GitHub Copilot vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Same tested record. The canonical URL stays /compare/github-copilot-vs-windsurf/. This address keeps the id windsurf. The tested product is Devin Desktop, the editor formerly called Windsurf (renamed June 2, 2026). The score and edition here are that editor test. It is not the separate untested Devin agent. Devin agent (not yet tested).
GitHub Copilot vs Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) (AI Code Editors & IDEs). Agent test scores: GitHub Copilot 8/10, Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) 8.1/10. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) scored 0.1 higher overall in our separate rubric v0.1 tests (editions and tasks can differ — see Edition tested and the notes below). Pricing: GitHub Copilot — Free $0; Pro $10/mo (1,500 GitHub AI Credits/mo incl. flex); Pro+ $39/mo (7,000); Max $100/mo (20,000); Business $19/seat; Enterprise $39/seat; Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) — Free $0; Pro $20/mo (full model availability, Devin Cloud agents, extra usage at API pricing); Max $200/mo; Teams $80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat (up to 200 users); Enterprise custom.
Every fact on this page comes from our tool records and test logs. Last updated:
- VibeToolRank score
- 8/10
- Last tested
- 2026-10-16
- Runs
- 1 (single run)
- Outcome score
- 9/10
- Edition tested
- VS Code 1.142.0 for Linux with built-in GitHub Copilot, Copilot Free plan, model Auto (routed to gpt-6-luna)
- Free plan, as measured
- 0% of monthly credits used after one todo app (T1)
- Free plan
- Yes: Copilot Free with an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, 2,000 completions/mo, Auto model only (CLI and agent mode included)
- Price
- Free $0; Pro $10/mo (1,500 GitHub AI Credits/mo incl. flex); Pro+ $39/mo (7,000); Max $100/mo (20,000); Business $19/seat; Enterprise $39/seat
- Pricing checked
- 2026-11-02
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
- VibeToolRank score
- 8.1/10
- Last tested
- 2026-10-16
- Runs
- 1 (single run)
- Outcome score
- 9/10
- Edition tested
- Devin Desktop 3.10.67 (formerly Windsurf) for Linux, Free plan, model SWE-1.6 Slow, Local session
- Free plan, as measured
- One todo app (T1) fit easily in the light free quota; exact usage not shown
- Free plan
- Yes: light agent quota, limited models, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits
- Price
- Free $0; Pro $20/mo (full model availability, Devin Cloud agents, extra usage at API pricing); Max $200/mo; Teams $80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat (up to 200 users); Enterprise custom
- Pricing checked
- 2026-11-09
Side by side
| Field | GitHub Copilot | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | GitHub CopilotGitHub's AI pair programmer for editors and the CLI. | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)AI IDE formerly called Windsurf; renamed Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026. |
| Pricing | GitHub CopilotFree $0; Pro $10/mo (1,500 GitHub AI Credits/mo incl. flex); Pro+ $39/mo (7,000); Max $100/mo (20,000); Business $19/seat; Enterprise $39/seat | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Free $0; Pro $20/mo (full model availability, Devin Cloud agents, extra usage at API pricing); Max $200/mo; Teams $80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat (up to 200 users); Enterprise custom |
| Free tier | GitHub CopilotYes: Copilot Free with an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, 2,000 completions/mo, Auto model only (CLI and agent mode included) | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Yes: light agent quota, limited models, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits |
| Pricing verified | GitHub Copilot2026-11-02 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)2026-11-09 |
| Edition tested | GitHub CopilotVS Code 1.142.0 for Linux with built-in GitHub Copilot, Copilot Free plan, model Auto (routed to gpt-6-luna) | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)Devin Desktop 3.10.67 (formerly Windsurf) for Linux, Free plan, model SWE-1.6 Slow, Local session |
| Tested on | GitHub Copilot2026-10-16 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)2026-10-16 |
| Outcome score | GitHub Copilot9 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)9 |
| Speed score | GitHub Copilot7 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)9 |
| Cost score | GitHub Copilot9 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)9 |
| Developer experience score | GitHub Copilot7 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)5 |
| Reliability score | GitHub Copilot6 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)7 |
| Overall score | GitHub Copilot8 | Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)8.1 |
What our tests found
GitHub Copilot
Our first chat (Auto routed to GPT-5 mini) failed 3 times with 'Sorry, no response was returned'. A new chat in Copilot mode, where Auto picked gpt-6-luna, built the T1 todo app in 1m50s over 14 steps and tested it itself with Playwright. We verified it in headless Chrome: add, complete, delete, filters, reload persistence and a 375px mobile layout all passed, and the only console error was a missing favicon. Single run.desktop app, free plan
- Every T1 check passed in our own headless browser test, including mobile
- Tested its own work with Playwright in VS Code's built-in browser
- Built into VS Code; Copilot Free needs no payment
- Our build used 0% of the free monthly credits
- The first chat failed 3 times with 'Sorry, no response was returned' and needed a restart
- Needed two approvals to open a browser page and run Playwright
- Free plan is limited to 2,000 completions a month, a small AI Credits allowance and Auto model only
Who it’s for: Developers already in VS Code and GitHub who want a built-in agent with a free starter tier.
Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Devin Desktop, Cognition's renamed Windsurf editor, built our T1 todo app in about 1 minute with no follow-ups and previewed it after one 'Failed to start browser preview' error. We verified it in headless Chrome: add, complete, delete, filters, reload persistence and a 375px mobile layout all passed. Setup was rough on Linux: the devin:// login link failed, so we pasted a token by hand, and sessions defaulted to Pro-only Cloud mode. Single run.desktop app, free plan
- Working todo app in about 1 minute with no follow-ups
- Every T1 check passed in our own headless browser test, including mobile
- Previewed its own work in a built-in browser
- Free plan with a light agent quota
- On Linux the devin:// login link failed; we had to paste an auth token manually
- Sessions defaulted to Cloud, which is Pro-only; we switched to Local
- Wrote files without asking for approval
- Browser preview failed once before recovering
Who it’s for: Developers who liked Windsurf and want Cognition's agentic editor, with a free tier for light use.
Verdict
Scores use rubric v0.1 from separate runs. Editions and tasks can differ (see Edition tested and What our tests found); some tests were a single run, which caps reliability scores. Overall: GitHub Copilot 8, Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) 8.1. Check the free-tier limits above against your project before choosing.
FAQ
Which is better, GitHub Copilot or Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)?
In our tests Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) scored higher overall (8.1/10 vs 8/10). Scores use the same rubric (v0.1) but came from separate runs; editions and tasks may differ (see Edition tested and test summaries), so check the per-dimension scores for what matters to you.
Is GitHub Copilot free?
Yes: Copilot Free with an allowance of GitHub AI Credits, 2,000 completions/mo, Auto model only (CLI and agent mode included) (pricing checked 2026-11-02).
Is Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) free?
Yes: light agent quota, limited models, unlimited Tab completions and inline edits (pricing checked 2026-11-09).
How much does GitHub Copilot cost compared with Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)?
GitHub Copilot: Free $0; Pro $10/mo (1,500 GitHub AI Credits/mo incl. flex); Pro+ $39/mo (7,000); Max $100/mo (20,000); Business $19/seat; Enterprise $39/seat. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf): Free $0; Pro $20/mo (full model availability, Devin Cloud agents, extra usage at API pricing); Max $200/mo; Teams $80/mo + $40/mo per full dev seat (up to 200 users); Enterprise custom.
Best AI Code Editors & IDEs · Best free AI Code Editors & IDEs · All comparisons · Methodology
Related
Other AI Code Editors & IDEs tools
Best AI Code Editors & IDEs · Best free AI Code Editors & IDEs
Scores come from our own tests and are never for sale; sponsored placements are always labelled. Some links are affiliate links (currently Railway). Disclosure