GitHub Copilot vs Zed: which is better? Comparison 2026
By our public methodology GitHub Copilot scores 77 out of 100 and Zed scores 75. Below: the factors and facts where they differ, each fact with its source.
Score breakdown
| GitHub Copilot | Zed | |
|---|---|---|
| Code privacy | 57 | 86 |
| Features | 77 | 60 |
| Price | 85 | 85 |
| Transparency | 100 | 67 |
Pros and cons
GitHub Copilot
- Free plan available
- Works in many IDEs and editors
- The agent edits several files and runs commands on its own
- You can keep your code out of model training
- Code and prompts are used for training until you opt out
Zed
- Code and prompts are not used for training without your consent
- Free plan available
- The agent edits several files and runs commands on its own
- You can keep your code out of model training
- No published SOC 2 or ISO 27001 certification
Facts side by side
| Fact | GitHub Copilot | Zed |
|---|---|---|
| Code not used for training by default | No docs.github.com | Yes zed.dev |
| Can opt out of training on your code | Yes docs.github.com | Yes zed.dev |
| Zero data retention mode | Yes copilot.github.trust.page | Yes zed.dev |
| SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Yes copilot.github.trust.page | No zed.dev |
| Supported IDEs and editors | 6 docs.github.com | 1 zed.dev |
| Terminal agent (CLI) | Yes github.com | Not verified |
| Agent mode (multi-file edits) | Yes github.com | Yes zed.dev |
| Self-hosted deployment | No copilot.github.trust.page | Yes zed.dev |
| Free plan | Yes github.com | Yes zed.dev |
| Cheapest paid plan, per month | $10.00 github.com | $10.00 zed.dev |
| Company founded | 2008 github.com | Not verified |
| Public status page | Yes githubstatus.com | Yes status.zed.dev |
| Models disclosed | Yes docs.github.com | Yes zed.dev |
| Company headquarters | United States github.com | United States zed.dev |
| Company | GitHub, Inc. github.com | Zed Industries, Inc. zed.dev |
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