GitHub switches Copilot to credit-based billing tied to token consumption

GitHub is changing how it charges for Copilot, replacing its request-based system with usage-based billing tied to token consumption. The change takes effect on June 1, 2026, and applies across all Copilot plans, according to GitHub’s April 28 announcement. Under the new model, usage is measured through GitHub AI Credits rather than premium requests. (github.blog) GitHub said the shift is meant to align billing with actual model use, including input, output and cached tokens. (docs.github.com) For enterprise customers, the change is more than a unit swap. GitHub Docs says Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise plans will receive monthly AI credit allotments per seat, but those credits are pooled at the organization or enterprise billing level rather than assigned to each user. (github.blog) Grey Matter, a Microsoft and GitHub partner, said administrators will also get new budget controls at enterprise, cost-center and user levels. ### How will Copilot usage be counted after June 1? GitHub Docs says Copilot interactions will now be priced according to token usage and the model selected. Input tokens are what a user sends to the model, output tokens are what the model returns, and cached tokens cover reused or stored context. (github.blog) GitHub says those token charges are converted into AI credits, with 1 AI credit equal to $0.01. GitHub said on its blog that the old premium-request system did not reflect the difference between lighter chat use and heavier agentic workflows. The company said usage-based billing is intended to cover those differences by charging against actual consumption. (docs.github.com) ### What do organizations get in monthly credits? Grey Matter said Copilot Business will include 1,900 AI credits per $19 seat each month, while Copilot Enterprise will include 3,900 AI credits per $39 seat. GitHub Docs separately says business and enterprise allowances are provided on a per-user basis and pooled at the billing entity level. (docs.github.com) Grey Matter also said unused credits will not roll over into the next month. If a shared pool is exhausted, organizations can either stop usage or allow additional usage at published rates, according to the same report. ### What new controls do finance and admin teams get? (github.blog) GitHub Docs says organizations can prepare for the change by monitoring usage and downloading reports that translate past Copilot activity into AI credits. On May 12, GitHub said April reports were available so Copilot Business and Enterprise admins could preview how the new billing unit would apply before the switch. (greymatter.com) Grey Matter said the new controls let admins set budgets at enterprise, cost-center and user levels. That gives companies a way to cap or monitor spending in larger deployments as Copilot use shifts from individual prompts to broader agent-driven work. (greymatter.com) ### What replaces the old premium-request system? GitHub Docs says premium requests are being phased out as the main billing mechanism starting June 1, 2026. Existing documentation for premium requests now carries a notice directing users to the new usage-based billing system for organizations, enterprises and individuals. (github.blog) GitHub has already begun adjusting related billing areas around that date. On April 27, the company said Copilot code review would also start consuming GitHub Actions minutes on June 1, while Copilot usage for those reviews would be billed separately as AI credits under the new model. (greymatter.com) ### What should customers watch next? June 1, 2026 is the key date for the billing switch, and GitHub says admins can use preview tools and emailed CSV reports to estimate costs before then. Grey Matter said existing Copilot Business and Enterprise customers will also receive temporary promotional credit increases in June, July and August during the transition. (docs.github.com 1) (docs.github.com 2) (github.blog)