I switched from GitHub Copilot to Cursor six months ago and I'm not going back. But Copilot isn't dead - it still makes sense for a specific type of developer. Here's the honest breakdown after using both on real production projects.
The Core Difference
GitHub Copilot is an AI layer added onto your existing editor. It autocompletes code and has a chat sidebar. Cursor is a fork of VS Code where AI is deeply embedded into the entire coding experience. The difference sounds subtle but feels enormous in practice.
Cursor's Composer Changes Everything
Cursor's killer feature is Composer - a mode where you describe what you want across multiple files and the AI implements it. 'Add authentication to this Next.js app using NextAuth' and it edits 6 files, creates 3 new ones, and gives you a working implementation in 90 seconds. Copilot can't do this.
Codebase-wide context means Cursor understands your entire project, not just the open file. It can refactor a function and automatically update every file that calls it.
Where Copilot Still Wins
If you use JetBrains IDEs, Visual Studio, or Neovim - Copilot works there and Cursor doesn't (Cursor is VS Code only). For developers embedded in the GitHub workflow, Copilot's PR summaries, issue references, and repository awareness are genuinely useful.
Copilot is also \/mo vs Cursor's \/mo. For junior developers or those doing mostly simple tasks, Copilot's autocomplete may be enough.
Verdict
If you write code for a living and work on complex, multi-file projects: switch to Cursor. The productivity gain is real and measurable. If you're a hobbyist, student, or need non-VS Code IDE support: Copilot is the right choice.