‘What a joke’: Github Copilot’s new token-based billing spurs consternation among devs
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- GitHub Copilot will switch from a flat‑rate subscription to a token‑usage billing model on June 1.
- GitHub Copilot users reported potential cost spikes, with one example citing a rise from $29 to nearly $750 per month and another from $50 to $3,000.
- Developers on Reddit and X argue that high token consumption is due to inefficient “vibe coding” and that disciplined use would keep costs affordable.
- Microsoft is blamed for encouraging indiscriminate AI usage, with critics saying the token‑pricing shift pulls the rug out from under users.
- GitHub Copilot may have been operating at a loss under the previous flat‑rate model, according to some critics.
Why it matters: Small dev teams and freelancers lose cost predictability as June 1 token pricing raises bills by up to $3,000, while Microsoft faces backlash for prompting the shift after encouraging heavy AI usage.
