Guides
How to monitor Codex usage: the direct answer
Three ways to keep an eye on Codex limits, and the one that keeps watching after you close the terminal.
To monitor Codex usage continuously, install UsageAtlas, a free desktop app that watches your Codex windows, reset times and token activity and can alert you near a limit. For a one-time look, type /status in the Codex CLI or open the usage page in your ChatGPT account.
The short version
There are three places to monitor Codex usage, and they answer different questions:
/statusin the Codex CLI shows the chat ID, context usage and rate limits for the session you are in, according to OpenAI's command reference.- The usage dashboard at chatgpt.com/codex/settings/usage shows your limits from the account side. In the CLI,
/usageopens usage and billing settings when you sign in with ChatGPT. - A desktop monitor such as UsageAtlas keeps watching after you close the session, stores history and covers your other coding tools.
The first two are free and built in. The third is the only one that keeps a record and warns you without you asking.
Why monitoring beats checking
OpenAI's pricing page says Codex limits run in a five-hour window and that weekly limits may also apply. Those windows move while you work. Checking once in the morning tells you little about where you will be after three long agent runs.
A monitor turns that into something you can plan around. You see the remaining room in each window, when it resets, and how fast this week is going compared to the last one.
What UsageAtlas watches for Codex
UsageAtlas reads the Codex CLI that is already signed in on your computer. It shows:
- Session and weekly windows with remaining capacity and reset times
- Plan and credit details when Codex reports them
- Tokens, requests and models from local session activity
- An estimated cost, marked as an estimate
- Daily, history and time-of-day views
You pick a threshold for a window, and the app sends one desktop alert per reset cycle when usage crosses it. That is the monitoring part: you do not have to remember to look.
Quick comparison
| Watches in the background | Keeps history | Alerts | Other tools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
/status |
No | No | No | No |
| ChatGPT usage page | No | Not stated | No | No |
| UsageAtlas | Yes, while open | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Privacy in one paragraph
UsageAtlas runs on your device and needs no account for local tracking. It does not read prompts or responses. If you choose a free Google or GitHub sign-in, it saves usage summaries such as daily token totals so you can restore them later; project names, file paths and raw logs are left out.
When the built-in check is the better answer
If you are on a plan that rarely hits a limit and you only use Codex, a desktop monitor adds little. Type /status when you wonder, and leave it there. For billing questions, the OpenAI account is the source of truth, since tracker cost figures are estimates.
Getting started
Download UsageAtlas for Windows, macOS or Linux from the UsageAtlas site, open it with Codex signed in, and set an alert on the weekly window. It is free and open source, and Claude Code, Cursor and other tools can join the same view later.