Developers want an agent-first IDE (Devin Desktop, formerly Windsurf) with Cascade-style flows instead of an editor plugin. This guide maps your config files, walks a 4-step migration checklist and prices the seat delta for a 10-dev team.
01Migration brief
Developers want an agent-first IDE (Devin Desktop, formerly Windsurf) with Cascade-style flows instead of an editor plugin. Costs $10/seat/mo more (+$1,200/yr for a 10-dev team).
GitHub Copilot
GitHub $10 per month · FreemiumGitHub Copilot is an AI-powered coding assistant that provides real-time code completions, chat assistance, and agentic workflows directly within integrated development environments and the GitHub platform. It leverages advanced generative AI models to help developers write code, refactor, generate documentation, and automate pull request workflows.
Devin
Cognition $20 per month · FreemiumDevin is an autonomous AI software engineer designed to assist with engineering backlogs by writing, running, and testing code. It operates across cloud environments, desktop applications, and command-line interfaces to handle tasks like feature implementation, bug fixes, and code migrations.
02Rules & cost
Convert GitHub Copilot rules to the Devin format, then review the output before committing.
Costs $10/seat/mo more (+$1,200/yr for a 10-dev team).
034-step checklist
- 01
Audit & export your GitHub Copilot rulesGitHub Copilot reads repo-level rules from .github/copilot-instructions.md. Convert them to .windsurfrules with the Rules Converter, then review the output before committing. Open →
- 02
Install & configure DevinDownload Devin from the official site. Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) reads Windsurf rules files. Pricing: Freemium — entry plan Pro at $20/mo. Open ↗
- 03
Adapt your daily workflow (IDE Plugins → AI IDEs)Your assistant moves from an inline plugin to a full agent-first editor — expect multi-file edits with repo-wide context instead of autocomplete. Devin is best for ambitious engineering teams looking to automate repetitive tasks, manage backlogs, perform code migrations, and handle complex end-to-end features.
- 04
Run a one-week parallel pilot, then reallocate seatsCosts $10/seat/mo more (+$1,200/yr for a 10-dev team). Keep GitHub Copilot active for one sprint while Devin handles new tasks; cancel seats only after velocity holds. Open →
04Trade-offs
What you gain
- Devin is best for ambitious engineering teams looking to automate repetitive tasks, manage backlogs, perform code migrations, and handle complex end-to-end features.
- Autonomous agentic workflows for coding, testing, and debugging.
- Multi-model support including frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and in-house SWE models.
- Devin Fusion multi-model harness for cost-efficient performance.
What you give up
- GitHub Copilot is positioned for developers seeking to accelerate their coding workflow, automate routine tasks like commit messages and PR reviews, and leverage agent-driven development to handle complex multi-file changes. — confirm Devin covers that before cancelling seats.
- Devin is not ideal for extremely difficult tasks that fall outside the scope of what an engineer can accomplish in approximately three hours.
Running both together: Many teams run both: keep GitHub Copilot for ide plugins work and use Devin for ai ides tasks during the transition.
05Spec sheet
| GitHub Copilot | Devin | |
|---|---|---|
| Company | GitHub | Cognition |
| Category | IDE Extensions & Plugins | AI-Native IDEs & Editors |
| Pricing | Freemium Offers a free tier with limited functionality for individual developers. Paid individual plans include Copilot Pro ($10/mo), Pro+ ($39/mo), and Max ($100/mo). Organizational plans include Copilot Business ($19 per user/mo) and Enterprise ($39 per user/mo), with additional usage billed via AI credits at $0.01 per credit. | Freemium Free plan with limited usage, Pro plan at $20/month, Max plan at $200/month, and Teams plan starting at $80/month minimum. |
| Entry paid plan | Copilot Pro ($10/mo) | Pro ($20/mo) |
| Rules file | .github/copilot-instructions.md | .windsurfrules |
| Key features |
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06FAQ
How do I convert my GitHub Copilot rules to Devin?+
GitHub Copilot reads .github/copilot-instructions.md and Devin reads .windsurfrules. Run them through the Rules Converter (https://ai.dosa.dev/tools/rules-converter?from=copilot&to=windsurfrules) and review the output before committing.
Is Devin cheaper than GitHub Copilot?+
GitHub Copilot starts at Copilot Pro ($10/mo); Devin starts at Pro ($20/mo). Costs $10/seat/mo more (+$1,200/yr for a 10-dev team).
What do I lose when switching from GitHub Copilot to Devin?+
GitHub Copilot is positioned for developers seeking to accelerate their coding workflow, automate routine tasks like commit messages and PR reviews, and leverage agent-driven development to handle complex multi-file changes. — confirm Devin covers that before cancelling seats. Devin is not ideal for extremely difficult tasks that fall outside the scope of what an engineer can accomplish in approximately three hours.
Can I use GitHub Copilot and Devin together?+
Many teams run both: keep GitHub Copilot for ide plugins work and use Devin for ai ides tasks during the transition.