GitHub Billing via Azure: All Costs in One Invoice

Separate invoices for GitHub and Azure are a thing of the past

Many companies use GitHub Enterprise for software development and Microsoft Azure for cloud infrastructure. The result: two separate invoices, two budgets, two procurement processes. Since August 2024, GitHub offers a solution: Metered Billing via Azure.

What is GitHub Azure Metered Billing?

In August 2024, GitHub introduced a fundamental change to its billing model. Companies can now bill GitHub Enterprise, GitHub Advanced Security, and GitHub Copilot directly through their Azure subscription. Costs no longer appear on a separate GitHub invoice but are integrated into the monthly Azure bill.

Key changes at a glance

Flexible pay-as-you-go model Instead of purchasing annual licenses upfront, you only pay for the seats actually used. Add or remove developers during the month: billing is prorated. No lock-in, no overcapacity.

Consolidated invoice All GitHub costs appear on your Azure invoice. This simplifies reporting, reduces administrative overhead, and enables centralized cost allocation via cost centers.

Self-provisioning New GitHub Enterprise accounts can be provisioned directly through the Azure Portal or GitHub itself. No sales process, no waiting times. You can also set up Enterprise Managed Users (EMU) directly.

Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) GitHub spending counts toward your Azure commitment. If you have a MACC agreement, GitHub costs are credited against it. This also applies to Azure Commitment Discounts (ACD).

How does billing work?

Billing cycles follow the calendar month:

• Usage data is transmitted daily from GitHub to Azure
• On the first day of the following month, costs appear on your Azure invoice
• You maintain full transparency through dashboards in the Azure Portal

Example

You connect your Azure subscription to GitHub Enterprise on June 16 and have a GitHub Copilot Business subscription:

• Costs from June 16 to 30 are billed via Azure on July 1
• Costs from June 1 to 15 still appear on the regular GitHub invoice
• From July onwards, everything runs through Azure

Which GitHub products are affected?

Benefits for your organization

Financial flexibility No annual upfront payments. You only pay for what you actually use. This improves cash flow and reduces the risk of overcapacity.

Administrative simplification One invoice instead of two. One procurement process instead of two. One budget instead of two. This saves time and reduces complexity.

Better cost control Detailed dashboards show you exactly which teams, repositories, or organizations cost how much. You can set budgets and configure alerts to avoid unexpected expenses.

Commitment credit If you have a Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment, GitHub costs count toward it. This maximizes the utilization of your existing contracts.

Microsoft Partner integration: innFactory as your single point of contact

innFactory is an official Microsoft Solutions Partner and GitHub Partner. This means: you can obtain GitHub and Azure from a single source. One invoice, one contact person, one service level agreement.

What we do for you

Consulting and setup We analyze your current setup and migrate you to Metered Billing. Including cost center mapping, budget configuration, and dashboard setup.

Procurement via Microsoft CSP As a Cloud Solution Provider, we can purchase and bill GitHub Enterprise and Azure for you. You receive a consolidated invoice from innFactory.

Ongoing support Questions about the invoice? Integration issues? Cost optimization potential? We take care of it.

Migration from existing GitHub Enterprise contracts

If you already use GitHub Enterprise, your existing contract remains unchanged until the next renewal. You can then decide whether to switch to Metered Billing.

Timeline

• August 1, 2024: Metered Billing available for new accounts
• March 2025: All Enterprise accounts will be migrated to the new Enhanced Billing Platform
• At renewal: Existing contracts can switch to Metered Billing

Enhanced Billing Platform: Even more control from March 2025

GitHub is migrating all Enterprise accounts to a new billing platform by March 2025. This offers:

• Split costs across different Azure subscriptions
• Granular cost center allocation
• Enhanced reporting dashboards
• Budget alerts and spending controls
• Unified management across all organizations

Technical details: How the integration works

GitHub installs a Subscription Permission Validation App (SPV App) on your Azure tenant. This app:

• Retrieves available Azure subscriptions
• Transmits usage data to Azure daily
• Requires tenant-wide admin consent

The Admin Consent Workflow allows Azure administrators to approve the installation without GitHub admins needing Azure permissions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to switch to Metered Billing? No. Existing contracts remain valid. You can decide at renewal.

Can I bill only parts of my GitHub usage through Azure? No. When you enable Azure Billing, it applies to all GitHub products in your organization or enterprise account.

Does this work with Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA)? Yes. If you use GitHub Enterprise Cloud through a Microsoft EA, Azure Billing is the only way to use GitHub Advanced Security, Codespaces, Copilot, or additional Actions/Packages.

What happens to my GitHub Marketplace? Marketplace apps continue to be billed separately by GitHub unless the provider offers Azure Billing.

How to get started with GitHub Azure Metered Billing

1. Check prerequisites: Azure subscription and GitHub Enterprise account
2. Install SPV App: Obtain tenant-wide admin consent
3. Connect Azure subscription: In GitHub Billing Settings
4. Configure cost centers: Optional but recommended
5. Wait for first invoice: Appears on the 1st of the following month

Or simply contact innFactory: We handle the setup and migration for you.

Conclusion: One invoice, less complexity, more control

GitHub Azure Metered Billing significantly simplifies the procurement and billing of GitHub products. For companies already using Azure, it’s a logical step: consolidated invoices, flexible pay-as-you-go billing, and credit toward existing Microsoft commitments.

innFactory supports you with migration and ongoing operations. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner and GitHub Partner, we offer GitHub and Azure from a single source: one invoice, one contact person, one service.

Interested? Contact us for a non-binding consultation.