AI Coding Tools: Why GitHub Copilot is Overrated and What to Use Instead

As a solo founder or indie hacker, you’re always on the lookout for tools that genuinely save you time and help you code more efficiently. Enter GitHub Copilot, the AI-powered coding assistant that many hail as a must-have. But here’s the catch: in our experience, it’s overrated. While it can be a helpful tool in certain scenarios, it often falls short in practical coding situations. If you’re looking for alternatives that provide real value, this article is for you.

What GitHub Copilot Actually Does

GitHub Copilot is an AI-driven code completion tool that suggests entire lines or blocks of code based on the context of what you’re writing. It’s powered by OpenAI’s Codex and integrates seamlessly with popular code editors like VS Code.

• Pricing: $10/mo for individuals, $19/mo for teams
• Best for: Quick suggestions for common coding patterns
• Limitations: Often generates boilerplate code that may not fit your specific needs, lacks understanding of complex logic, and can be verbose.
• Our take: We’ve tried Copilot, but it often feels like it’s more of a distraction than an aid. It’s great for simple tasks but falls short when tackling more complex problems.

Alternatives to GitHub Copilot

If you’re ready to explore options that might actually enhance your coding experience, here’s a list of AI coding tools that we’ve found to be more effective than Copilot.

| Tool Name | Pricing | Best For | Limitations | Our Verdict | |------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------| | Tabnine | Free tier + $12/mo pro | AI code completion | Limited language support, basic suggestions | We use this for quick completions | | Codeium | Free, $10/mo for pro features | Multi-language support | Still in beta, may have bugs | We’re testing it for broader use | | Replit | Free tier + $20/mo for teams | Collaborative coding | Limited to browser-based IDE | We don’t use it due to speed | | Sourcery | Free, $12/mo for pro features | Refactoring and improving existing code | Limited language support | We like it for Python projects | | DeepCode | Free, $20/mo for pro features | Code review and bug detection | Doesn’t suggest code; focuses on quality | We use it for QA | | Codex by OpenAI | $0.01 per token | Custom applications and API integrations| Pricing can add up quickly | We don’t use it due to cost | | Kodezi | $15/mo | Learning and code explanations | Not as powerful for experienced developers | We use it for onboarding juniors | | Ponicode | Free tier + $20/mo for teams | Unit testing and documentation | Focused on testing only | We use it for test generation | | AI21 Studio | $15/mo | Large language models for diverse tasks | Slower response time | We’re exploring this for NLP tasks | | Codeium | Free, $10/mo for pro features | Multi-language support | Still in beta, may have bugs | We’re testing it for broader use | | Polycoder | Free | Open-source code generation | Limited functionality compared to commercial tools | We don’t use it due to complexity | | Kite | Free, $19.99/mo for pro | Python and JavaScript coding | Limited to specific languages | We’ve dropped it due to lack of support |

What We Actually Use

In our day-to-day coding, we rely heavily on Tabnine and Sourcery. Tabnine provides solid code suggestions that save us time without the bloat, while Sourcery helps us refactor and optimize our existing code.

Conclusion: Start Here

While GitHub Copilot has its merits, it’s often not the best tool for most indie hackers and solo founders. Instead, consider alternatives like Tabnine for quick completions or Sourcery for code improvement. The key is to find tools that genuinely enhance your workflow without the noise.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into AI coding tools, check out our podcast, Built This Week, where we share our ongoing experiences with the tools we use and the projects we’re building.