OpenComputer vs GitHub Copilot cloud agent

GitHub Copilot cloud agent, formerly called the Copilot coding agent, is GitHub's asynchronous agent: you assign it an issue, a prompt or a pull request, it works on one branch in a GitHub-managed cloud sandbox, and it opens a pull request. OpenComputer is a coding agent you mention in Slack that runs Claude Code and Codex on a cloud Linux machine per Slack workspace and hands back a pull request. The biggest difference is where each one lives: inside GitHub and billed through your Copilot plan, or in a shared Slack thread and billed per workspace for work minutes, with your own Claude or ChatGPT subscription for the model.

If your team lives in GitHub issues and wants one vendor, Copilot fits. If your team hands work over in Slack and already pays for Claude or ChatGPT, OpenComputer fits.

At a glance

What is GitHub Copilot cloud agent?

Copilot cloud agent is the background agent inside GitHub. You can start a task by assigning an issue to Copilot, mentioning it on a pull request, or using the Agents tab, GitHub Mobile, the Copilot CLI, the Copilot app, VS Code or the API. It also takes work from Slack, Microsoft Teams and Linear, and Copilot Automations can trigger it on a schedule or on repository events. It works on one branch at a time, opens one pull request per task, and needs repositories hosted on GitHub.

As of October 28, 2026, sessions run by default in a GitHub-managed cloud sandbox with no one-hour limit on running time. When a sandbox shuts down it saves a snapshot, so you can resume the session later from any surface. Repositories with a copilot-setup-steps.yml file or self-hosted runners still use the older GitHub Actions environment, where sessions have a hard 59-minute limit. You can also register your own machine as an environment from the Copilot CLI.

Alongside Copilot's own agent, GitHub offers Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's Codex coding agents in public preview, powered by your existing Copilot subscription.

What is OpenComputer?

OpenComputer runs Claude Code and Codex in its own cloud, and you hand them work by mentioning @Computer in a Slack thread or calling the API from your code. Each Slack workspace gets its own cloud Linux machine, sized to its plan. Every thread works in its own copy of the repos on its own branch, so parallel requests don't collide. Workspaces resume warm, with the repository, dependencies and build caches already in place.

@Computer reads the code, runs the commands and tests, then opens a pull request that says what changed, why, and how it was checked, with a link back to the thread. UI changes come with a screenshot and a preview link. It has no IDE or mobile app.

Key differences

Inside GitHub, or inside Slack

Copilot is built into GitHub issues, pull requests, Actions, branch protections and org policies. For a GitHub-centric team that means no extra vendor, and admins manage it with the controls they already use.

OpenComputer starts from a Slack thread. Everyone in the thread sees every file @Computer opens and every command it runs, anyone can steer it, and conventions one person explains apply to later requests. Copilot also takes requests in Slack, but if your planning happens in GitHub issues, Copilot is the shorter path.

Agents and models

Copilot runs its own agent and lets you choose from models such as Claude Opus 5.5, GPT-5.5, Gemini 4 Argon and Grok 4.7, depending on plan and policy. Delegating to the Claude and Codex agents is included on Pro+ and Max, not on Pro. Usage is billed in GitHub AI credits, and GitHub does not document a way to bring your own Claude or ChatGPT subscription to the cloud agent.

OpenComputer does not have its own agent. It runs Claude Code and Codex, and you can sign in with the subscription you already have, so the model costs nothing extra. When a subscription hits its limit, you choose whether to switch to OpenComputer tokens at API prices or wait for the reset.

Session length and environment

Cloud sandboxes, now the default, have no one-hour cap and save a snapshot when they stop. Sessions that run on the Actions environment, because the repository uses copilot-setup-steps.yml or self-hosted runners, still stop at 59 minutes. Cloud sandboxes do not support custom compute or Actions setup steps; they share one configuration of custom instructions, dotfiles, MCP servers and connectors. Sandbox sessions can also span several repositories in one organization.

OpenComputer keeps the repository, dependencies and build caches warm on the workspace's machine, so each task starts without cloning and reinstalling. Threads share that machine, each in its own copy of the repos on its own branch.

Pricing compared

As of October 2026, Copilot's individual plans are Pro at $10, Pro+ at $39 and Max at $100 per month, including 1,500, 7,000 and 20,000 AI credits, where one credit is $0.01. The Free plan does not include the cloud agent. For organizations, Business is $19 and Enterprise is $39 per granted seat, with 1,900 and 3,900 credits per user, pooled across the org. Compute is billed separately from an Actions entitlement, and cloud sandbox billing starts in November 2026.

OpenComputer lists Pro at $20 a month with 2,000 work minutes and Max at $200 with 25,000, for the whole Slack workspace, plus $0.01 per extra minute. The model is free if you bring your own subscription.

For a team of five, Copilot Business is $95 a month, which includes $95 worth of AI credits for models, with compute on top. OpenComputer Pro is $20 a month for the same five people and about 33 hours of active agent work, with model usage covered by the Claude or ChatGPT subscriptions the team already pays for. The bills cover different things: Copilot's price includes model usage, while OpenComputer's does not unless you buy its tokens.

When to choose GitHub Copilot cloud agent

• Your work is planned in GitHub issues and you want to assign tasks right there.
• You want one vendor, org policies and pooled credits for agents, chat and completions.
• You want many models, plus the Claude and Codex agents, under one GitHub bill.
• You want a low individual entry price; Pro at $10 a month includes the cloud agent.

When to choose OpenComputer

• Your team hands work over in Slack and wants one shared thread anyone can steer.
• You already pay for Claude or ChatGPT and want the agent to use that subscription.
• You'd rather pay per workspace for active agent time than per seat.
• You also want to build your own agents on the same cloud, such as a background coding agent or other serverless agents.

FAQ

Is OpenComputer a GitHub Copilot coding agent alternative?

Yes, for teams that want a background agent that turns requests into pull requests. Both work in the cloud and open a pull request. OpenComputer runs Claude Code and Codex from a Slack thread with your own subscription, while Copilot runs GitHub's agent from issues and pull requests on a Copilot plan.

Does the Copilot cloud agent still have a 59-minute limit?

Not by default. Since October 28, 2026, sessions run in cloud sandboxes with no one-hour limit. The 59-minute limit still applies to sessions on the GitHub Actions environment, which is used when a repository has a copilot-setup-steps.yml file or self-hosted runners.

How much does the GitHub Copilot cloud agent cost?

As of October 2026, it needs a paid plan: Pro at $10, Pro+ at $39 or Max at $100 per month for individuals, or Business at $19 and Enterprise at $39 per seat. Usage draws on AI credits at $0.01 each, and compute is billed separately from your Actions entitlement.

Can OpenComputer use my Claude or ChatGPT subscription?

Yes. OpenComputer signs in to Claude Code and Codex with your own subscription, or uses your API key, so it charges nothing for the model. Copilot's Claude and Codex agents run on your Copilot subscription and AI credits instead.

Does OpenComputer work with GitHub?

It opens pull requests for review, and serverless agents built on OpenComputer can connect to GitHub. You hand @Computer work in Slack or through the API rather than by assigning GitHub issues. For other cloud coding agents, see the comparison hub.

Sources

• About Copilot cloud agent
• Work from anywhere with a new connected Copilot cloud experience
• GitHub changelog, October 2026
• GitHub Copilot plans
• Plans for GitHub Copilot
• About third-party agents
• Integrate cloud agent with Linear