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GitHub Copilot CLI

Copilot as a terminal agent, with GitHub itself — issues, pull requests, Git — within reach.

Open official site docs.github.com/en/copilot/concepts/agents/about-copilot-cliFree tier available · from $10/moAI Coding ToolsAI Agents

GitHub Copilot CLI brings Copilot into the terminal as an agent that can answer questions, write and debug code, and act on GitHub.com: modify a project, open a pull request, manage issues, run Git operations. It runs on Linux, macOS and Windows (PowerShell and WSL). It is not sold separately: GitHub states that all Copilot plans include it, from Free through Pro ($10), Pro+ ($39) and Max ($100) to Business and Enterprise, with usage drawing on the plan's AI credits.

Most people meet this tool through a comparison - against Gemini CLI, or against Claude Code - and the comparison usually hides the deciding fact: this one is already paid for. If your organisation has Copilot seats, the CLI arrives with them, inside the same billing, identity and policy controls your admins approved. That is a procurement argument rather than a capability one, and in larger companies it tends to win.

Our take

The default terminal agent for anyone whose company already pays for Copilot, and a reasonable free starting point for everyone else. Its real edge is reach into GitHub: issues and pull requests are first-class rather than shelled out to. If your work does not live on GitHub, that edge disappears and the choice should be made on the agent alone.

Last checked 2026-09-20

Best for

  • Organisations that already license Copilot
  • Workflows centred on GitHub issues and pull requests
  • Developers who want a terminal agent without a new vendor

Limitations

  • Heavy agent use is bounded by the plan's AI credit allowance
  • The GitHub integration is the edge; off GitHub it is one agent among several
  • Model choice follows what Copilot offers, not any provider you like

When to pick something else

  • Teams hosting code outside GitHub
  • Anyone who needs to bring their own model or provider
  • Users expecting unlimited agent runs on the Free plan

Key features

  • Terminal agent for writing and debugging code
  • Native GitHub actions - pull requests, issues, Git operations
  • Included in every Copilot plan, including Free
  • Linux, macOS, Windows PowerShell and WSL
  • Usage metered in the plan's AI credits

GitHub Copilot CLI alternatives

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