — https://github.com/github/copilot-cli · README, Using the CLI

**GPT** · Yes — OpenAI GPT models are offered alongside Claude in the model picker, and GitHub names OpenAI as one of its providers.

> Run the `/model` slash command to choose from other available models, including Claude Sonnet 4 and GPT-5.
> — https://github.com/github/copilot-cli · README, Using the CLI

**Gemini** · Yes — Google is named as one of the foundation model providers behind the CLI, and Gemini models appear in the per-plan model table.

> Copilot CLI supports models from multiple foundation model providers, such as Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'Which models can I access with Copilot CLI?'

**Model choice** · Yes — You pick the model yourself per task with /model, and can run several models on one task through /fleet.

> Use `/model` to switch, then `/fleet` to execute in parallel or run multiple models at once.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · Feature section, 'Use any /model, parallelize with /fleet'

## Where you use it

**In your editor** · Yes — Besides any terminal, it runs inside the VS Code integrated terminal and the VS Code chat panel; other editors just see the files it changes.

> Yes, you can interact with Copilot CLI in the VS Code integrated terminal and in the VS Code chat panel.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'Will Copilot CLI integrate directly into VS Code?'

**On the command line** · Yes — The terminal is the product: an interactive session on macOS, Linux and Windows PowerShell or WSL, installed via npm, Homebrew or WinGet.

> The command-line interface (CLI) for GitHub Copilot allows you to use Copilot directly from your terminal.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Introduction, first sentence

**In your pipeline** · Yes — Programmatic mode takes a single prompt and exits, so it can be scripted, and it acts on pull requests directly including merging and closing them.

> You can also pass the CLI a single prompt directly on the command line. The CLI completes the task and then exits.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Modes of use, Programmatic interface

**In a browser** · No — The CLI itself has only the two terminal interfaces; the hosted web experience is a separate Copilot surface, not this product.

> GitHub Copilot CLI has two user interfaces: interactive and programmatic.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Modes of use, opening sentence

## Whose machine it runs on

**Self-hosted** · No — The agent is a client for GitHub's hosted service and GitHub states Copilot is not available on its self-managed server product.

> Copilot is not currently available for GitHub Enterprise Server.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/get-started/plans · GitHub Copilot plans, note below the plan descriptions

## What it costs to run

**How it meters** · Yes — Billing is per GitHub AI Credit on top of the seat price, at one cent a credit, with consumption varying by model and task length.

> GitHub AI Credits are how you pay for AI usage in GitHub Copilot. Every plan includes a monthly allowance: 1 AI credit = $0.01 USD.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/plans · FAQ, 'What are GitHub AI Credits?'

**Free tier** · Yes — The free Copilot plan includes the CLI with an allowance of AI credits, so you can install and run it without talking to anyone.

> Copilot CLI is included as a core feature of all GitHub Copilot plans (Free, Pro, Pro+, Max, Business, and Enterprise).
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'Who can access GitHub Copilot CLI?'

**API access** · Yes — Programmatic mode drives the agent from your own scripts with a single prompt argument, and it can authenticate with a fine-grained personal access token.

> To use the CLI programmatically, include the `-p` or `--prompt` command-line option in your command.
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/copilot-surfaces/copilot-cli · Modes of use, Programmatic interface

**MCP server** · Yes — It ships with GitHub's MCP server enabled and connects to custom MCP servers, so it acts as an MCP client rather than a server other agents call.

> the coding agent ships with GitHub's MCP server by default and supports custom MCP servers to extend capabilities
> — https://github.com/github/copilot-cli · README, Introduction and Overview, MCP-powered extensibility bullet

## Buying it for a team

**A company can buy it** · Yes — Organisations buy Copilot Business or Enterprise seats and the CLI is included; an admin must switch it on for the organisation.

> Copilot CLI works with your existing Copilot Business or Enterprise subscription — no additional billing or setup required.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'I have a Copilot Business or Enterprise license. Will I have access to Copilot CLI?'

**Seat model** · Yes — Team plans are priced per granted seat per month, 19 dollars on Business and 39 on Enterprise; no seat floor or ceiling is published.

> Copilot Business   | $19 USD per granted seat per month
> — https://docs.github.com/en/copilot/get-started/plans · Copilot plans overview table, Copilot Business row, Pricing column

**Pooled budget** · Partly — Credits are pooled across the organisation only on the team plans; the comparison table marks pooled usage not included on every individual plan.

> Pooled usage. Included AI credits are shared org-wide with admin controls for spending.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/plans · Comparison table, GitHub AI Credits section, Pooled usage row

**Admin controls** · Yes — The CLI inherits organisation Copilot policies, respects content exclusion rules, and an admin can disable it entirely for the organisation.

> The CLI automatically inherits your organization's Copilot policies and governance settings.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/cli · FAQ, 'How do I install and set up Copilot CLI?'

**Single sign-on** · Partly — The plan comparison marks SAML SSO authentication as not included on Free, Pro, Pro+ and Max, so it is a team-plan concern rather than an individual one.

> SAML SSO authentication. Free plan: Not included. Pro plan: Not included. Pro+ plan: Not included. Max plan: Not included
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/plans · Comparison table, SAML SSO authentication row

## What happens to your code

**Opt out of training** · Yes — Individual subscribers can turn off model training on their prompts and suggestions in settings; business and enterprise data is covered by the DPA instead.

> Individual subscribers can opt out of having their data used for AI model training at any time through https://github.com/settings/copilot/features
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/plans · FAQ, 'How does GitHub use the Copilot data from Individual Subscribers?'

**Certifications** · Yes — GitHub states Copilot supports GDPR compliance through a data protection agreement; SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certificates are not named on the pages read.

> Yes. GitHub and customers can enter a Data Protection Agreement that supports compliance with the GDPR and similar legislation.
> — https://github.com/features/copilot/plans · FAQ, 'Does GitHub Copilot support compliance with the GDPR and other data protection laws?'

## What changed

- 2026-10-24 — Capabilities · Free tier · Plan limits · Price · Terms

## Keeping it current

These facts are re-checked against GitHub Copilot CLI's own pages and updated when they change. If you represent GitHub Copilot CLI, sign in and update the listing from your dashboard at https://theagentsindex.com/dashboard. The operations this site accepts from an agent are listed at https://theagentsindex.com/.well-known/agents.json — that catalog needs no key to read, and each entry states its own auth.