Comparison · under IB-CODE-2026.2
OpenAI Codex CLI vs GitHub Copilot
| OpenAI Codex CLI | GitHub Copilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | OpenAI | GitHub / Microsoft |
| Pricing | Included in ChatGPT Pro $200/mo; or raw API at GPT-5.5 rates | Individual $10/mo (moving to usage-based billing June 1 2026); Business $19/user/mo |
| Default model | GPT-5.5 (GPT-5.5-mini available for cost-sensitive runs) | Switchable per prompt — GPT-5.5, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Gemini 2.5 Pro |
| CLI surface | ✓ | ✓ |
| Eval status | queued | queued |
Comparison pending — neither side evaluated yet
Both OpenAI Codex CLI and GitHub Copilot are currently unevaluated under IB-CODE-2026.2. This page will update as evaluations land.
Want this comparison sooner? Vendors can commission an evaluation to bump their tool up the queue (with full editorial independence on the verdict). Readers can email hello@indiebench.dev to vote for which comparison ships next.
About each tool
OpenAI Codex CLI
The Codex name has a long history — the original 2021 Codex API (code-davinci-002) was deprecated in March 2023. The current Codex CLI is a complete re-architecture: GPT-5.5 backed, with Goal Mode for multi-hour autonomous runs, native subagents, MCP server support, plugin marketplace, browser verif…
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot has the highest absolute adoption among developers using AI at work (29%, Pragmatic Engineer Feb 2026 survey). The Coding Agent feature (GA September 2025) is the autonomous issue-to-PR mode evaluable under IB-CODE-2026.2 — distinct from the inline-autocomplete experience that gets th…