GitHub Copilot Ditches Flat Rate, Devs Face Token-Based Bills
Microsoft's AI coding assistant moves to usage-based pricing on June 1, sparking developer outrage over rising costs.
The era of predictable GitHub Copilot bills is over. Microsoft is shifting its AI coding tool to token-usage billing starting June 1, killing the flat-rate subscription model that made it accessible to individual developers.
The change has developers fuming. Many are reporting projected cost increases that could price out smaller users and independent coders — the exact crowd that helped Copilot gain massive adoption in the first place.
It's a familiar playbook in tech: hook users with simple, affordable pricing, then flip the switch once they're locked in. Enterprise customers with deep pockets will barely flinch. Solo developers and small teams? They're the ones getting squeezed.
The backlash is real and growing. For many devs, this marks the end of Copilot's golden age — at least for those who aren't bankrolled by a corporate budget.