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ccusage alternatives in 2026

Compares ccusage alternatives for 2026: CodexBar, Usagebar and Connections Usage, with what each one shows, the systems it runs on, and what it costs.

By Uncommon Comforts ยท

Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.

ccusage reports token usage and costs from local data [1]. If you want limit figures and reset times instead, CodexBar tracks AI coding limits in the macOS menu bar [2], Usagebar shows Claude Code limits and session context from the menu bar [3], and Connections Usage shows several linked Claude accounts side by side [4].

OptionPricePlatform
CodexBarFree and open source [2]macOS 14 or later [2]
UsagebarOne-time $9 purchase with lifetime updates [3]Mac app [3]
Connections UsageConnections Free costs $0 and Connections Pro is $39.99 a month [4] [4]A website, with nothing to install [4]

Why people who run things look past ccusage

ccusage reads local usage data from command line coding agents [1] and turns it into daily, weekly, monthly, and session reports [1]. Its daily and monthly reports show token usage and costs grouped by date [1] and by month [1], and it shows costs in USD for each day, month, and session [1]. It can also export data as JSON for anyone who wants the numbers in another program [1]. Connections Usage shows how much of each linked Claude account's session limit has been used and the exact clock time the window resets. [4] [4] ccusage has a 5-hour blocks report that tracks usage within Claude's billing windows [1], so that question can be asked of it. Connections Usage shows linked Claude accounts as cards, a table, or a comparison chart, with each account's session limit and reset time shown. [4] [4] [4] ccusage's unified reports cover usage across supported coding agents [1].

CodexBar: shows AI coding limits in the macOS menu bar

CodexBar tracks AI coding limits in your menu bar [2]. It tracks usage windows, credit balances, and reset countdowns across AI tools [2], with session, weekly, and monthly windows for each AI service [2]. Where a service exposes them, it also shows credit balances and monthly spend [2]. It is free and open source and runs on macOS 14 or later [2]. A bundled command line program gives the same usage output as the menu bar [2], and widgets are offered for supported services [2]. Its page says no passwords are stored [2].

Usagebar: shows Claude Code limits and session context on a Mac

Usagebar tracks Claude Code usage limits and remaining session context from the macOS menu bar [3]. It shows 5-hour and weekly limits at a glance [3], with reset timers for the next usage window [3]. It gives usage alerts at 50%, 75%, and 90% [3] and warns when session context is running low [3]. It uses your existing Claude Code credentials through Keychain, the macOS password store [3], and detects your plan once you run Claude Code and log in once [3]. Its page says it does not store your password [3], does not sync credentials to any server [3], and does not read anything beyond what it needs to show your limits [3]. It is a Mac app sold for a one-time $9 purchase with lifetime updates [3].

Connections Usage: shows linked Claude accounts side by side

Connections Usage is made by the team that publishes this site. It is a website, so it works on any device and there is nothing to install [4]. You link a Claude account by clicking Log in with Claude [4]. Each linked Claude account shows how much of its session limit has been used [4], and it also shows the weekly limit for a single model, labeled with that model's name [4]. Each limit shows the exact clock time it resets [4]. If you link two or more Claude accounts, you can view them as cards, as a table, or as a comparison chart [4], and with two or more accounts it suggests the usable account with the most free quota left [4]. Usage numbers refresh every hour in the background [4], and a search box at the top filters the account list [4]. On each account's page you can enter its plan, monthly price, and renewal date [4]. A cost summary adds up the monthly prices you entered [4], and the overview lists accounts with the soonest renewal first [4]. A new account is filed under the company you have selected [4]. Each linked provider account is billed per 30-day unit [4]. Connections Free costs nothing and lets you link one Claude account [4] [4], and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you [4]. Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product [4]. Connections Business is $99.99 a month, with higher limits across every Connections product [4]. Paid plans have no cap on how many accounts you can link [4].

How to pick the right ccusage alternative

Start with the question you need answered. If you want reports of token usage across many coding agents, ccusage's unified reports cover that [1]. If you want limit figures for several AI services on a Mac, CodexBar shows usage windows and reset countdowns across them [2]. If you want Claude Code limits and session context in the menu bar, Usagebar shows those [3]. If you have two or more Claude accounts and want them side by side on any device, Connections Usage shows them as cards, a table, or a comparison chart [4].

Then check the practical points. Your computer matters, because CodexBar runs on macOS 14 or later [2] and Usagebar is a Mac app [3]. Your login matters too: Usagebar uses your existing Claude Code credentials through Keychain [3], while CodexBar's page says no passwords are stored [2]. Price matters as well: Usagebar is a one-time $9 purchase [3], and Connections Usage's free plan covers one Claude account, with Connections Pro as its first paid plan [4] [4]. Check ccusage's own page for pricing before you decide, since the facts available here do not cover it.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to ccusage?

CodexBar is free and open source and runs on macOS 14 or later [2]. Connections Free costs nothing and lets you link one Claude account [4] [4]. On that plan, going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you [4]. Usagebar is not free: it is a Mac app sold for a one-time $9 purchase with lifetime updates [3].

Does Connections Usage work with more than one Claude account?

Yes. If you link two or more Claude accounts, you can view them as cards, as a table, or as a comparison chart [4]. With two or more accounts, it suggests the usable account with the most free quota left [4]. Paid plans have no cap on how many accounts you can link [4], while the free plan lets you link one [4].

How much does Usagebar cost?

Usagebar is a Mac app offered for a one-time $9 purchase [3]. The price includes lifetime updates [3]. CodexBar is free and open source [2]. Connections Free costs $0 [4], and Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month [4].

Does CodexBar store passwords?

CodexBar's page says no passwords are stored [2]. It tracks usage windows, credit balances, and reset countdowns across AI tools [2], and it includes a bundled command line program with the same usage output as the menu bar [2]. Check the page itself for how it reads each service's data, because the facts available here do not describe that.

Does Usagebar need Claude Code installed?

Usagebar detects Claude Code credentials after Claude Code has been run and you have logged in once [3]. It uses those existing credentials through Keychain, the macOS password store [3]. Its page says credentials stay on your machine except when it calls Anthropic's usage API directly [3]. Connections Usage works differently: you link a Claude account by clicking Log in with Claude [4].

There is a plan named Connections Free. [4] On the free plan you can link one Claude account. [4]

Try Connections Usage

Sources

  1. ccusage, github.com/ryoppippi/ccusage, read 2026-10-08
  2. CodexBar, codexbar.app, read 2026-10-08
  3. Usagebar, usagebar.com, read 2026-10-08
  4. Connections Usage's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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