github / github/copilot-cli

Support lower-cost/open-weight model options to improve affordability

Open
#3,707 0 comments 0 reactions 0 assignees View on GitHub
area:models
Dominant language
Shell
Stars
11.2k
Forks
1.9k
Avg merge
14h 16m
Merged PRs (30d)
6

Description

**Token-based usage is a good direction, but the current cost curve can make usage feel expensive very quickly.** For many users, that becomes a barrier to continued use and slower growth.

## Why this matters

- **Affordability:** heavy usage can become too expensive too fast
- **Choice:** users should be able to pick a model that fits their budget and workload
- **Retention:** lower-cost options can make Copilot easier to keep using long term

## Proposal

Consider supporting **lower-cost or open-weight models** such as **DeepSeek** or **Kimi** as additional options.

That could make Copilot:
- more affordable
- more flexible
- less punishing for users who burn through tokens quickly
- better aligned with different usage levels

**This is not a request to replace the current approach** — just to add more affordable model options so users can choose what fits their budget and workload.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

Assessment

This issue has not been assessed yet.

Get new issues in your inbox

A short digest of beginner-friendly GitHub issues.