specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: GitHub Copilot
providerId: github-copilot
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
  - AI
  - Developer Tools
description: 'FOCUS-aligned FinOps for GitHub Copilot: per-seat subscription with included premium-request
  budgets and metered overage at $0.04 per premium request.'
sources:
  - https://github.com/features/copilot/plans
  - https://docs.github.com/en/billing/concepts/product-billing/github-copilot
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: GitHub, Inc.
serviceCategory: Developer Tools / AI
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Subscription + Metered Overage
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Purchase
    - Usage
    - Adjustment
    - Credit
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: GitHub Copilot
  ServiceCategory: Developer Tools
  ServiceSubcategory: AI Code Assistance
  ProviderName: GitHub
  PublisherName: GitHub, Inc.
  InvoiceIssuerName: GitHub, Inc.
  BillingCurrency: USD
  PricingCategory: Subscription
  PricingUnit: seat-month
meters:
  - name: copilot_seats
    description: Number of paid Copilot seats assigned in the billing period
    unit: seat
    aggregation: max
    dimensions:
      - plan
      - org
      - team
  - name: premium_requests
    description: Premium model invocations (chat, agent mode, code review) consumed against plan budget
    unit: request
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - plan
      - org
      - user
      - model
  - name: premium_request_overage
    description: Premium requests beyond the included monthly budget; billed at $0.04 each
    unit: request
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - plan
      - org
      - user
  - name: completions
    description: Inline code completion suggestions issued
    unit: completion
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - org
      - user
      - language
  - name: api_requests
    description: GitHub REST/GraphQL requests against Copilot management endpoints
    unit: request
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - org
      - endpoint
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Use the Copilot Usage Metrics API and the org Billing dashboard to attribute premium
      request consumption per user and team; export GitHub usage CSVs for ledger reconciliation.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Tag seats by team via SAML/SCIM groups; route Copilot Business invoices through the cost
      center owning the org.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Right-size seat counts using the Copilot Usage Metrics API to identify dormant seats;
      educate users on when to use chat vs agent mode to avoid burning premium-request budget; opt low-volume
      teams onto Pro instead of Business.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Engineering leaders own seat allocation and premium-request overage budgets; finance
      reviews monthly Copilot line item against developer headcount.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com
    url: http://apievangelist.com