IntelliCode vs Copilot: How They Compare and What the Deprecation Means for Developers

GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio IntelliCode are both AI-powered coding assistants from Microsoft’s ecosystem, but they occupy very different positions in 2026. Copilot is a full-featured AI pair programmer powered by large language models. IntelliCode is a lighter, locally-run tool that enhances code completions using machine learning trained on open-source patterns.

The comparison matters because Microsoft began officially deprecating IntelliCode for VS Code in November 2025, archiving its extensions and directing developers toward GitHub Copilot. If you’re evaluating these tools, or still using IntelliCode, here’s what you need to know about how they differ, what each does well, and what the transition looks like.

IntelliCode vs Copilot: Core Differences at a Glance

What GitHub Copilot Actually Does

GitHub Copilot functions as an AI pair programmer integrated directly into your editor. It goes well beyond autocomplete.

Code generation from context. Copilot reads the file you’re working in, including comments, function signatures, imports, and surrounding code, and generates multi-line suggestions. Write a comment describing what a function should do, and Copilot will draft the implementation.

Chat interface. Copilot Chat lets you ask questions about your code, request explanations, generate unit tests, debug errors, and get refactoring suggestions through a conversational interface within the IDE.

Agent mode. Introduced in 2025, Copilot’s agent mode can autonomously write, execute, and validate code using GitHub Actions, delivering pull requests that are ready for review. It handles tasks like bug fixes, feature additions, and routine refactoring with minimal human intervention.

Multi-model flexibility. Copilot now lets users switch between models, including GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, and Gemini 2.0 Flash, depending on the task and their preference.

Broad language and IDE support. Copilot works across dozens of programming languages and integrates with VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Neovim, and Xcode.

The trade-off is that Copilot requires a cloud connection (suggestions are generated server-side), introduces potential IP and licensing considerations since the models were trained on public code, and the free tier has usage caps that may not be sufficient for heavy daily use.

What IntelliCode Does (and Doesn’t Do)

IntelliCode is a more modest tool with a narrower scope. Rather than generating new code, it enhances the existing IntelliSense completion experience.

Starred completions. IntelliCode reranks the IntelliSense suggestion list, placing the most likely items at the top based on patterns learned from thousands of high-quality open-source repositories. Instead of scrolling through an alphabetical list, you see the most contextually relevant option first.

Short inline suggestions. IntelliCode provides brief gray-text completions, typically a single line or partial statement, based on local analysis of your code patterns.

Team models. IntelliCode can be trained on your organization’s private codebase, learning team-specific patterns, utility methods, and coding conventions. These models are shared across team members to maintain consistency.

Local processing. Unlike Copilot, IntelliCode runs its GPT-C model locally, meaning no code is sent to external servers. This was a significant advantage for organizations with strict data privacy requirements.

IntelliCode does not generate multi-line code blocks, write functions from natural language descriptions, offer chat-based interactions, or support agent-driven workflows. It’s a productivity enhancer for developers who already know what they want to write, not an AI that writes code for you.

The IntelliCode Deprecation: What Happened

In November 2025, Microsoft archived IntelliCode’s primary GitHub repository and deprecated its VS Code extensions. The extensions, which had collectively accumulated over 70 million downloads, no longer provide starred completions or gray-text inline suggestions in VS Code.

Microsoft’s stated guidance is straightforward: use GitHub Copilot instead.

The situation differs by IDE. In VS Code, IntelliCode’s AI features are fully removed. Standard IntelliSense (non-AI, rule-based completions) continues to work, but the machine learning layer is gone. Developers who want AI-assisted completions in VS Code now need Copilot. In Visual Studio 2026, IntelliCode remains available as an optional installer component. It still functions for developers who want it, but Microsoft’s investment and feature development are clearly focused on Copilot.

The practical impact is significant for developers who relied on IntelliCode’s free, unlimited completions. Copilot’s free tier caps usage at 2,000 code completions and 50 chat requests per month. Once those limits are reached, AI features are disabled until the next billing cycle, unless you upgrade to the paid Pro plan.

When Copilot Is the Better Choice

Copilot is the stronger tool for most development scenarios in 2026, particularly for writing new code from scratch, where its ability to generate functions, classes, and boilerplate from context dramatically speeds up development. It excels at prototyping and exploration, since developers can describe functionality in natural language and iterate on Copilot’s suggestions. It’s valuable for working across multiple languages and frameworks, given Copilot’s broad training data. It’s useful for generating tests, documentation, and commit messages, tasks that are tedious but important. And its agent mode handles routine maintenance tasks like bug fixes and refactoring with minimal developer involvement.

If you’re building new features, working in VS Code or JetBrains, or want AI that goes beyond autocomplete, Copilot is the clear choice and increasingly the only actively supported option.

When IntelliCode Still Makes Sense

IntelliCode remains relevant in a narrower set of circumstances. Organizations using Visual Studio 2026 that need AI completions without sending code to external servers benefit from IntelliCode’s local processing model. Teams with strict data privacy requirements that prohibit cloud-based AI tools can still use IntelliCode’s team models. Developers who want lightweight completion enhancement without the complexity of a full AI pair programmer may prefer IntelliCode’s more predictable behavior. And budget-constrained teams that exceed Copilot’s free tier limits but can’t justify the subscription cost retain IntelliCode as an option in Visual Studio.

However, with Microsoft’s development focus shifting entirely to Copilot, IntelliCode’s long-term viability is uncertain. Developers and organizations should plan for an eventual full transition.

Pricing Comparison

For individual developers, Copilot’s free tier is a reasonable starting point, though power users will likely hit the completion cap within a few days of heavy use. For teams and organizations, the Business tier at $19/month per user includes the management and policy features most companies need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does IntelliCode still work?

In Visual Studio 2026, yes, it’s available as an optional component. In VS Code, no, the extensions were deprecated in November 2025 and AI features have been removed. Standard IntelliSense still works in VS Code, but the machine learning enhancements are gone.

Which AI is better, IntelliCode or Copilot?

For the vast majority of developers, Copilot is the more capable tool. It generates multi-line code, supports chat and agent workflows, works across more IDEs, and is under active development. IntelliCode is limited to completion reranking and short inline suggestions.

Is IntelliCode free?

Yes, IntelliCode is free where it’s still available (Visual Studio 2026). However, its scope is much narrower than Copilot, and Microsoft has signaled that Copilot is the future of AI-assisted development in its ecosystem.

Can I use Copilot and IntelliCode together?

In Visual Studio, Copilot disables IntelliCode’s whole-line completions when active to avoid conflicts. Other IntelliCode features (like starred IntelliSense reranking) may still function alongside Copilot. In VS Code, IntelliCode is no longer available.

Is GitHub Copilot worth paying for?

For professional developers, the productivity gains from Copilot typically justify the $10/month Pro cost, particularly for code generation, test writing, and documentation. Teams should evaluate the Business tier ($19/month) for its management features and policy controls. The free tier is useful for trying the tool but may not sustain daily professional use.

Key Takeaways

The IntelliCode vs Copilot comparison has shifted from “which tool is better for my workflow” to “when should I make the transition.” Microsoft’s deprecation of IntelliCode in VS Code signals a clear strategic direction: Copilot is the future of AI-assisted development across the Microsoft ecosystem.

For most developers, Copilot offers dramatically more capability, code generation, chat, agent mode, multi-model support, at a cost that’s modest relative to the productivity gains. IntelliCode remains a viable option for Visual Studio users with privacy constraints or budget limitations, but its future is uncertain as Microsoft concentrates its AI development investment on Copilot.

If you’re still relying on IntelliCode, now is the time to evaluate Copilot’s free tier and plan your transition.