$10 a month doesn’t sound like much. But when you’re a freelancer watching every expense, those monthly subscriptions add up fast. I get asked this question constantly: “Is GitHub Copilot actually worth paying for?”
I’ve been using Copilot for 18 months now. I’ve tracked my time, measured productivity gains, and honestly evaluated whether it pays for itself. Here’s the real answer, with actual numbers.
The Short Answer
Yes, GitHub Copilot is worth it—but only if you’re coding at least 10 hours per week. Below that threshold, the free alternatives like Codeium make more financial sense. Above it, Copilot pays for itself within the first week of each month.
Let me show you the math.
The Real Cost
It’s not just $10/month. Let’s be honest about the actual investment:
- $10/month subscription = $120/year
- Learning curve time = 2-3 hours initially (worth about $100-150 of your time)
- Occasional bad suggestions = Maybe 30 minutes/month debugging AI-generated code
Total first-year cost: ~$250-270 of actual value
Now let’s look at what you get back.
Time Saved: The Numbers
I tracked my coding time with and without Copilot over three months. Here’s what I found:
Boilerplate code: Copilot saves me about 3-4 hours per week on repetitive stuff—API endpoints, database models, React components, config files. This alone is worth $150-200/week at typical freelance rates.
Documentation and comments: Another 1-2 hours saved per week. Copilot writes decent docstrings and comments that I’d otherwise skip or rush through.
Syntax lookup: Before Copilot, I’d constantly Google “how to do X in language Y.” That’s gone. Save maybe 2-3 hours per week.
Total time saved: 6-9 hours per week
At a conservative freelance rate of $50/hour, that’s $300-450 per week in value. Or $1,200 1,800 per month.
For a $10 monthly cost, that’s a 120-180x return on investment.
But Wait—It’s Not All Savings
Let’s be realistic about the downsides:
Time spent reviewing suggestions: Maybe 30 minutes per week making sure Copilot’s code is actually what you want. Sometimes it’s confidently wrong.
Reduced problem-solving: There’s a real risk of becoming dependent on AI suggestions and losing your edge. Hard to quantify, but worth considering.
Context switching: Occasionally Copilot suggests something that takes you down the wrong path, and you waste 15-20 minutes before realizing it.
Net negative impact: ~1-2 hours per week
Even accounting for these downsides, you’re still saving 4-7 hours per week. The ROI is real.
Who Benefits Most?
After observing dozens of freelancers using Copilot, I’ve noticed patterns:
You’ll love Copilot if you:
- Work with multiple languages/frameworks (Copilot knows them all)
- Do lots of CRUD/API work (it excels at repetitive patterns)
- Value speed over perfect code (it’s fast but not always elegant)
- Bill by the project, not the hour (efficiency = more projects = more money)
Copilot might not be worth it if you:
- Code less than 10 hours per week (the free tools are fine)
- Work on highly specialized/niche tech (Copilot won’t know it well)
- Learn by struggling through problems (Copilot removes productive struggle)
- Bill hourly and clients don’t care about speed (slower might be fine)
Real-World Scenario: A Client Project
Let me give you a concrete example. Last month, I built a content management dashboard for a client. Fixed price contract: $3,500 for delivery in two weeks.
With Copilot:
- Set up backend API: 6 hours (would’ve been 8-9)
- Built React frontend: 12 hours (would’ve been 16-18)
- Authentication and permissions: 4 hours (would’ve been 6-7)
- Total: 22 hours of actual coding
Without Copilot (estimated):
- Total: 30-34 hours
Difference: I saved 8-12 hours. That’s an entire extra workday. I delivered early, impressed the client, and moved on to the next project.
bIn that one project, Copilot saved me time worth $400-600. The monthly cost? $10. That’s a 40-60x ROI on a single project.
The Learning Curve Question
Here’s something people don’t talk about enough: will Copilot make you a worse developer?
Honest answer: it might, if you’re not careful. I’ve seen beginners accept every suggestion without understanding it. That’s a problem.
But for experienced freelancers who review code critically, Copilot is more like a power tool. A circular saw doesn’t make you a worse carpenter if you know how to use it safely.
My rule: never accept a Copilot suggestion you don’t understand. If you can’t explain why the code works, either figure it out or rewrite it yourself. This keeps you sharp while still gaining the speed benefits.
Alternatives to Consider
Before committing to Copilot, know your options:
Codeium (Free): If you’re coding less than 10 hours per week, honestly just use Codeium. It’s free and 80% as good for most tasks.
Cursor ($20/month): If you’re coding 30+ hours per week on complex projects, Cursor’s extra features justify the higher price.
Tabnine ($12/month): If privacy is a concern and you work with sensitive client code, the extra $2/month for local execution is worth it.
Copilot sits in the sweet spot: better than free tools, cheaper than premium ones, good enough for most professional work.
My Personal Verdict After 18 Months
I’m still paying for Copilot. That should tell you something. I’ve tried the alternatives, and I keep coming back.
It’s not perfect. Sometimes it suggests outdated patterns. Occasionally it hallucinates APIs that don’t exist. But the time saved on boring boilerplate alone justifies the cost.
Here’s my test: If Copilot disappeared tomorrow, would I be willing to pay $10/month to get it back? Absolutely. I’d probably pay $20
The Break-Even Calculation
Let’s make this simple. Here’s how to know if Copilot is worth it for you:
- What’s your hourly rate? (Let’s say $50/hour)
- $10/month ÷ $50/hour = 0.2 hours (12 minutes)
- If Copilot saves you more than 12 minutes per month, it’s worth it.
I save 12 minutes in the first hour of using it each month. Everything after that is pure profit.
My Recommendation
Try Copilot for one month. Track your time honestly. If you notice yourself moving faster through tasks, especially repetitive ones, keep it. If you don’t notice a difference, cancel and use Codeium.
For most freelance developers coding more than 10 hours per week, Copilot will pay for itself many times over.
The question isn’t whether it saves time—it does. The question is whether you’ll use it enough to justify the cost.
In my experience, you will.
Quick FAQ
Does Copilot make you lazy?
Only if you let it. Treat it as a tool, not a crutch. Review every suggestion. Understand the code. Stay engaged with the problem-solving process.
Can I write it off as a business expense?
Yes, Copilot is a legitimate business tool for software development. Track it with your other software subscriptions. (Consult your accountant for specifics.)
What if I only code occasionally?
Then use Codeium’s free tier. Copilot’s ROI only makes sense if you’re coding regularly. For occasional projects, free tools are sufficient.
A.G. Makoudi is a tech writer specializing in SaaS tools and digital solutions, helping readers simplify technology and make smarter software choices.
