Copilot is a Token-Eating Monster!

[pxx917144686]

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As a Copilot Pro subscriber via https://github.com/copilot, I’m beyond frustrated using it in Visual Studio Code. Compared to other AI competitors, Copilot devours tokens at an insane rate! For projects with many files, the context token usage skyrockets, draining my quota in no time.

This led me to pay for Pro, only for it to be consumed almost instantly, resulting in outrageous overflow charges! I’ve raised a support ticket #3635714（https://support.github.com/ticket/personal/0/3635714） to complain about this unexpected overflow fee.

GitHub, fix this token-hogging issue! Either optimize Copilot’s efficiency or provide clear usage guidelines—stop hitting us with surprise costs. We deserve a better experience!

On July 13, 2025, I paid $7.42 for my Copilot Pro subscription, which I assumed covered my $10/month cost.

However, on August 5, 2025, I was charged an additional $41.87 (Transaction ID: 4VG84877D2908872L, Invoice: INV95354379.pdf).

This same day, Visual Studio Code Copilot showed I’d hit my monthly chat quota (resetting September 5, 2025), but I received no prior notice of overage fees.

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[Wladastic]

Also, whats even more important:
Why does Copilot never state what exactly the usage means?
There is no token count to be found.
As a User we have no way of knowing which feature is using how many tokens as everything is happening under the hood.
This is like a freelancer billing you unknown amounts of hours and a "trust me bro" wink.

[pxx917144686]

《Because I bound PayPal, Copilot took the so-called extra token "tip."》

I woke up and saw the email notification! I immediately submitted feedback + invoice + historical payment records to https://support.github.com/tickets

24 hours have passed, and I haven’t received any response!!
This kind of product feedback, with time passing without a reply, shows Copilot lacks manpower! Or the company has rigid rule-based "dogmatism"!

[pxx917144686]

@Wladastic @mgriffin @martinwoodward @davidstaheli @JuanjoJmnz

I reported this issue via a support ticket immediately—ticket #3635714—and as of today, it has already been four full days with no response!

Let me emphasize: $41.87 was automatically deducted from my account without any proper notification! This amount was taken directly from my account, and I'm completely powerless to do anything about their actions—there's simply no way for me to resolve this on my own!

What's more, this problem arose because when working on a large project with numerous files and asking questions within that context, Copilot consumes tokens at an alarmingly high rate—far more than other AI products in the industry! This excessive token usage caused me to exceed my quota, which in turn led to this erroneous overcharge. It's deeply frustrating that four days after reporting this through official channels, there's still no sign of a resolution.

[JuanjoJmnz]

Hello @pxx917144686 ,

I can understand how frustrating this must be — unexpected charges and not knowing exactly how your tokens are being used can feel really unfair.

Right now, Copilot doesn’t show a breakdown of how many tokens each feature uses or give real-time usage stats. This makes it hard to predict when you’re getting close to your quota, and in large projects with many files, Copilot can consume tokens quickly because it sends a lot of project context to the model.

About the token usage:
When Copilot processes prompts in a workspace with many files, it often sends additional context to the model to improve accuracy. This can lead to a rapid increase in token usage compared to smaller projects. Unfortunately, without detailed usage breakdowns, it’s hard for users to anticipate when they are nearing their quota.

About the charges:
If you were billed more than expected, you did the right thing by opening a support ticket (#3635714). Sometimes responses can take longer if the queue is busy, but if it’s been a few days, I’d suggest:

• Replying to the same ticket asking for an urgent update.
• Also contacting GitHub Billing directly here: Billing Support Form to make sure it’s flagged correctly.

In the meantime until it's resolved:

• Try working in smaller project folders when possible to reduce context size.
• Turn off features that automatically scan the whole project when you don’t need them.
• Keep screenshots, invoices, and your usage history ready in case Support asks for details.

---

While the token usage behavior is tied to how Copilot processes context, your points about transparency and unexpected billing are valid product feedback. I’d recommend keeping your post here updated, as GitHub staff may mark it as "Answer" once they provide a formal clarification or roadmap update regarding token tracking and billing alerts.

Hopefully Support gets back to you soon and this can be resolved quickly.

[pxx917144686]

@JuanjoJmnz

1. Thank you for your reply! This kind of response makes me feel that if I encounter problems in the future, there will be a chance to resolve them after feedback!

2. What I want to emphasize is this: Because I've bound a payment account, I'm worried that GitHub Copilot could deduct fees arbitrarily!

3. I noticed the charge in the early morning and submitted a support ticket immediately upon seeing the deduction notification!
   3.1. Issue 1: Similar AI products in the industry consume far fewer tokens, or make their token usage easier for users to understand!
   3.2. Issue 2: Similar AI products in the industry clearly define the scope of usage with a single payment, using simple explanations rather than lengthy texts! More importantly, users understand the meaning of VIP and usage rights when using the product, instead of having to read through detailed "legal clauses".

[JuanjoJmnz]

I totally get where you’re coming from — linking a payment account should never feel like an open door for unexpected charges. That’s stressful and it’s not how a subscription service should work.

You’re 100% right:

• Other AI tools are clearer about how much you’ve used and what it costs.
• The scope of what you get for your payment should be explained simply, not buried in pages of terms.

You acted fast reporting it, and that’s exactly the right move. I really hope GitHub takes this seriously, because this isn’t just your problem — it’s something a lot of users would want fixed.

[mitchelbaker-cisa]

Responding to someone's copilot-related question using copilot... would prefer that GitHub staff reply with genuine responses instead.

[kdschlosser]

OK someone really needs to fix this thing. It is acting like a human and not actually helping... scroll to the bottom and read the last 10 posts...

I have asked it to change the code in a single class to work with a new style of rotation. Then it responded with a very small piece of it changed. Then I was very explicit and said every single function/method in the class needs to be converted. It then responded with only a few additional things added. I then said it again. and more was added. and then I said it again. and more was added. In the end it still has not done what it is being asked to. Each time you have to ask it to complete the work it should have done the first time it is costing the user tokens.

https://github.com/copilot/share/c04f10aa-0a00-84b5-8042-120304010923

The other thing is if I have unused tokens since I did pay for those tokens they should be rolling over to the next month or I should be getting a partial refund for the unused tokens.... Is that the case? I don't believe it is... So I am not getting what I am paying for...

[pxx917144686]

You are the one steering the vehicle! AI is the stupid car!

…

---- Replied Message ---- | From | Kevin ***@***.***> | | Date | 1/29/2026 19:06 | | To | ***@***.***> | | Cc | ***@***.***>, ***@***.***> | | Subject | Re: [community/community] Copilot is a Token-Eating Monster! (Discussion #168800) | OK someone really needs to fix this thing. It is acting like a human and not actually helping... scroll to the bottom and read the last 10 posts... I have asked it to change the code in a single class to work with a new style of rotation. Then it responded with a very small piece of it changed. Then I was very explicit and said every single function/method in the class needs to be converted. It then responded with only a few additional things added. I then said it again. and more was added. and then I said it again. and more was added. In the end it still has not done what it is being asked to. Each time you have to ask it to complete the work it should have done the first time it is costing the user tokens. https://github.com/copilot/share/c04f10aa-0a00-84b5-8042-120304010923 The other thing is if I have unused tokens since I did pay for those tokens they should be rolling over to the next month or I should be getting a partial refund for the unused tokens.... Is that the case? I don't believe it is... So I am not getting what I am paying for... — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub, or unsubscribe. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[kdschlosser]

the steering is broken in the car without a doubt. How many times do I have to state that ALL methods/functions should have their code updated... There is no open for interpretation with that statement. It adds a few more each time I ask and I have to keep on asking over and over and over again and after a while it will start adding new ones and then remove some of the ones it had updated.