GitHub Community Discussions Billing & Subscription Guide 💳

[shinybrightstar]

This comprehensive guide helps you navigate GitHub's billing system, resolve common payment issues, and manage your subscriptions effectively. Whether you're troubleshooting a declined payment or trying to understand the new billing platform, you'll find step-by-step solutions here.

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Table of Contents

1. Understanding GitHub Plans & Subscriptions
2. Payment Methods & Troubleshooting
3. Managing Billing Information
4. Budgets & Usage Configuration
5. Canceling Subscriptions
6. Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Understanding GitHub Plans & Subscriptions

Choosing the Right Plan

GitHub offers two distinct product lines that serve different purposes:

GitHub Platform Plans (Free, Pro, Team, Enterprise)

• Repository hosting and collaboration features
• GitHub Actions compute minutes
• Package and storage allocation
• Advanced security and compliance tools

GitHub Copilot Plans (Pro, Pro+, Business, Enterprise)

• AI-powered code suggestions
• Chat and inline code assistance
• IDE and CLI integration
• Copilot is an add-on, not included in platform plans

Important

These are separate subscriptions. GitHub Pro does not include Copilot, and Copilot does not include GitHub Pro features.

Quick Decision Guide

Choose your plan based on what you need:

Your Need	Recommended Plan
Actions minutes, advanced collaboration	GitHub Pro ($4/month)
AI code suggestions and assistance	Copilot Pro ($10/month)
Both platform features and AI coding help	GitHub Pro + Copilot Pro
Team collaboration with AI coding	GitHub Team + Copilot Business

Feature Comparison

Feature	GitHub Free	GitHub Pro	Copilot Pro
Public & Private repositories	✅ Unlimited	✅ Unlimited	N/A
Codespaces	120 core hours and 15GB storage/month	180 core hours and 20GB storage/ month	N/A
Actions minutes/month	2,000	3,000	N/A
Package storage	500 MB	2 GB	N/A
Advanced code review	❌	✅	N/A
AI code completion	❌	❌	✅
Chat assistance	❌	❌	✅

For a complete comparison, see GitHub's official plans documentation and Billing for individual GitHub Copilot plans.

How to Subscribe

For GitHub Pro:

1. Navigate to Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Click Upgrade under your current plan
3. Select GitHub Pro and complete payment
4. Learn more here: Upgrading your GitHub plan

For Copilot:

1. Visit github.com/github-copilot/signup
2. Choose your tier (Pro, Business, or Enterprise)
3. Complete payment with a valid payment method
4. Learn more: Understanding Copilot licenses

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2. Payment Methods & Troubleshooting

Supported Payment Methods

GitHub accepts:

• Credit/debit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
• PayPal: Available in some regions

Best Practice: Always subscribe through github.com in a web browser for the most reliable experience. Mobile app purchases or third-party payment processors may charge you without activating your subscription.

Card Declines and Failed Payments

Common Causes

• Insufficient funds or credit limit reached
• Bank fraud protection blocking international transactions
• Expired or incorrect card details
• Billing address mismatch with bank records
• Geographic restrictions on the card

Resolution Steps

1. Verify card details: Double-check card number, expiration date, CVV, and billing address
2. Contact your bank:
   • Ask them to authorize charges from "GITHUB.COM"
   • Confirm international transactions are enabled (GitHub processes through US-based systems)
   • Check if they're blocking the transaction for fraud protection
3. Try a different card: If issues persist, use an alternative payment method
4. Wait between attempts: Allow 15-30 minutes between retries to avoid triggering additional fraud blocks

To update your payment method, go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Payment information. Learn more: Managing your payment method

Payment Processed But Subscription Not Active

This typically happens when using non-recommended payment channels:

❌ High-Risk Methods:

• Cryptocurrency wallets
• Third-party payment processors

✅ Recommended Method:

• Subscribe via github.com in a web browser
• Use credit/debit card or PayPal directly

If You're Already Charged

1. Check subscription status: Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Wait 10 minutes for processing
3. If still inactive, do not purchase again
4. Contact GitHub Support with your transaction receipt
5. Support will activate your plan or process a refund

Learn more: Troubleshooting failed payments

Authorization Holds Explained

When adding a payment method or starting a subscription, GitHub performs a temporary authorization check (typically $1-$133 USD depending on plan type). This verifies your card is valid.

Key Facts:

• ✅ This is not a real charge—it's a temporary hold
• ✅ The hold automatically releases within 5-7 business days
• ✅ Your actual subscription charge posts separately
• ❌ If authorization fails, your account may be temporarily locked

If Authorization Fails

1. Contact your bank to understand why the authorization was declined
2. Ensure sufficient available credit for the hold amount
3. Verify billing address matches your bank's records exactly
4. Once resolved, contact GitHub Support to unlock your account

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3. Managing Billing Information

Updating Your Billing Address

For Personal Accounts

1. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Click Payment information
3. Update your name and address fields
4. Click Save billing information

For Organizations

1. Navigate to your organization page
2. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing
3. Click Edit under Payment information
4. Update the name and address (you must be an organization owner)
5. Save changes

Learn more: Adding or editing a payment method

Troubleshooting Update Issues

If you can't save billing information changes, try these solutions:

Common Problems and Fixes

1. Field Validation Errors

Error Message	Cause	Solution
"Invalid billing address"	Address doesn't match bank records	Contact your bank for exact address format, then match it precisely
"City not recognized"	Misspelling or unsupported characters	Double-check spelling; use standard English characters only
"Postal code invalid"	Wrong format for your country	Verify format (US: 12345 or 12345-6789)
"Payment method update failed"	General processing error	Wait 10 minutes and retry

2. Address Entry Best Practices

• ✅ Match your bank records exactly (including abbreviations)
• ✅ Avoid special characters (é, ñ, ü, ™, ®, emojis)
• ✅ Use standard abbreviations (St, Ave, Apt, CA, NY)
• ✅ Double-check city spelling (Pittsburgh not Pittsburg)

3. Browser Issues

Try these troubleshooting steps:

1. Clear cache or use incognito mode:

   • Open a private/incognito browsing window
   • Navigate to billing settings
   • Attempt the update again

2. Try a different browser:

   • Switch between Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
   • Temporarily disable browser extensions

3. Use keyboard navigation:

   • Tab through fields instead of clicking
   • Press Enter after the last field

Removing or Changing Payment Methods

You cannot remove a payment method if you have:

• Active paid subscriptions
• Unpaid invoices or balances
• Active budgets for usage-based services

How to Remove a Payment Method

1. Add a new payment method first
2. Set the new method as default
3. Then remove the old payment method

Alternatively, cancel all paid subscriptions first, wait until the end of your billing cycle, then remove the payment method.

When to Contact Support

Reach out to GitHub Support if:

• You've tried all troubleshooting steps without success
• Your account is locked due to billing issues
• You need to update billing details but don't have access to the payment method owner
• You need help with complex organization billing

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4. Budgets & Usage Configuration

Understanding the New Billing Platform

GitHub transitioned from spending limits to budgets, introducing important changes:

Old System (Spending Limits):

• Single setting for all services
• Hard cap; service stopped when limit reached

New System (Budgets):

• Separate budget per service (Codespaces, Actions, Packages, LFS)
• Email alerts at 75%, 100%, and 125% of budget
• You choose: pause service or allow overages
• Must be explicitly configured even if you had spending limits before

Learn more: About the new billing platform

Why Your Codespaces or Actions Stopped Working

After the billing platform migration, usage-based services require explicit budgets before they'll work, even if you previously had spending limits configured.

Common symptoms:

• Codespaces won't start or show as disabled
• Actions workflows fail with billing errors
• Services inaccessible despite having a payment method on file

Creating a Budget

For Personal Accounts

1. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Scroll to Budgets and alerts section
3. Click New budget
4. Select the service (Codespaces, Actions, Packages, or LFS)
5. Set your monthly budget amount (minimum $1)
6. Choose behavior when budget is reached:
   • Pause service (recommended to prevent overspending)
   • Allow overage (service continues; you'll be charged for additional usage)
7. Click Create budget

For Organizations

1. Navigate to organization → Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Go to Budgets and alerts
3. Follow steps 3-7 above

Important: Each service requires its own budget. If you use both Codespaces and Actions, create separate budgets for each.

Learn more: Creating and editing budgets

Budget Troubleshooting

Budget Not Saving or Applying

Troubleshooting checklist:

1. ✅ Verify payment method: Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Payment information and ensure a valid payment method is active
2. ✅ Check minimum amount: Budget must be at least $1 USD
3. ✅ Confirm service selection: Each budget applies to only one service
4. ✅ Wait for activation: Budgets can take 2-5 minutes to activate
5. ✅ Clear cache: Try incognito mode or a different browser

If the budget doesn't appear after 10 minutes, contact GitHub Support with the service name, budget amount, and any error messages.

Understanding Budget Mechanics

Feature	Details
Scope	Per service (one budget each for Codespaces, Actions, Packages, LFS)
Period	Monthly (resets on billing cycle date)
Alerts	Email notifications at 75%, 100%, and 125% of budget
Charges	You're only charged for actual usage, not the budget amount

Example: Setting a $50 budget doesn't mean you'll be charged $50. It's a spending limit, not a subscription fee. If you only use $20 worth of services, you only pay $20.

Monitoring Usage

Check current usage against your budget:

• Go to Settings → Billing and Licensing → Usage this month
• View real-time consumption for each service
• Download usage reports for detailed analysis

Learn more about setting up budgets to control spendings

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5. Canceling Subscriptions

Using the Virtual Assistant (GitHub Pro)

For quick cancellations:

1. Visit GitHub Support(https://support.github.com/contact-next)
2. Select An Account
3. Continue
4. Follow the virtual assistant's guidance
5. Available 24/7 for instant help

After cancellation:

• You keep access until the end of your current billing period
• No refund for unused time
• You can re-subscribe anytime

Note

Cancelling subscriptions via the Virtual Assistant is only for Copilot Pro subscriptions and refunds are automatically issued in the VA.

Learn more: Canceling your Copilot subscription

Downgrading GitHub Pro/Team

For Personal Accounts (GitHub Pro):

1. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Click Edit next to your plan
3. Select Downgrade to Free
4. Confirm downgrade

For Organizations (Team):

1. Go to organization → Settings → Billing and licensing
2. Click Edit next to your plan
3. Select Downgrade or Cancel
4. Confirm (requires organization owner permissions)

What you'll lose:

• Advanced features (required reviewers, code owners, etc.)
• Increased Actions minutes and storage
• Private repositories may become public if over Free plan limits

Learn more: Downgrading your GitHub subscription

Stopping Usage-Based Services

To stop charges for Codespaces, Actions, or Packages:

Stop All Charges:

1. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Budgets
2. Find the service budget
3. Click Delete budget or set to pause service at limit

For Codespaces Specifically:

• Delete all active codespaces at github.com/codespaces
• Remove the Codespaces budget
• Disable automatic creation in repository settings

Cancellation Timing and Refunds

Subscription Type	When Access Ends	Refund Policy
Copilot Pro	End of billing period	No
GitHub Pro	Immediate downgrade	Prorated credit may apply
Team	End of billing period	Contact sales
Usage-based services	Immediately	Charged only for actual usage

Check your next billing date: Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Overview to see when your current period ends.

Pre-Cancellation Checklist

Before canceling, remember to:

• Backup important data (repositories, issues, discussions)
• Review collaborator access impacts
• Check private repository status
• Download invoices for your records
• Cancel related budgets and services
• Note your renewal date

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Billing Questions

**Q: How do I know which plan I currently have?** A: Go to **Settings → Billing and licensing → Overview**. Your current plan is displayed at the top, along with all active subscriptions.

Q: Can I have both GitHub Pro and Copilot Pro?
A: Yes. They are separate subscriptions that can be combined. You can subscribe to GitHub Pro for platform features and Copilot Pro for AI assistance.

Q: When does my billing cycle start?
A: Your billing cycle starts on the date you first subscribed and repeats monthly. Check Settings → Billing and licensing to see your next billing date.

Metered products have a fixed billing period that starts at 00:00:00 UTC on the first day of each month and ends at 23:59:59 UTC on the last day of the month. More information here

At the end of each month, your metered usage is calculated and scheduled to be billed on your bill cycle day.

Q: Does GitHub offer annual billing?
A: Yes, for some plans. Annual billing is available for GitHub Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans, often at a discounted rate. Copilot Pro and Pro+ is also available at a discounted rate. More information here

Also, sponsorships can be added to a subscription on a monthly or annual basis, depending on the existing account billing cadence. So, if you pay for GitHub Pro annually and add a sponsorship, the sponsorship will also be billed annually.

Q: Can I get a refund if I cancel?
A: Generally, GitHub does not provide refunds for unused time. You maintain access until the end of your paid billing period after canceling.

Payment and Security

**Q: Is it safe to enter my credit card on GitHub?** A: Yes. GitHub uses industry-standard encryption and PCI-compliant payment processing. Your payment information is never stored directly on GitHub's servers.

Q: Why does GitHub charge $1 to my card?
A: This is a temporary authorization hold to verify your card is valid. It's not an actual charge and will disappear from your statement within 5-7 business days.

Q: Can I use prepaid cards or gift cards?
A: Some prepaid cards work if they support recurring billing and international transactions. However, regular credit or debit cards are more reliable.

Q: My card keeps getting declined. What should I do?
A: Contact your bank first, they may be blocking international transactions or flagging GitHub as suspicious. Ask them to authorize charges from "GITHUB.COM" and ensure your billing address matches their records.

Q: Can I split payment across multiple cards?
A: No. Each subscription requires a single payment method. However, you can use different cards for different subscriptions (e.g., one card for GitHub Pro, another for Copilot).

Budgets and Usage

Q: Do I need a budget if I'm on the Free plan?
A: Only if you want to use paid features like Codespaces, additional Actions minutes, or Packages beyond the free tier.

Q: What happens when I reach my budget limit?
A: It depends on your setting:

• Pause service: Codespaces won't start, Actions workflows stop
• Allow overage: Services continue and you pay for additional usage

Q: Can I set a $0 budget to prevent all charges?
A: No. The minimum budget is $1. To prevent charges entirely, delete the budget instead.

Q: How do I check my current usage?
A: Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Usage this month for real-time consumption data across all services.

Q: I had a spending limit before. Where did it go?
A: GitHub migrated from spending limits to budgets. You need to create new budgets for each service you use (Codespaces, Actions, Packages).

Q: Will I be charged the full budget amount every month?
A: No. You're only charged for what you actually use. The budget is a spending cap, not a subscription fee.

Plan and Subscription Changes

Q: Can I switch from monthly to annual billing?
A: Yes. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing, click Edit next to your plan, and select annual billing. You'll be charged for the full year immediately.

Q: What happens to my private repositories if I downgrade from Pro to Free?
A: You keep all private repositories. However, if you have more collaborators than the Free plan allows, you'll need to adjust access.

Q: Can I pause my subscription instead of canceling?
A: No. GitHub doesn't offer subscription pausing. You must cancel and lose access at the end of the billing period, then re-subscribe when ready.

Q: If I cancel Copilot, can I reactivate it later?
A: Yes. You can re-subscribe to Copilot anytime. You'll start a new billing cycle from the reactivation date.

Q: How do I upgrade from Pro to Business Copilot?
A: Cancel your Pro subscription, wait for it to expire, then subscribe to Copilot Business through your organization settings.

Troubleshooting

Q: My subscription shows as active but I don't have access. Why?
A: This can happen if:

• Payment failed after initial activation (check payment method)
• You need to sign out and back in to refresh permissions
• Your organization owner hasn't assigned you a seat (for Business plans)
• There's a temporary service issue (check GitHub Status)

Q: I was charged twice. What should I do?
A: Contact GitHub Support immediately with both transaction IDs. Double charges typically happen when:

• You have subscriptions on multiple accounts
• A payment retry succeeded after an initial failure
• You upgraded mid-cycle

Q: My Codespaces stopped working suddenly. What happened?
A: Most likely you need to create a budget. After GitHub's billing platform migration, Codespaces requires an explicit budget. Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Budgets and create a Codespaces budget.

Q: I can't update my billing address. What's wrong?
A: Common causes:

• Misspelled city name
• Billing address doesn't match your bank's records
• Special characters in address fields
• Browser cache or extension conflicts

Try incognito mode, double-check spelling, and ensure the address matches your bank exactly.

Q: How do I remove my payment method?
A: You can only remove a payment method if you have no active paid subscriptions or outstanding balances. Cancel all subscriptions first, wait until the end of the billing period, then remove the payment method.

Organization Billing

**Q: Who can manage billing for an organization?** A: Only organization owners can access and modify billing settings, including payment methods, plans, and budgets.

Q: Can I have separate billing for different teams in my organization?
A: No. Organizations have a single billing profile. All services and subscriptions roll up to one payment method and invoice.

Q: How do I add billing managers without making them organization owners?
A: You can add billing managers by going to Organization Settings → Billing and licensing → Billing managers and inviting users. They can view billing information and download invoices but can't make changes.

Q: Can I split an organization subscription cost among team members?
A: GitHub bills the organization directly. How you split costs internally is up to your team's financial arrangements—GitHub doesn't facilitate cost-sharing.

Support and Resources

**Q: How do I contact GitHub Support about billing?** A: Visit [GitHub Support](https://support.github.com) and either use the virtual assistant or click "Contact Support" to reach a human agent. Have your account name and any relevant transaction IDs ready.

Q: Where can I download my invoices?
A: Go to Settings → Billing and licensing → Payment history. Click on any past payment to download the invoice PDF.

Q: How long does GitHub Support take to respond?
A: Response times vary:

• Virtual assistant: Immediate
• Email support: Usually within 3 to 5 business days
• Enterprise customers: Faster response based on support tier

Q: Can I talk to someone on the phone about billing?
A: GitHub handles billing support through their online support portal. Phone support is only available for Premium Support customers via GitHub Enterprise platform plan. More information here

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Quick Reference: Preventing Common Billing Issues

Follow these best practices to avoid common problems:

1. ✅ Always subscribe via github.com in a web browser
2. ✅ Create budgets immediately for any usage-based services (Codespaces, Actions, Packages)
3. ✅ Match billing addresses exactly to your bank records when updating payment info
4. ✅ Understand plan differences before subscribing (Pro ≠ Copilot)
5. ✅ Use the virtual assistant at support.github.com for quick help
6. ✅ Keep payment methods current and set reminders before card expiration
7. ✅ Enable billing email notifications for payment failures and budget alerts
8. ✅ Review billing settings monthly to catch issues early

Additional Resources

Official Documentation:

• GitHub Billing Documentation
• GitHub Plans Overview

Support:

• GitHub Support Portal
• GitHub Community Discussions
• GitHub Status

Copilot:

• Requests in GitHub Copilot
• About billing for individual GitHub Copilot plans

This guide is community-maintained and based on common billing issues and questions. For the most up-to-date information, always refer to GitHub's official documentation. Last updated Oct, 2025

[smart432345]

Hello everyone! Hope you’re having a great day. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this topic and be part of the discussion.

[shinybrightstar]

👋 Welcome to the GitHub Community on Discussions, @smart432345 Happy to have you here 🙂

To help keep our space clutter-free, we recommend introducing yourself in our official introduction thread and checking out this Discussion to Meet Your GitHub Community Team.

[Zaidux]

Hi GitHub Team,
I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share a small suggestion regarding your AI subscription plans.
First of all, I want to say that your AI features are incredibly helpful — especially for developers like myself.

However, I noticed that the available plans are limited to monthly and yearly options. I believe introducing more flexible pricing could make a real difference for users with varying budgets around the world.

I’d like to suggest two possible additions:

A $3 monthly plan with more limited access or restrictions.

A $3 weekly plan offering full access similar to the $10 subscription.

The idea behind this is to provide flexibility and accessibility. GitHub is a global platform with users from regions where currency conversion rates and income levels differ significantly.

For many, even small adjustments in pricing can determine whether they can access these powerful tools or not.

This approach could help reduce entry barriers, attract a broader user base, and ultimately benefit both GitHub and its community.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this suggestion. I appreciate all the work you’re doing to support developers worldwide.

Warm regards,
Zaidu Abubakar

[benzersizkod]

I have problem with my subscription and I have a ticket on Support before 48 hours. But nothing change!
I want to get a help please! I need to use my copilot pro but it still seems free !

Can anybody help me via Support ??

https://support.github.com/ticket/personal/0/3891733

[libreosley-founder]

I just started using GitHub Copilot on the free plan and hit it's limit's so went to upgrade did the form filling and selected the trial on the $10 monthly and it clearly said the first $10 will be taken in December 2025 so OK grate completed the order went back to my VSCode where I'm using GitHub Copilot after a refresh all good for one message then it stopped then I got a message on my phone from my bank GitHub tried to take $10 today now the question is why and can you be trusted with storing card details if you are just going to go back on your word of when you will charge or was which one is right the offer message and first payment is in December or we pay from day one and a hold on a card payment only last for 3 to 5 days and not 30 day's so it could not of been a hold as they are for mainly card check that's all so what is it?

[caiquemoa]

same here did u solve it?

[caiquemoa]

i tested it in my pc for a day and it said my monthly quota has ended and saw a promotion subscrible for 10doll a month and get a free trial of 30 days after subscription i try to use the copilot it said my 30 days have already ended all this in 3min and now the free trial option do not appear anymore and now i dont know if i should trust github support because they don't provide any

[KP-AOT]

Hi there,

Our company is on the Free GitHub plan but we have an add-on subscription for GitHub Copilot Business, which we purchased directly through GitHub. We have been charged for the Copilot Business subscription; however, no invoice was sent to our billing email, nor is any invoice available under the Payment History in either our organization account or my personal account.

I submitted a support ticket two weeks ago but have not received any response. We urgently need the invoice for our accounting records. Could you advise what steps we should take, or assist us in obtaining the invoice?

Thank you.