GitHub Copilot vs Amazon Q Developer: Engineer’s Field Guide

Last reviewed: 2025-09-07.

Executive summary

• Positioning: GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding platform spanning IDEs, GitHub.com, CLI, and mobile, with optional agentic workflows and policy controls. Amazon Q Developer is AWS’s developer assistant focused on IDE, CLI, AWS console, and a GitHub integration (preview) that can open PRs, review code, and perform Java upgrades. GitHub Copilot overview • Amazon Q Developer product page
• Model access: Copilot exposes a broad catalog of third-party and first-party models in chat (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) with plan-based allowances (premium requests) (as of 2025-09-07). See the official Supported models matrix for specifics. GitHub “Supported models”
• Data handling: Copilot: prompts/suggestions are retained 28 days per trust center FAQ; by default user data is not used for model training for individual subscribers; enterprises can enforce policies and content exclusion. GitHub Copilot Trust Center FAQ • Individual subscriber data policy • Content exclusion
• Pricing/quotas: Copilot Free includes up to 2,000 completions/month and 50 premium requests; Pro offers unlimited completions and 300 premium requests; Pro+ increases to 1,500 (as of 2025-09-07). GitHub Individual plans • GitHub Plans table
• AWS alignment & GitHub integration: Amazon Q Developer Pro is $19/user/month and includes 4,000 transformed lines/month with per-line overage; Free tier includes 50 chat interactions and 1,000 transformed lines/month (as of 2025-09-07). AWS Q Developer pricing • AWS Q Developer page (limits)
• Who should pick which: Teams deeply on GitHub and needing GitHub-native agentic workflows, content exclusion, and broad model choice tend to pick Copilot. Teams primarily on AWS, wanting IDE/CLI help, GitHub app automation (preview), and code transformation for Java modernization often pick Amazon Q Developer. Copilot agents • Amazon Q for GitHub (Preview)

TL;DR — When to choose which

• Choose GitHub Copilot if…

  • You want GitHub-native agentic workflows (create PRs, track sessions) and MCP-based tool access. Copilot coding agent • Enhance agent mode with MCP
  • You need broad, configurable model access in chat, with organization policies controlling model availability. Supported models • Manage policies for orgs
  • Your developers split time across VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Xcode, Vim/Neovim, Eclipse, Azure Data Studio (as of 2025-09-07). Copilot IDE availability (footnotes)
  • You require content exclusion and audit/metrics for governance. Content exclusion • Copilot metrics data reference
  • You prefer GitHub CLI and Windows Terminal workflows in addition to IDE and GitHub.com chat. Copilot in CLI • Chat in Windows Terminal

• Choose Amazon Q Developer if…

  • You’re AWS-centric and want tight IDE/CLI integration plus AWS Console assistance. Install Q in IDEs • Use Q in AWS Console
  • You need automated code transformations (e.g., Java 8/11 → 17) and code reviews, including GitHub app workflows (preview). Transforming code • Amazon Q Developer for GitHub (Preview)
  • You want a Free tier to trial features (50 chat interactions and 1,000 transformed LOC/month) and a simple Pro plan at $19/user/month with 4,000 transformed LOC (as of 2025-09-07). AWS Q Developer pricing • AWS Q Developer product page
  • You require opt-out controls for service-improvement data collection or need to ensure Pro-tier content isn’t used for model training. Q Developer service improvement & opt-out • Opt-out in IDE/CLI • Q Developer FAQs (data use)

What they are

• GitHub Copilot is GitHub’s AI coding platform that provides code completions, chat, code review, and agentic workflows across IDEs, GitHub.com, CLI, and mobile. It supports multiple model providers in chat with plan-based premium request allowances (as of 2025-09-07). GitHub Plans • Supported models • Copilot code review
• Amazon Q Developer is AWS’s developer assistant that integrates into major IDEs, the AWS Console, and the command line. It can chat, suggest code, analyze/review code, transform code (e.g., Java upgrades), and integrate with GitHub via a GitHub App (preview) to drive PR workflows. Install Q in IDEs • Q Developer product • Q Developer for GitHub (Preview)

Feature comparison

Performance & limits

• GitHub Copilot

  • Plan limits: Free includes up to 2,000 IDE completions/month and 50 premium requests; Pro has unlimited completions and 300 premium requests; Pro+ has 1,500 premium requests (as of 2025-09-07). Individual plan limits • Plans table (org/enterprise allowances)
  • Chat messages: Copilot Chat in IDEs allows 50 messages/month on Free; higher tiers are “unlimited with included models” (as of 2025-09-07). Plans table
  • Rate limits & throughput: Specific per-minute throughput/latency metrics are not comprehensively published; see general Rate limits guidance. Varies by feature and plan; verify in docs. Rate limits

• Amazon Q Developer

  • Free tier: 50 chat interactions/month and 1,000 transformed LOC/month (as of 2025-09-07). Q Developer product page (limits)
  • Pro tier: 4,000 transformed LOC/month/user included; overage $0.003/line (as of 2025-09-07). Q Developer pricing
  • Other quotas: Service-specific quotas (e.g., certain console features) are documented separately; AWS does not publish uniform end-to-end latency/throughput figures. Varies by feature and region. Endpoints & quotas

Pricing & licensing

• GitHub Copilot (as of 2025-09-07): GitHub publishes plan pricing for individuals (Free, Pro, Pro+) and organizations (Business, Enterprise), including premium-request allowances and feature matrices. Refer to the Plans page for current prices and inclusions; where shown, it lists Pro at $10/user/month, Pro+ at $39/user/month, Business at $19/seat/month, Enterprise at $39/seat/month (subject to change). Always confirm on the pricing table. GitHub Plans
• Amazon Q Developer (as of 2025-09-07): AWS lists $19/user/month for Pro and per-line overage pricing for transformations; Free tier includes limited monthly usage. Check AWS pricing for latest. Q Developer pricing • Q Developer product page

Security, compliance & data handling

• GitHub Copilot

  • Data retention: Prompts and suggestions are retained for 28 days per trust center FAQ. Copilot Trust Center FAQ
  • Training use of your data: For individual subscribers, by default GitHub and third parties do not use your data (prompts, suggestions, code snippets) for model training. Individual subscriber policy
  • Enterprise controls: Org/enterprise policy controls; content exclusion to prevent Copilot from accessing specified files; audit/metrics available. Manage org policies • Content exclusion • Metrics data
  • Certifications/attestations: GitHub publishes Copilot control coverage and certifications (e.g., SOC/ISO) in its trust resources. Confirm scope for your plan. GitHub Trust Center
  • Network controls: Proxy configuration, allowlisting, and network settings documented. Network settings

• Amazon Q Developer

  • Data use & opt-out: Free tier content may be used for service improvement (including training) unless opted out; Pro tier content is not used to train underlying FMs (as of 2025-09-07). Org-level opt-out via AWS Organizations is available. Service improvement (details) • Q Developer FAQs (data use) • AI services org opt-out • Opt-out in IDE/CLI
  • GitHub integration processing region: The Q Developer GitHub App (Preview) processes data in the United States. Q for GitHub (Preview)
  • General data protection guidance: AWS documents data handling and cautions regarding sensitive data in free-form fields. Data protection guidance

Ecosystem & integrations

• GitHub Copilot: Extensions exist across IDEs; chat on GitHub.com, Windows Terminal, and GitHub Mobile; GitHub CLI integration; MCP extends agent mode with external tools; Copilot Extensions connect to external services. IDE availability • Chat in GitHub • Windows Terminal • Mobile • CLI • Enhance agent mode with MCP • Copilot Extensions
• Amazon Q Developer: IDE plugins (Eclipse/JetBrains/VS Code/Visual Studio), command-line tooling, AWS Console integrations, and a GitHub App (Preview) for PR workflows; also ships browser extensions to drive GitHub labels. Install Q in IDEs • Q CLI • Console docs • Q for GitHub (Preview)

Developer experience

• Setup
  • Copilot: Install per IDE; enable on GitHub.com; CLI plugin available. Install extension • Install in CLI
  • Q Developer: Install IDE plugin; authenticate with Builder ID (free) or IAM Identity Center (Pro). Install Q in IDEs
• APIs/CLIs
  • Copilot: GitHub CLI integration for Copilot commands. Copilot in CLI
  • Q Developer: Command-line interface for chat and automation. Q CLI
• Observability & debugging
  • Copilot: Track agent sessions and review activity/audit data. Track sessions • Metrics data
  • Q Developer: AWS provides guidance and tools for monitoring usage and adoption (varies by org setup). See AWS prescriptive guidance and console features; verify per account. Best practices/onboarding
• Migration/tooling
  • Copilot: General refactoring via chat/edits; no fixed migration quotas disclosed. Undisclosed by vendor.
  • Q Developer: Built-in code transformation capabilities (e.g., Java upgrades) with plan-based LOC quotas. Transforming code • Pricing (LOC)

Decision matrix

FAQs

1. Does GitHub Copilot train on my code?
   For individual subscribers, by default GitHub (and third parties) do not use your data (prompts, suggestions, code snippets) for model training. Org/enterprise policies also apply. Individual subscriber policy • Manage org policies
2. How long does Copilot retain prompts/suggestions?
   The Copilot Trust Center FAQ states 28 days retention for prompts/suggestions (as of 2025-09-07). Copilot Trust Center FAQ
3. What are Copilot “premium requests”?
   Premium requests gate access to certain models/capabilities and are included per plan; additional requests can be purchased (as of 2025-09-07). See plan tables and request management. Plans (allowances/prices) • Monitor/manage premium requests
4. Which IDEs are supported by Copilot and Q Developer?
   Copilot: VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains, Eclipse, Xcode, Azure Data Studio, Vim/Neovim. Q Developer: Eclipse, JetBrains, VS Code, Visual Studio (Windows). Always check current versions. Copilot IDE availability • Q IDE setup (versions)
5. Does Amazon Q Developer use my content to train models?
   Pro tier: content is not used to train underlying FMs. Free tier: content may be used for service improvement unless you opt out (as of 2025-09-07). Q Developer FAQs (data use) • Service improvement details • Opt-out
6. How many lines can Q Developer transform per month?
   Pro includes 4,000 transformed LOC/month per user, with $0.003/line overage (as of 2025-09-07). Q Developer pricing
7. Is Copilot available for GitHub Enterprise Server or only Cloud?
   Copilot is not currently available for GitHub Enterprise Server; Business/Enterprise plans are for GitHub Enterprise Cloud (as of 2025-09-07). Plans page (availability note)

Changelog & methodology

• Methodology: We used only vendor primary documentation and trust/pricing pages for features, limits, and data-handling statements; where vendors do not publish figures (e.g., latency/throughput), we explicitly label them “Undisclosed by vendor.” Links point to the exact pages cited.
• Sources last reviewed: 2025-09-07. Validate plan names, prices, allowances, and preview features before purchase or rollout—these vary by plan, region, and preview status and change over time. GitHub Plans • Q Developer pricing • Q for GitHub (Preview)