Aider is a terminal-based AI pair programmer that edits entire files and manages git commits, while GitHub Copilot is an IDE extension focused on real-time code completion and inline suggestions. Aider excels at large refactoring tasks, whereas Copilot dominates in seamless code generation within your existing workflow.
Aider vs GitHub Copilot — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Terminal-based AI pair programmer that edits files and manages git commits
IDE extension providing AI-powered code completion and suggestions
Interface Type. Primary Function. Context Window Size. Cost (Monthly). Model Selection. Installation Complexity. Refactoring Large Codebases
Choose Aider if you're refactoring large files, managing complex projects with git commits, or need maximum context and model flexibility. Choose GitHub Copilot if you want seamless IDE integration, instant code completions without context-switching, and a simple setup for daily coding assistance.
Aider: 0.24x (4.2x better) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Terminal CLI | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 10-15 minutes | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Open-Source (MIT/Apache) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Any CLI + limited plugins (Git Bash, Zsh, Bash) | GitHub Copilot: 4+ (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Neovim)
Aider: Full repository with git awareness | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Free (open-source, no paid plan) | GitHub Copilot: $20/month
Aider: All languages (LLM dependent, typically 40+) | GitHub Copilot: 80+
Aider: Yes—multi-file edits with git diff review | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Code Generation Accuracy (HumanEval Benchmark)
Aider: 92% (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Monthly Operating Cost (5,000 token average session)
Aider: 0 (cloud-based) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 70+ languages | GitHub Copilot: 80+ languages
Data Privacy (0=external servers, 1=local only)
Aider: Yes (git diffs) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 15-20 minutes (Python install, API key, CLI setup) | GitHub Copilot: 2 minutes (extension marketplace install)
Aider: 200,000 (with Claude 3.5) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Free (open-source) or variable API costs | GitHub Copilot: $10/month individual, $19/month business
Aider: Full project (unlimited via file listing) | GitHub Copilot: ~5-10 visible files in editor
Aider: 0 (terminal-based tool) | GitHub Copilot: 5+ (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Vim, Neovim)
Aider: Yes—can edit and create files | GitHub Copilot: No—suggestions only, manual edit required
Aider: 4 (terminal + chat interaction) | GitHub Copilot: 1 (IDE-native, like autocomplete)
Average Response Time for Code Suggestion
Aider: 2-5 (multi-turn conversation) | GitHub Copilot: 0.5-1 (inline suggestion)
Aider: 8-12 steps (install, configure API key, learn CLI) | GitHub Copilot: 2–5 min (GitHub sign-in)
Aider: $0 (BYOK) to $20/month (optional commercial) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Manual git commits, indirect via prompts | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Up to 200,000 tokens (depends on model) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: None—single-developer only | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Yes—with local models (Ollama, LM Studio) | GitHub Copilot: No (cloud-only)
Aider: Manual—requires explicit user prompt | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4, Claude 3 Opus, Llama 2, local/self-hosted models | GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot (proprietary, Codex-based)
Aider: 2000-5000ms per suggestion | GitHub Copilot: 50-100ms per suggestion
Aider: Variable ($0-50 based on Claude API usage; typical $20-30/month for heavy use) | GitHub Copilot: Fixed $10 (Copilot Individual) or $19 (Copilot Pro)
Aider: Multi-file editing (10+ files per session) | GitHub Copilot: Single file at a time
Aider: VS Code, Vim, Neovim, JetBrains, Emacs, other terminals | GitHub Copilot: 5 major IDEs
Aider: Native with auto-commit staging | GitHub Copilot: None: requires manual git commands outside Copilot
Aider: Yes: can use Claude 3, GPT-4, Llama, or fine-tune locally | GitHub Copilot: No: GitHub Copilot model is fixed and proprietary
Aider: 200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | GitHub Copilot: ~8,000 (estimated Copilot context)
Aider: 5-7 steps (pip install, API key setup, editor config) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Unlimited (pay-per-API-token) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Native git commit generation and review | GitHub Copilot: Read repository context only
Aider: 30% (manual invocation required) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 30-60 (with user oversight) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: All platforms (Git-agnostic) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 5-10 minutes | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 200,000 (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Partial (local models only) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Depends on API provider | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 12+ via API (Claude, GPT-4, Llama, Mistral, etc.) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Typical Code Generation Quality (Subjective Rating)
Aider: 9.2 (with Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Free (API costs only) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: None (CLI only) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Yes (automatic commits) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: File-aware smart selection | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: Partial (CLI-focused, not real-time) | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: macOS, Linux, Windows | GitHub Copilot: N/A
Aider: 200,000 tokens (Claude 3.5 Sonnet) | GitHub Copilot: 32,000 tokens (Pro tier, estimate)
Aider: $20 + API pass-through costs | GitHub Copilot: $10 (Copilot Pro)
Aider: Terminal (universal, works with any editor) | GitHub Copilot: 15+ IDEs (VS Code, PyCharm, Visual Studio, Sublime, Vim, Neovim, etc.)
Aider: 4+ (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, local models, custom) | GitHub Copilot: 1 proprietary (GitHub Copilot model, Claude 3.5 option)
Aider: 1000+ lines (with context-aware chunking) | GitHub Copilot: 50-200 lines (typical suggestion scope)
Aider: ~50K active users (estimate 2024) | GitHub Copilot: ~13 million developers (GitHub Copilot, 2024)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 3+ model choices
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Minimal (extension)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Copilot Pro $10/mo
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Free tier with limited completions/chat, plus free for verified students, teachers, and OSS maintainers
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Business $19/user/mo (Enterprise $39)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Plugin/extension installed into your existing IDE
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Anthropic Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini (model picker in chat/agent)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Agent mode + Copilot Workspace + coding agent (issue-to-PR); strong but tighter loop trails Cursor
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Repository context, @workspace search, and Enterprise knowledge bases; less aggressive auto-indexing
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Very fast, low-latency completions; category pioneer and still excellent inline
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Org policy management, SSO, audit logs, content exclusion, data residency, IP indemnification
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 128,000 tokens
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Unlimited completions
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Visual Studio, Sublime
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Copilot (GPT-based, Good)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Limited to current + adjacent files
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Not available
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2 days for new accounts
Code Suggestion Accuracy (Python/JavaScript)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2-4 seconds (inline)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 7 major IDEs (VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, etc.)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 6+ major IDEs
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: October 2023 (~27 months old)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Yes (OpenAI servers)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Deep (PR, commits, issues)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 180 code completions
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 15+ editors (VS Code, JetBrains, Vim, Neovim, etc.)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Suggestion-based only, no autonomous execution
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: OpenAI GPT-4 / Anthropic Claude
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: ~1200ms average completion
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: $10 (limited) or $20 (full)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Native PR reviews, CLI, GitHub.dev, Copilot X
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Data exclusion available (enterprise only)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: $120 (monthly) or $100 (annual with 17% discount)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Up to 150 lines
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: ~15 MB extension
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 27% of developers
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2-5 seconds per suggestion
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 5 IDE integrations
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 20-40% faster on routine tasks
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Yes (GitHub Copilot Free)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2 (GPT-4, Claude)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 4 major (VS Code, Visual Studio, GitHub.com, JetBrains Beta)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: No (cloud-only)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Yes (GitHub Enterprise available)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Mandatory (cloud-based)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: None (14-day trial only)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 4+ years (2021)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Plugin only (requires VS Code/JetBrains)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Limited to referenced files
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 10+ (VS Code, JetBrains, Visual Studio, Neovim, etc.)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 150-250ms per suggestion
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 8,000 tokens (~6,000 words)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 8+ (VS Code, JetBrains Suite, Vim, Visual Studio, etc.)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 72% correct on HumanEval benchmark
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2-5 seconds (in-editor, no switching)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Code may be retained (opt-out available)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Limited (logs code references)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Limited (generic suggestions)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: $100/year or $120 with GitHub Pro
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2,000 completions
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 340ms average
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Cloud (GitHub servers)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 250,000,000
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 100 chat prompts
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2-3 minutes
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: No, single-file awareness
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: $10 (Pro) or $0 (Limited)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 0.5 minutes
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 90+ languages
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Integration with VS Code
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Available in all tiers
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 6+ (VS Code, JetBrains, Vim, Visual Studio, etc.)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Limited (single file)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: ~3,000K (2025)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Basic (autocomplete only, no agents)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: GPT-4o / o1 (OpenAI via Microsoft)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 0-1 days (plugin in existing IDE)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 4+ (VS Code, JetBrains, Neovim, Visual Studio)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Yes (Enterprise Server)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2 proprietary models
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 87,000 stars
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: Cloud-only, data sent to servers
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: ~3-5 seconds
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: No (chat-based only)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: ~800 MB (with VS Code)
Aider: N/A | GitHub Copilot: 2 million tokens/month
How to choose between Aider and GitHub Copilot
Aider vs GitHub Copilot — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Aider vs GitHub Copilot. Contains 216 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Aider vs GitHub Copilot — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Aider vs GitHub Copilot.
Can Aider work offline or with local models?
Yes, Aider supports local models like Ollama, llama.cpp, and others, making it suitable for offline work or privacy-sensitive environments. GitHub Copilot requires an active internet connection and GitHub authentication.
Which tool is better for large refactoring projects?
Aider is significantly better for large refactoring due to its 200K token context window, ability to edit entire files, and automatic git commit management. Copilot's smaller context (32K max) and incremental-suggestion design make it better for adding new code than restructuring existing code.
GitHub Copilot has a free tier with rate limits. Aider requires either a Claude API subscription (~$20/month) or usage-based billing. For light use, GitHub Copilot Free may be sufficient; heavy users benefit more from Aider's flexibility and lower per-token costs with GPT-4 or local models.
Which tool integrates better with my development workflow?
GitHub Copilot integrates more seamlessly into IDEs (VS Code, PyCharm, etc.) without leaving your editor. Aider requires switching to the terminal, which adds friction but provides more powerful file-level control and git workflow integration for developers comfortable with CLI tools.
What are the privacy implications of each tool?
GitHub Copilot sends code snippets to GitHub's servers. Aider can use local models (Ollama) for complete privacy, or use Claude/OpenAI APIs (with their respective privacy policies). Choose local models in Aider for maximum privacy.
How to Choose Between Aider and GitHub Copilot
Interface Type: Aider has Terminal-based CLI with chat interface, while GitHub Copilot has IDE extension (VS Code, JetBrains, etc.).
Primary Function: Aider has Full-file editing and git commit management, while GitHub Copilot has Real-time code completion and inline suggestions.
Context Window Size: Aider has Up to 200K tokens (Claude 3.5 Sonnet), while GitHub Copilot has 8K-32K tokens depending on model.
Cost (Monthly): Aider has $20 (Claude API pass-through costs vary), while GitHub Copilot has $10 (Copilot Pro) or free (limited).
Model Selection: Aider has Supports Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, local models, while GitHub Copilot has Proprietary GitHub Copilot model (Claude 3.5 in some tiers).
Installation Complexity: Aider has Requires Python, API key setup, terminal familiarity, while GitHub Copilot has One-click IDE extension install.
Refactoring Large Codebases: Aider has Excellent (handles 1000+ line files with git tracking), while GitHub Copilot has Limited to small incremental changes.