A developer choosing between these tools is choosing between two different ways to bring AI into an IDE, not just two autocomplete buttons. You may want help with inline coding, a chat partner, or an agent that can change files. Your choice affects your daily workflow, account setup, and what your team needs to manage.
GitHub Copilot offers a broad set of tools, including a plugin for JetBrains IDEs. JetBrains AI Assistant focuses on the JetBrains environment, and it can also let you select Copilot as an agent. Those are separate routes, with different licenses and features. This comparison will help you weigh the fit, price, project context, agent controls, and setup needs. The best fit depends first on which IDE and working style your team already uses.
Key Takeaways
- Both products can work in JetBrains IDEs through separate paths.
- Copilot’s JetBrains plugin needs an active Copilot license.
- JetBrains AI credits and GitHub AI Credits use different values.
- Copilot offers a distinct plugin and agent workflow.
- Test both tools on tasks your team actually performs.
GitHub Copilot vs JetBrains AI: At a Glance
Both tools can be used in a JetBrains IDE, but they arrive through different product paths. Copilot’s plugin adds GitHub Copilot to the IDE, while JetBrains AI Assistant is JetBrains’ own in-IDE assistant.
The product names may appear together in one IDE, but their licenses and feature paths remain separate. You can use the Copilot plugin or choose Copilot within JetBrains AI Assistant chat. Each route has a different entry point and account path.
| Dimension | GitHub Copilot | JetBrains AI Assistant |
|---|---|---|
| JetBrains IDE access | Copilot plugin for JetBrains IDEs | JetBrains’ own IDE assistant |
| Account path | Active GitHub Copilot license | JetBrains AI plans |
| Assistant entry point | Copilot plugin | AI Assistant |
| Strongest initial fit | Developers wanting GitHub Copilot inside a JetBrains IDE | Developers wanting JetBrains’ own AI features |
The plugin works with JetBrains IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm, but it needs an active Copilot license. GitHub documents its JetBrains plugin installation steps for compatible IDEs.
Choose the product path that matches the interface and account your team plans to use.
The products can overlap in the same IDE, but overlap does not combine their billing or access rules. Treat the table as a workflow map, not a claim that either assistant wins every task.
How Much Do GitHub Copilot and JetBrains AI Cost?
Both products offer a $10 individual entry plan, but their prices and credit systems diverge above that point. Credit counts are not equivalent: an AI credit is a vendor-specific unit used to meter cloud-model costs.
GitHub AI Credits and JetBrains AI credits have different dollar values and cannot be exchanged. GitHub’s usage-based billing converts model-token costs at one GitHub AI Credit per $0.01 USD. JetBrains charges $1 USD per JetBrains AI credit in the user’s local currency.
Individual plans and trial access
In 2026, GitHub Copilot Free costs $0, Pro costs $10 per user monthly, Pro+ costs $39, and Max costs $100. Paid plans include unlimited code completions and next-edit suggestions.
JetBrains AI Free costs $0 and includes three AI credits every 30 days. Individual AI Pro costs $10 monthly with 10 credits per 30 days, while AI Ultimate costs $30 with 35 credits.
JetBrains AI Trial is free, with 10 credits per trial period for individuals. Purchased credits remain valid for 12 months or until used.
| Plan | Price | Included credits | Credit period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copilot Pro | $10 per user per month | GitHub AI Credits billed at 1 credit per $0.01 USD | Usage-based |
| Copilot Pro+ | $39 per user per month | GitHub AI Credits billed at 1 credit per $0.01 USD | Usage-based |
| JetBrains AI Pro individual | $10 | 10 | 30 days |
| JetBrains AI Ultimate individual | $30 | 35 | 30 days |
GitHub’s rate describes how token costs convert to credits; it does not set a monthly credit allowance for Copilot Pro or Pro+. JetBrains AI Pro comes free with DataSpell, All Products Pack, or dotUltimate subscriptions, subject to JetBrains license restrictions.
Organization plans and credit billing
JetBrains AI Free includes three credits every 30 days for organizations. Its trial includes 20 credits per trial period for organizations.
Organization AI Pro costs $20 and includes 20 credits every 30 days. AI Ultimate costs $60 and includes 70 credits for the same period.
Cloud-model features use JetBrains AI credits. Compare the plan price and the specific features you expect to use, not the raw credit count across vendors.
How Do Their Code Completions Compare?
A developer using a paid Copilot plan can accept code completions without those suggestions drawing down AI credits. Inline help stays separate from usage-based billing for model-token costs.
Paid Copilot plans keep code completions and next-edit suggestions unlimited and outside AI-credit billing in 2026. That distinction matters if you use inline suggestions throughout the workday.
Common code completion uses include:
- Filling in a familiar code pattern.
- Generating repetitive boilerplate code.
- Accepting a predicted next edit.
These features describe what the product can offer, not a promise of correct or equally fast suggestions in every project. A completion can fit the line and still miss a rule that lives elsewhere in your code.
The GitHub Copilot plugin for JetBrains IDEs also offers Ask mode, Agent Mode, and planning features. Those tools go beyond inline completion, and their use can involve different model tasks.
If you want a wider view of how AI coding tools fit different workflows, compare their editor support and task controls before you settle on one.
Review each suggested change before accepting it, especially when it affects behavior beyond the current line.
How Much Project Context Does Each Tool Use?
Copilot’s automatic context in JetBrains AI Assistant starts with the active file and selected text, not every file open in the IDE. That is a narrower starting point than assuming the agent can see a whole repository.
“The whole project is available” is too broad an assumption for this Copilot path. Other open or recently edited files are not attached automatically, so a prompt may need more detail.
When IDE context is enabled, the active editor file and selected text reach Copilot in JetBrains AI Assistant. Select or reference the relevant code when your task depends on another file.
For persistent agent guidance, add project-level instructions to an AGENTS.md or CLAUDE.md file at the project root. Keep directions focused on the rules the agent should follow across tasks.
JetBrains AI Assistant’s project understanding can depend on your IDE setup and the feature you use. Test how it handles your own repository before relying on broad claims about project context.
Before asking for a repository-wide change, make sure the agent has the files and instructions needed to do it safely.
What Can Their Agents Do?
Copilot’s agent can take actions in a JetBrains IDE, while a Plan-mode response is limited to producing a read-only plan. Those modes differ in how much control they have over files and commands.
An agent can change code or run commands, so review its actions before accepting the result. The right mode depends on whether you need ideas, a plan, or direct edits.
Copilot agent modes and CLI in JetBrains IDEs
In Copilot Agent Mode, the agent can fix errors, suggest and execute commands, then adjust its work from your feedback. Model Context Protocol tools, or MCP tools, can connect the agent to outside tools and services.
GitHub began a phased shift to make Copilot CLI agent the JetBrains plugin’s default experience in June 2026. The CLI agent was then in public preview and offered Agent, Ask, custom-agent, and Plan modes.
The June 2026 update added one view for local, CLI, and cloud-agent sessions, plus a setting for thinking effort on supported reasoning models. Agent Skills support was in public preview in February 2026.
For a broader look at coding agents and developer assistants, compare how each tool handles multi-file work and review.
Agent, Plan, and Autopilot in JetBrains AI Assistant
Agent mode in JetBrains AI Assistant can read and modify files and run commands. Plan mode is read-only and creates a structured plan without making those changes.
Autopilot can work through a multi-step task without pausing for input between steps. It still asks permission for gated actions unless you enable Allow All.
Choose the least autonomous mode that can complete the task and review any requested command or permission carefully.
Can You Use GitHub Copilot Inside JetBrains AI Assistant?
Yes, Copilot can be selected from JetBrains AI Assistant chat, but access still depends on a separate Copilot account and subscription. The chat route is distinct from installing the Copilot plugin.
A JetBrains AI subscription or bring-your-own-key setup cannot activate Copilot in this integration. The chat route uses GitHub account OAuth sign-in and requires a Copilot subscription.
Copilot through the AI Assistant chat picker
In October 2026, JetBrains AI Assistant let users select GitHub Copilot as an agent in its chat interface. The integration uses the Agent Client Protocol, or ACP, to connect the agent.
That route does not work in Remote Development sessions because OAuth sign-in cannot be completed in the remote environment. Plan the setup around a supported local session.
In June 2026, GitHub added Google and Apple sign-in options for its JetBrains plugin alongside GitHub and enterprise sign-in. Those added choices do not remove the need for a separate Copilot account.
Copilot’s separate JetBrains plugin
The GitHub Copilot plugin is another way to use Copilot in JetBrains IDEs. It provides its own editor integration, including code suggestions, chat, and agent features.
The plugin and the chat-picker agent remain separate entry points, even when both appear in one IDE. Decide which interface and features your developers need before adding another component.
GitHub describes the available Copilot options inside IDEs, including its plugin and agent routes. Confirm which Copilot entry point your team needs before installing or enabling another component.
Which IDEs and Languages Are Supported?
Check the exact IDE and edition first, because JetBrains AI Free has exclusions that do not describe Copilot’s plugin. Edition matters when you are checking which JetBrains AI plan features can run.
JetBrains AI Free is not available in Android Studio, PyCharm or IntelliJ IDEA Community Editions, or free PyCharm Unified. Those exclusions do not apply to GitHub Copilot’s plugin.
JetBrains IDE availability and editions
GitHub Copilot’s JetBrains plugin supports IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm, among other JetBrains IDEs. For GitHub Copilot Rider and IntelliJ questions, check the plugin in your exact IDE.
JetBrains AI Free is available in most JetBrains IDEs starting with version 2025.1. AI Ultimate is available starting with IDE version 2024.2.1.
Language coverage and version checks
In JetBrains IDEs, GitHub Copilot supports code completion, chat, and agent features for Java, PHP, Python, JavaScript, Ruby, Go, C#, and C++.
For a GitHub Copilot AI download, install the plugin through the IDE’s plugin marketplace. It is not a standalone IDE.
- Confirm the IDE and edition.
- Check the installed IDE version.
- Confirm the assistant or plugin is available in Marketplace or settings.
Verify the plugin inside the IDE you plan to use before standardizing the setup.
What Limits Should You Test in IntelliJ IDEA and PyCharm?
One PyCharm user reported choppy completions against smoother VS Code behavior, but that single report cannot predict your setup. Individual experience varies with the IDE, project, and task.
The February 2026 report is one user’s experience, not evidence that Copilot always performs worse in PyCharm. The user reported PyCharm 2025.3.2.1 on Windows 10 and Copilot plugin version 1.5.65-243.
To compare GitHub Copilot in IntelliJ IDEA or PyCharm with VS Code, use the same account, project, prompt, and representative coding task. Then compare how suggestions arrive and how much editing the work needs.
One person may see a line-by-line completion in PyCharm while another sees a full suggestion. Network conditions and IDE versions can also shape the experience, so repeat the test.
Keep the task small enough to repeat but realistic enough to include your usual code structure. Make the decision from repeated tasks on your own network and IDE versions, not from one developer’s comparison.
What Should Teams Check for Privacy and Governance?
Teams should treat .aiignore as insufficient protection against Copilot processing files in JetBrains AI Assistant. That rule matters when a repository contains files your team wants to keep out of AI requests.
Copilot in JetBrains AI Assistant does not follow the IDE’s .aiignore rules. Files listed there can still be processed, so do not rely on that file as a Copilot exclusion control.
Set a rollout process around the files and permissions your team uses. JetBrains AI Enterprise is available only to organizations as part of JetBrains IDE services.
- Identify sensitive repositories and files.
- Confirm which files the chosen assistant can process.
- Test the team’s permission and approval settings.
- Confirm whether organization-only JetBrains AI Enterprise fits your needs.
Use this checklist to guide your own workflow and governance review, not as proof of compliance with any standard. Test the actual project and permission setup with a small group before broadening access.
Which Assistant Fits Your Team’s Workflow?
For a team already standardized on JetBrains IDEs, start by evaluating JetBrains AI; choose Copilot when its GitHub account and agent workflow are the priority. Workflow fit comes first, then licensing and feature needs.
JetBrains AI is the default starting point for a JetBrains-centered team seeking JetBrains’ own assistant. Copilot is the better fit when the team specifically wants GitHub Copilot’s tools and agent workflow.
| Team situation | Better fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Team working only in JetBrains IDEs and wanting JetBrains’ own assistant | JetBrains AI | JetBrains-native assistant path |
| Team wanting Copilot features in a JetBrains IDE | GitHub Copilot | Copilot plugin and agent workflow |
| Team paying for DataSpell, All Products Pack, or dotUltimate | Check JetBrains AI Pro eligibility | Included with qualifying subscriptions, subject to license restrictions |
| Team choosing for a mixed IDE setup | Compare each required IDE and feature | Needs differ across IDEs |
Teams using several editors should compare the required features in each one before they standardize. A tool that suits IntelliJ IDEA may not meet every need across multiple IDEs.
For broader team software choices, compare AI apps for work and daily tasks against the workflows your developers actually use.
Check bundled-license eligibility before adding a separate AI Pro purchase.
How Should You Run a Side-by-Side Pilot?
A useful pilot gives both assistants the same tasks and the same review bar. Comparable conditions help teams judge the work instead of reacting to a polished demo.
Run each tool on the same repository and IDE, then track time, accepted suggestions, and correction effort separately. Include everyday completion work and at least one task with several steps.
- Choose coding tasks that reflect ordinary team work.
- Run each task with both tools under comparable conditions.
- Review the resulting code and agent actions.
- Record completion time, accepted suggestions, and correction effort.
Use the same repository, IDE, and review criteria for each run. Keep task details stable so one assistant does not receive more useful context than the other.
Apply your existing code-review standards to both outputs, including tests and checks for unwanted edits. A clean-looking patch still needs the same scrutiny as human-written code.
Keep the assistant that performs reliably on your team’s real work, not just the one that makes the strongest first impression.
Save the task prompts and review notes so another developer can repeat the comparison later.
Conclusion
Neither assistant is the automatic winner for every JetBrains developer. Choose JetBrains AI when your priority is JetBrains’ own assistant and your plan eligibility fits.
Choose GitHub Copilot when your team wants its plugin and agent workflow. The right choice still depends on the IDEs you use and the features your developers need.
For a JetBrains-centered team, start with the built-in option unless Copilot’s specific tools are a clear requirement. Teams with mixed IDEs should judge each tool in the editors their developers use most.
A practical choice comes from seeing how each assistant handles your code, review rules, and daily tasks. Pick one representative task and test the preferred assistant in your actual IDE before committing the wider team.
FAQ
Can GitHub Copilot and JetBrains AI be used together in one JetBrains IDE?
Yes, both can appear in one JetBrains IDE because they use separate product paths. JetBrains AI Assistant is JetBrains’ own product, while Copilot can enter through its plugin or the AI Assistant chat picker. Copilot still needs an active Copilot subscription and account. Their features and billing do not merge just because they share an IDE.
Does Copilot inside JetBrains AI Assistant provide inline code completion?
No, the Copilot agent selected inside JetBrains AI Assistant chat is a chat and agent route, not the separate inline completion plugin. The GitHub Copilot plugin provides code completion in JetBrains IDEs. You can install that plugin separately if you need inline suggestions, but it still requires Copilot access. Choose the entry point based on the feature you expect to use.
Is GitHub Copilot always slower in PyCharm than in VS Code?
No, one user’s February 2026 report does not show that Copilot is always slower in PyCharm. That developer described choppy completions in PyCharm and smoother ones in VS Code on the same account and project. Your IDE version, network, and task can affect the result. Compare the same task in both editors before drawing a conclusion.
Can GitHub Copilot use files listed in .aiignore in JetBrains AI Assistant?
Yes, Copilot in JetBrains AI Assistant can process files listed in .aiignore because that integration does not follow the IDE’s .aiignore rules. Teams should not use that file as a way to block Copilot from sensitive content. Check what files the assistant can process, then set team rules around the repositories and data it may handle.
Is JetBrains AI Free available in every JetBrains IDE edition?
No, JetBrains AI Free is not available in every IDE edition. Its exclusions include Android Studio, Community Editions of PyCharm and IntelliJ IDEA, and PyCharm Unified when used for free. These limits apply to JetBrains AI Free, not to the GitHub Copilot plugin. Check the exact IDE edition and installed version when setting up a team.
