GitHub has announced a significant change in its billing model for Copilot. Starting June 1, 2026, the old Premium Request Units (PRUs) will be replaced by the new GitHub AI Credits. This system is based on the actual token consumption of each interaction with the AI, abandoning the previous fixed plans.
Input, output, and cache tokens: this is how the cost is calculated 💰
Each AI Credit is equivalent to $0.01 and is consumed based on the tokens processed. Rates vary by model: for example, GPT-4o consumes 3 credits per million input tokens and 12 for output tokens, while Claude 3.5 Sonnet uses 4 and 16 credits respectively. Cached tokens have discounts. This granular system aims to align payment with actual usage, although it can complicate monthly cost forecasting.
Goodbye to PRUs: the new way to mortgage your code 😅
Developers who used PRUs as currency will now receive a lesson in real economics. If you previously asked for help with a simple loop, you paid the same as for refactoring a monolith. Now, each suggestion will have its own bill. That said, at least you'll know that your existential queries about why something won't compile cost more than a vending machine coffee.