Crush vs GitHub Copilot CLI: pricing, features and which to choose

Crush is a Go terminal coding agent made by Charmbracelet, the company behind Bubble Tea and other terminal tools. The repository was created in May 2025 and has grown to more than 28,000 stars on GitHub. It runs on macOS, Linux, Windows through PowerShell or WSL, Android, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, and NetBSD. The application is free to install, but it does not include unlimited model inference. Charm lists Hyper as its official subscription provider, while users can connect hosted APIs or local models. That split matters for budgeting because Crush is the client, while the selected provider normally bills model usage. The project uses the FSL-1.1-MIT license, with each version converting to MIT on its second anniversary.

The normal workflow begins in a project directory, where Crush opens an interactive terminal interface and asks for a model or API key. Users can maintain multiple sessions and preserve context while switching models. Language Server Protocol integration supplies code intelligence, while Model Context Protocol support adds tools through HTTP, stdio, or SSE servers. The agent can inspect files, propose edits, and run commands, with configuration controlling permissions. Crush supports OpenAI-compatible and Anthropic-compatible custom providers, alongside Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, OpenRouter, Bedrock, Vertex AI, and Groq. Its security documentation says crushrc is trusted shell code and warns that shell substitutions in crush.json run during configuration loading. Configuration review therefore belongs in the normal deployment process.

Crush combines LSP context, MCP extensibility, sessions, local-model support, and broad operating-system coverage in one terminal client. Its cost and model quality depend on external providers, while its FSL license restricts some competing commercial redistribution before conversion. Configuration can execute shell code, so teams need permission discipline and repository review. Aider focuses on repository editing with an open-source license, Claude Code is Anthropic's first-party coding agent, and GitHub Copilot CLI is more closely tied to GitHub accounts and Copilot plans. Those products offer clearer single-vendor operating models. Pick Crush if endpoint flexibility, local inference, and terminal portability matter more than one bundled subscription or conventional open-source licensing.

GitHub Copilot CLI is GitHub's terminal-native coding agent, launched in public preview in September 2025. It is distributed as the @github/copilot npm package and uses a GitHub account for authentication. The product works with local repositories while connecting to GitHub context, including repository history, issues, and pull requests. GitHub documents support for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with PowerShell 6 or later required on Windows. The current CLI is distinct from the older gh-copilot extension. GitHub announced that gh-copilot would stop working on October 25, 2025, and presented the agentic CLI as its replacement. That distinction matters because the older extension offered command suggestions, while the current product can plan and execute multi-step repository work.

A normal session starts with copilot in a repository and a natural-language request. The agent can inspect files, propose a plan, edit code, debug, refactor, and run terminal commands. GitHub context lets it work from repository tasks, issues, and pull requests, while the included GitHub MCP server connects the session to GitHub capabilities. Custom MCP servers and custom agents extend that setup. GitHub says each file change and command execution requires explicit approval. Release notes also describe streaming output, parallel tool calls, model selection, image input, session continuation, delegated work, and granular tool permissions. The workflow combines shell access with repository context, but users must review proposed edits and commands before allowing them, particularly when a request can affect files or external GitHub state.

Copilot CLI suits developers who keep repositories, issues, and pull requests in GitHub and want organization controls around terminal agents. Its limits are clear: it requires GitHub authentication, access depends on a Copilot plan, and agent work consumes credits. The product also depends on remote GitHub-hosted AI services, so it is not a local-only runtime or a self-hosted deployment. Crush offers provider and local-model choice, Claude Code centers Anthropic's service, and OpenCode emphasizes support for multiple providers. Pick Copilot CLI when GitHub context and centralized policy outweigh endpoint freedom. Pick Crush for local models, Claude Code for Anthropic-centered workflows, or OpenCode for provider flexibility.