SkillKeeper vs other Claude Code menu bar monitors
If you want a gauge for your 5-hour and weekly limit, a free open-source app does it well and you do not need to pay for anything. If the question is what is using the limit, SkillKeeper splits the tokens by skill, agent, MCP server, memory file and session. These are different jobs, so the tools do not replace each other.
We make SkillKeeper. What follows about the other two apps is from their GitHub READMEs, checked on 2026-10-14.
CodexBar
CodexBar is an MIT-licensed menu bar app by Peter Steinberger. It is built around limits across many AI coding tools: session, weekly and monthly windows with countdowns to each reset, credit balances for some providers, and provider status. The README lists dozens of providers, including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini and Copilot. It needs macOS 14 or later, installs with brew install --cask codexbar or from GitHub Releases, and also has a CLI and a Linux desktop app. It signs in by reusing your existing provider sessions; browser cookie import is opt-in.
Best for: one place to watch limits across several tools.
Claude Usage Tracker
Claude Usage Tracker is a free, MIT-licensed native Swift app focused on Claude. It shows the 5-hour session window, the weekly limit and per-model usage, with history charts and Claude status. It supports several profiles, threshold alerts at 75%, 90% and 95%, and can use your existing Claude Code login. It needs macOS 14 or later.
Best for: limits, history and alerts for one or several Claude accounts.
SkillKeeper
SkillKeeper reads the session transcripts under ~/.claude/projects/ and splits the tokens of each window by skill, agent, tool, MCP server, command, memory file, plugin and session. The header also shows how much of the 5-hour and weekly limit is used. It edits and archives skills, and warns from a bell. It needs macOS 13 or later. More on the monitor page.
Best for: finding what is using the limit, and acting on it.
Side by side
| CodexBar | Claude Usage Tracker | SkillKeeper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main question | How close am I, across tools | How close am I, on Claude | Where did the tokens go |
| Breakdown by skill, MCP server, memory file | Not described in the README | Not described in the README | Yes, each its own list |
| Limit windows | Session, weekly, monthly | 5-hour, weekly, per model | 5-hour and weekly in the header |
| Tools | Dozens of providers | Claude; Codex from v3.3.0 | Claude Code in full; Codex and Gemini CLI by skill and session |
| Alerts | Provider status | Thresholds at 75, 90, 95% | Bell: limit will run out, session waiting, agent spike |
| Edits skills | No | No | Yes |
| macOS | 14 or later | 14 or later | 13 or later |
| Price | Free, MIT | Free, MIT | Last 5 hours and 24 hours free; $19 once for the rest |
How to choose
- Only a limit gauge: CodexBar or Claude Usage Tracker. They are free.
- Why the limit ran out, and what to cut: SkillKeeper. Start with why Claude Code burns through tokens.
- Both: nothing stops you running a gauge and SkillKeeper side by side.
On Windows or Linux none of these apply; see the usage monitor for Windows and Linux. For other options, how to check Claude Code token usage.
Checked on 2026-10-14. Apps change quickly; if something here is out of date, tell us.