GitHub Copilot Max vs Claude Ultra
$100/mo vs $200/mo: choose by included models and usage limits. API usage is separate.
| Compare | GitHub Copilot Max | Claude Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly USD | $100/mo | $200/mo |
| Included models | Claude Haiku 5.5, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 4 Carbon, GPT-5.6 Terra, GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-6.1 Sol, Grok 4.6, Grok 4.7, Kimi K3 | Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5 |
| Billing | monthly | monthly |
| Verified · Monthly USD source · Included models source · How we verify → | ||
GitHub Copilot Max is $100/mo cheaper · Updated 2026-11-12
Which one should you pick?
Pick GitHub Copilot Max if you want
- Claude Haiku 5.5 as your main model
- a $100/mo lower bill
Pick Claude Ultra if you want
- Claude Fable 5.2 as your main model
- web search
- API credits included
GitHub Copilot Max is $100/mo cheaper. Based on listed plan terms; check usage limits before upgrading.
| GitHub Copilot Max | $100/mo $1,200 per year at the monthly rate · usage: 20,000 AI credits/mo |
|---|---|
| Claude Ultra | $200/mo $2,400 per year at the monthly rate · usage: 10× Pro weekly |
Listed monthly prices · How we verify →
| Attribute | GitHub Copilot Max | Claude Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100/mo | $200/mo |
| Best for | Heaviest individual use | All-day Claude and agents |
| Usage | 20,000 AI credits/mo | 10× Pro weekly |
| Billing | monthly | monthly |
| Audience | developer | power-user |
| Models | Claude Haiku 5.5, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 4 Carbon, GPT-5.6 Terra, GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-6.1 Sol, Grok 4.6, Grok 4.7, Kimi K3 | Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5 |
| Key perks | 20,000 AI credits/mo; Opus 5.5 & GPT-6.1 Sol; Third-party agents | $200/mo API credits; Fable 5.2 within weekly limit; Sheets & Whiteboards (beta) |
| Context window | Not fixed per plan | Not fixed per plan |
| Web search | Not listed | Yes |
| Coding agent | Yes | Yes |
| API credits included | Not listed | Yes |
| Verified | Price 2026-11-12 · models 2026-11-12 | Price 2026-11-12 · models 2026-11-12 |
✓ listed in the provider's current plan terms · — not listed (may still be available) · Pricing data: How we verify →
Usage limits in full
- GitHub Copilot Max
- 10,000 base AI credits plus 10,000 variable flex credits per month; 20,000 total. One AI credit equals $0.01 USD; credit cost varies by model and task. Flex allotments may change; additional paid usage requires a budget. Code completions and next edit suggestions remain unlimited and do not consume credits. Current model list is a verified subset of the official plan matrices, not an exhaustive list; feature and administrator restrictions apply. The documentation table and its Pro+-only nano footnote conflict for Max; nano access is not advertised here. Fable model data is retained for safety classification by default; any time-limited enterprise ZDR exemption requires approval and model enablement. No annual price or discount is established by these current sources.
- Claude Ultra
- 10x Pro usage every week. No five-hour cap for verified accounts; unverified accounts have a temporary limit, removed automatically after account verification. Fable uses up to half the shared weekly allowance, not an additional pool. Continue beyond included limits with separately paid usage credits. Includes $200/month in claimable Claude Platform API credits. $200/month Claude Platform API credits. Claim after seven days on an active eligible plan by linking one Console organization. Credits refresh monthly, expire without rollover and cover direct Claude Platform API usage, not interactive Claude Code, app extra usage or third-party clouds. API requests stop without other credits when exhausted; API billing is separate. Claude Duet research preview requires waitlist access, initially for US Pro, Max, and Ultra subscribers; shares existing plan limits, including background checks and tasks. No separate Duet allowance. Fable 5.2 launch: 1–3 Fable resets (under 6 months: 1; 6–12 months: 2; over 12 months: 3), based on first paid bill. Requires paid billing before November 9, 2026, 10 am PT and, for Team, seat membership before that cutoff. Resets expire March 8, 2027 at 11:59 pm PT; restore Fable weekly usage and any five-hour window, never raise limits. Canceling or downgrading forfeits unused resets.
Everything each plan lists
Only in GitHub Copilot Max
- +CLI
- +Agent mode use in VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Eclipse, and Xcode
- +Integrates with MCP servers
- +Pull request reviews in GitHub
- +Assign work to Copilot to research, plan, and write code — with or without a pull request
- +Delegate tasks to third-party coding agents like Claude by Anthropic and OpenAI Codex (Preview)
- +Copilot Spaces
Only in Claude Ultra
- +Claude Sonnet 5.5 and Claude Haiku 5.5
- +web, desktop, and mobile chat
- +web search
- +Artifacts, Claude Design, Slides, and Docs
- +Claude Opus 5.5
- +Claude Code
- +projects
- +usage credits available separately
- +Claude Fable 5.2 within up to 50% of shared weekly limits
- +priority at high-traffic times
- +$200/month Claude Platform API credits. Claim after seven days on an active eligible plan by linking one Console organization. Credits refresh monthly, expire without rollover and cover direct Claude Platform API usage, not interactive Claude Code, app extra usage or third-party clouds. API requests stop without other credits when exhausted; API billing is separate.
- +Claude Duet research preview: waitlist, initially US Pro, Max, and Ultra subscribers
- +10x Pro weekly usage; verified accounts have no five-hour limit
- +Personal Finance beta: US only
- +Claude Data; Claude Sheets and Whiteboards (beta)
How to decide
GitHub Copilot Max is $100/mo cheaper. Picking between GitHub Copilot Max and Claude Ultra usually comes down to three things: which models you want access to, how much you'll actually use, and what ecosystem you already live in. Still unsure? The Subscription vs API calculator tells you the break-even usage where pay-as-you-go API access would be cheaper than either subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What is the price difference between GitHub Copilot Max and Claude Ultra?
GitHub Copilot Max costs $100/mo and Claude Ultra costs $200/mo, a difference of $100/month (about $1200/year). Pricing verified 2026-11-12.
Which AI models are included with GitHub Copilot Max vs Claude Ultra?
GitHub Copilot Max bundles Claude Haiku 5.5, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Sonnet 5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Gemini 3.8 Flash, Gemini 4 Argon, Gemini 4 Carbon, GPT-5.6 Terra, GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6 Luna, GPT-6.1 Sol, Grok 4.6, Grok 4.7, Kimi K3. Claude Ultra bundles Claude Fable 5.2, Claude Opus 5.5, Claude Sonnet 5.5, Claude Haiku 5.5. The model lineup is usually the most important factor — pick the plan whose flagship models match the work you actually do.
Is GitHub Copilot Max or Claude Ultra better value for power users?
Claude Ultra costs $100/month more than GitHub Copilot Max. Exclusive model access is not established by the current recorded evidence. Compare the recorded usage, features and billing terms above; a higher price alone does not establish a higher allowance or better value.
Can I switch between GitHub Copilot Max and Claude Ultra?
Check each provider's billing terms before switching. Monthly, annual and per-seat commitments can differ; cancellation usually stops renewal rather than refunding the current period.