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Should I self-host GitHub Copilot?
NOT REALLYkeep paying
Tabby self-hosts code completion competently — on a GPU you have to rent or own. $10/mo buys frontier-model completions; a capable inference GPU runs multiples of that in electricity alone. The math inverts only if idle GPU hardware already exists in your house.
The math (nothing hidden, including your time)
| GitHub Copilot (Pro) | $10.00/mo |
| VPS share + storage | −$0.00/mo |
| Your maintenance: 30 min/mo at $20/h | −$10.00/mo |
| Net saving | $0.00/mo |
| Setup: 15 min measured (one-time) | $5.00 |
| Break-even | never |
| Markup Index (price ÷ real self-host cost) | 1.0× |
Price: source, checked 2026-08-06. Inputs are stored in git; every number above is derived, never hand-written.
What you lose
- Frontier model quality at a subsidized price — Copilot is cheaper than the compute it uses
What you're paying GitHub Copilot for
- AI code completion
- chat in editor
- multi-file suggestions
Ranked alternatives
A code-completion server on a GPU you control, so the surrounding file never leaves your building to get an autocomplete.
Verification
Protocol v1 · verified by zernonia on 2026-08-10 · setup measured at 15 min · AI assistant: claude-code (allowed & stated)
Full timed log
# GitHub Copilot — verdict log - **Date:** 2026-08-10 - **Verdict:** NOT REALLY — keep paying - **Protocol:** v1 (2GB reference env, Docker preinstalled, AI assistant: claude-code) ## Why no compose file - This verdict is decided by economics/capability, not setup effort — the rubric doesn't require a timed install to conclude the subscription should stay (or that the replacement's cost lives elsewhere, e.g. GPUs, egress, or an installer script). ## The call Tabby self-hosts code completion competently — on a GPU you have to rent or own. $10/mo buys frontier-model completions; a capable inference GPU runs multiples of that in electricity alone. The math inverts only if idle GPU hardware already exists in your house.
Verdict history
- 2026-08-10: unscored → NOT_REALLY — Initial verdict: Tabby self-hosts code completion competently — on a GPU you have to rent or own.