Premium Usage confusion

[joebataz]

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Hi folks,
I am using GitHub Copilot with Visual Studio Code and have a medium size project I'm working on. Near the end of November I couldn't get into Claude Sonnet 4.5 and was bumped back to GPT-4.1.It was a DISASTER!!! I had huge problems and finally just waited until I reset at the beginning of Dec. I tried bumping my amount from $10 to $15. Today after just a couple of days of coding I see my usage at $4.88 on Dec 5!!!!! How do I keep Claude Sonnet active??? How do I save my usage with Claude Sonnet until I need it. Is there another non-premium Copilot I can use that's better tha GPT-4.1?

Thanks,
Joe B

[ishanrajsingh]

Your usage spike is happening because Claude Sonnet 4.5 is a premium model that counts against your monthly usage cap on top of your base subscription. Here's how to manage it effectively:

Understanding Premium Model Usage
GitHub Copilot charges work like this:

Base subscription ($10-$15/month): Unlimited access to standard models (GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 3.5)

Premium models (Claude Opus, Sonnet 4.5): Count toward a separate usage limit measured in completions/requests

When you hit your premium model limit, Copilot automatically falls back to GPT-4o or other standard models.​

How to Keep Claude Sonnet 4.5 Active

1. Monitor Your Usage Dashboard
   Go to https://github.com/settings/copilot

Check "Usage" tab to see your current premium consumption

Set up alerts when approaching limits

2. Use Premium Models Strategically
   Only use Claude Sonnet 4.5 for:

Complex architectural decisions

Difficult debugging sessions

Code reviews and refactoring

Use standard models for:

Simple autocomplete

Basic code generation

Documentation writing

3. Switch Models Manually
   In VS Code:

Click the Copilot icon in the bottom status bar

Select "Choose Model"

Switch between Claude Sonnet 4.5 and GPT-4o based on task complexity​

Better Alternatives to GPT-4.1
Claude Sonnet 3.5 (non-premium) is significantly better than GPT-4.1 and doesn't count against premium usage. It's available on all Copilot plans and provides:

Strong coding capabilities

Better context understanding

Faster response times

GPT-4o is also solid for general coding tasks and is included in your base subscription.​

Budget Management Tips
Batch premium requests: Save up complex questions and handle them in dedicated sessions

Use chat sparingly: Chat uses more tokens than autocomplete

Disable Copilot temporarily: Turn off Copilot when doing routine work that doesn't need AI assistance

Your $4.88 usage in 2 days suggests you're using premium models heavily. At this rate, you'll hit your cap mid-month. Try switching to Claude Sonnet 3.5 as your default and only use 4.5 when truly needed.

[E5Anant]

Claude Sonnet 4.5 uses a lot more premium requests than the older models, so your quota can drain very quickly even with normal coding. When your premium usage runs out, Copilot automatically falls back to GPT-4.1.

To keep Sonnet available longer, switch to a lighter model for everyday coding and only use Sonnet for big refactors or hard problems. You can change the active model in Copilot settings inside VS Code. There isn’t a free non-premium model that’s stronger than GPT-4.1 right now, so managing usage is your best option.