Macaron vs GitHub Copilot
Copilot lives inside GitHub and your IDE, and its cloud agent turns assigned issues into branches and pull requests. Macaron sits outside GitHub, runs Claude Code and Codex on machines you choose, and checks each turn.
Updated October 1, 2026 · Other products described as of October 1, 2026
Short answer. If your team works in GitHub issues and pull requests and wants an agent assigned like a teammate, with a free tier and company plans, Copilot is already where you are. If you want to steer Claude Code or Codex turn by turn on an isolated machine, with your own checks and undo, and pay model providers directly, that's Macaron.
At a glance
- Where you use it
- GitHub CopilotVS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Vim and Neovim, GitHub.com, the GitHub CLI and GitHub Mobile
- MacaronA desktop app, the macaron CLI, and a web app at macaron.sh/app
- Agents
- GitHub CopilotCopilot's cloud agent; on Pro+ and Max, tasks can go to Claude or Codex
- MacaronClaude Code, Codex and Macaron's own agent
- Where code runs
- GitHub CopilotAn ephemeral environment powered by GitHub Actions
- MacaronA folder on your Mac, or a Computer: an isolated Linux machine per agent, in Docker on your Mac or in the cloud
- Limits on the agent
- GitHub CopilotOne repository and one branch per task; sessions stop at 59 minutes
- MacaronA Computer can't reach your Mac; connectors only when switched on
- Code review
- GitHub CopilotCopilot code review on pull requests, from Pro
- MacaronAn optional second-model reviewer on each turn's diff
- End result
- GitHub CopilotA branch, and a pull request if you want one
- MacaronChanges in your folder or Computer; lists and creates pull requests through the github cli
- Paying for it
- GitHub CopilotFree, then $10 to $100 a month; Business and Enterprise per user
- MacaronYour own model keys, plus Macaron's plan
| GitHub Copilot | Macaron | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you use it | VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Vim and Neovim, GitHub.com, the GitHub CLI and GitHub Mobile | A desktop app, the macaron CLI, and a web app at macaron.sh/app |
| Agents | Copilot's cloud agent; on Pro+ and Max, tasks can go to Claude or Codex | Claude Code, Codex and Macaron's own agent |
| Where code runs | An ephemeral environment powered by GitHub Actions | A folder on your Mac, or a Computer: an isolated Linux machine per agent, in Docker on your Mac or in the cloud |
| Limits on the agent | One repository and one branch per task; sessions stop at 59 minutes | A Computer can't reach your Mac; connectors only when switched on |
| Code review | Copilot code review on pull requests, from Pro | An optional second-model reviewer on each turn's diff |
| End result | A branch, and a pull request if you want one | Changes in your folder or Computer; lists and creates pull requests through the github cli |
| Paying for it | Free, then $10 to $100 a month; Business and Enterprise per user | Your own model keys, plus Macaron's plan |
How each works day to day
With Copilot you get suggestions and chat in your IDE, and for bigger tasks you assign an issue to Copilot, mention @copilot on a pull request, or start a task from the agents panel, VS Code, Slack or Teams. The agent explores, changes code, runs tests and linters in its environment, and pushes a branch.
In Macaron you start Claude Code, Codex or Macaron's own agent on a project and work through the task in turns, each one a card you can undo, with your checks before and after. When it's ready, you create the pull request from the app.
Where code runs and what it can touch
GitHub's docs say the cloud agent works in its own ephemeral environment powered by GitHub Actions, can only change the repository named when the task starts, and only one branch at a time. Each session has a hard limit of 59 minutes.
A Macaron Computer is long-lived: you pause and stop it yourself, and its files persist between tasks. It runs in Docker on your Mac or on your own cloud server, with no access to your Mac.
Pricing
Copilot plans as published on github.com/features/copilot and its plans page on October 1, 2026.
- Free
- Price$0
- Includes2,000 inline suggestions a month, limited chat and agent use, the CLI
- Pro
- Price$10 a month
- IncludesUnlimited suggestions, code review, the cloud agent, $15 a month in GitHub AI Credits
- Pro+
- Price$39 a month
- IncludesCloud agent with delegation to other agents, $70 a month in credits
- Max
- Price$100 a month
- IncludesCloud agent with delegation, $200 a month in credits
- Business
- Price$19 per user a month
- IncludesPooled credits for organizations
- Enterprise
- Price$39 per user a month
- IncludesPooled credits, more than Business
| Copilot plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2,000 inline suggestions a month, limited chat and agent use, the CLI |
| Pro | $10 a month | Unlimited suggestions, code review, the cloud agent, $15 a month in GitHub AI Credits |
| Pro+ | $39 a month | Cloud agent with delegation to other agents, $70 a month in credits |
| Max | $100 a month | Cloud agent with delegation, $200 a month in credits |
| Business | $19 per user a month | Pooled credits for organizations |
| Enterprise | $39 per user a month | Pooled credits, more than Business |
One Macaron plan; models on your own keys at your provider's price; cloud machines billed by the hour.
Who should pick which
- Your company already pays for GitHub and wants an agent on the issue board: Copilot Business or Enterprise.
- You want inline suggestions in your IDE for $10 a month or less: Copilot.
- You want to watch and steer an agent turn by turn, with undo, on a machine that can't reach your laptop: Macaron.
- You want the agent's machine, files and installed dependencies to persist from one task to the next: a Macaron Computer.
Using both
Copilot for suggestions in the IDE and quick issues on GitHub; Macaron for longer tasks you want to supervise. Pull requests from either land in the same repository and get the same review.
What Macaron doesn't do
No Slack integration, no mobile app, no hosted SLA, no multiplayer, and no visual browser testing of its own beyond the AI end-to-end tests. It doesn't pick up GitHub issues assigned to it, and has no IDE suggestions.
Questions
Does Macaron work with GitHub?+
Yes. It lists and creates pull requests through the GitHub CLI. It doesn't watch issues or get assigned work on GitHub.
Copilot can delegate to Claude and Codex. How is that different?+
Copilot sends the task to those agents inside GitHub's environment on its higher plans. Macaron runs the Claude Code and Codex CLIs on a machine you choose, with your own accounts, and you work with them turn by turn.
Is there a free tier?+
Copilot has one, with 2,000 suggestions a month and limited agent use, per its plans page on October 1, 2026. Macaron's plan and terms are on its pricing page.
How long can each agent run?+
GitHub's docs give Copilot's cloud agent a 59-minute hard limit per session. A Macaron Computer is a persistent machine that you pause and stop yourself; cloud machine hours are billed from your credit.
Which models can I use?+
Copilot offers a choice of models within its plans and credits. Macaron uses whatever your Anthropic, OpenAI, Bedrock or Vertex account allows.
Sources and dates
- github.com/features/copilotgithub.com, read October 1, 2026
- Copilot plansgithub.com, read October 1, 2026
- GitHub docs: about Copilot cloud agentdocs.github.com, read October 1, 2026
Facts about other products come only from these pages, on the dates shown; prices are as published that day. Macaron's own details are as shipped on October 1, 2026. Products change, so check their sites for the latest.