Unrealistic pricing model

[RobG66]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Product Feedback

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Copilot in GitHub

Body

Since January 2026 I have spent over $300US on Copilot usage. I have a fair knowledge on programming, but am by no means an expert. Copilot helped me bridge gaps in my lack of experience and also allowed me to learn more as I worked with it.

I give away my work for free. There is no paywall or disabled features requiring a subscription or donation. In the past 3 years I have probably received about $50 in paypal donations, but nothing in the past 8 months. Now suddenly I was paying out of pocket for using Copilot. It's a hobby, it was fun... But, I didn't have much free spending money to afford this either. I was also facing possible licensing costs for other tools I was using, again completely out of pocket. I was able to avoid that by leveraging Copilot to simply 'do more with less'.

But, getting back to my point, this is a hobby for me and I don't make money - I lose money if I use subscription based AI for assistance. I get no support and I'm out over $300 since the beginning of the year. I don't complain, but I do draw the line and this latest change with copilot made me cancel my subscription. This certainly isn't a tool for the average hobbyist like myself any more. Even if I had any resemblance of user support, it still wouldn't be sustainable. How does Github think us hobbyists who give away everything for free can even possibly afford this now? I was ok maybe spending $30US/month, but translated into Cdn funds it's even more expensive.

It's a disappointing outcome for sure. I know about other solutions and maybe I will look into those. This certainly isn't for the hobbyist any more.

Rob

[github-actions[bot]]

💬 Your Product Feedback Has Been Submitted 🎉

Thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us! Your feedback is invaluable as we build a better GitHub experience for all our users.

Here's what you can expect moving forward ⏩

• Your input will be carefully reviewed and cataloged by members of our product teams. 
  • Due to the high volume of submissions, we may not always be able to provide individual responses.
  • Rest assured, your feedback will help chart our course for product improvements.
• Other users may engage with your post, sharing their own perspectives or experiences. 
• GitHub staff may reach out for further clarification or insight. 
  • We may 'Answer' your discussion if there is a current solution, workaround, or roadmap/changelog post related to the feedback.

Where to look to see what's shipping 👀

• Read the Changelog for real-time updates on the latest GitHub features, enhancements, and calls for feedback.
• Explore our Product Roadmap, which details upcoming major releases and initiatives.

What you can do in the meantime 💻

• Upvote and comment on other user feedback Discussions that resonate with you.
• Add more information at any point! Useful details include: use cases, relevant labels, desired outcomes, and any accompanying screenshots.

As a member of the GitHub community, your participation is essential. While we can't promise that every suggestion will be implemented, we want to emphasize that your feedback is instrumental in guiding our decisions and priorities.

Thank you once again for your contribution to making GitHub even better! We're grateful for your ongoing support and collaboration in shaping the future of our platform. ⭐