Microsoft GitHub Copilot switches to pay-per-use, developers face huge cost hikes

Microsoft's GitHub Copilot will change its billing model starting June 1, moving from a fixed subscription fee to a token-based usage charge. Some users saw their monthly bill jump from about $29 to nearly $750, a 25x increase. Big companies might handle it, but small teams and individual developers are feeling the heat.

Several developers shared screenshots on Reddit showing bills going from $50 to around $3,000 a month. One user said they plan to cancel, calling the new pricing 'ridiculously expensive.' Others argue that high costs only happen with sloppy coding, and normal usage doesn't burn many tokens.

The change has sparked debate. Some say Microsoft encouraged heavy use under the old plan and blindsided users with this switch. Others question the old model's hidden costs, suggesting Microsoft may have been losing money on it all along.