# How to check Claude Code usage, now and over time

> /usage answers in the moment. A desktop monitor keeps limits, resets and history in view without asking.

URL: https://claudegpt.si/news/how-to-check-claude-code-usage-desktop  
Published: 2026-10-26T15:03:12.617Z  
Author: ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom  
Section: Guides  
Topics: Claude Code, How to, AI coding tools  
Publisher: ClaudeGPT Si

## Key takeaways

- In Claude Code, /usage shows session cost, plan usage limits and activity stats, and /cost and /stats are aliases.
- UsageAtlas, a free desktop app, keeps Claude Code windows, reset times, alerts and history visible without running a command.
- Claude Code Usage Monitor is a Python terminal option for people who want a live pane and JSON output.

To check Claude Code usage, type `/usage` inside Claude Code for the current session cost, plan limits and activity stats. To keep that information visible all the time, with history and alerts, install UsageAtlas, a free desktop app that tracks Claude Code limits and reset times outside the terminal.

## The short answer, in three steps

1. **Right now:** run `/usage` in Claude Code. `/cost` and `/stats` are aliases that open the same view.
2. **While you work:** keep a monitor running. UsageAtlas shows remaining capacity on your desktop and sends an alert when you cross a threshold you set.
3. **Looking back:** open a history view. UsageAtlas keeps daily totals and lets you pick a range such as last month.

## Step 1: the /usage command

According to Anthropic's command reference, `/usage` shows session cost, plan usage limits and activity stats. On a Pro, Max, Team or Enterprise plan it also breaks down what counts against your limits. This is the fastest check and needs nothing extra.

Its limit is that it is a snapshot. It tells you where you stand when you ask, and it is easy to stop asking once a long task is under way.

## Step 2: watch usage without asking

This is where a monitor helps. You have two common choices.

**UsageAtlas** is a desktop dashboard. It reads the Claude sign-in already on your computer and shows the supported five-hour and weekly windows, how much is left and the local reset time, next to tokens, models and estimated cost. One desktop alert fires per reset cycle when you pass your threshold. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

**Claude Code Usage Monitor** is a Python tool you install with `uv tool install claude-monitor`. It draws a live screen in a terminal tab with your pace toward the next reset. It suits people who already keep a terminal pane open and want JSON output for scripts.

## Step 3: check past usage

The live window answers "how much is left". It does not answer "why did Tuesday use so much". For that you need history.

UsageAtlas keeps local aggregates of tokens, requests, models and estimated cost, so you can open a single day, compare it with your usual week or pull up last month. If you also use Codex or Cursor, they appear in the same history, which makes a split day add up.

## Which method fits which question

| Your question | Quickest way to answer it |
| --- | --- |
| How much have I used this session? | `/usage` in Claude Code |
| Am I close to my limit right now? | UsageAtlas dashboard or alert |
| When does my window reset? | UsageAtlas dashboard |
| What did I use last month? | UsageAtlas history view |
| Can I get usage as JSON for a script? | Claude Code Usage Monitor |

## Is the cost figure exact?

No tool here is a bill. UsageAtlas labels costs as estimates unless the provider reports them directly, and you should confirm charges in your Anthropic account.

## Privacy

UsageAtlas works locally and needs no account for tracking. It does not read prompts or responses. A free Google or GitHub sign-in is optional and only saves your usage history so you can restore it on another computer.

## Where to start

Use `/usage` today; it costs nothing. If you find yourself running it every half hour, [download UsageAtlas](https://usageatlas.com/) and let it watch for you. The [guide to tracking Claude Code](https://usageatlas.com/guides/claude-code-usage-tracker) walks through each view.

## Frequently asked questions

### What command shows Claude Code usage?

Run /usage inside Claude Code. /cost and /stats open the same view.

### How do I see last month's Claude Code usage?

/usage is a live view. UsageAtlas keeps local history, so you can open last month as a range.

### Can I get an alert before I hit my Claude Code limit?

Yes. UsageAtlas sends one desktop alert per reset cycle when usage crosses a threshold you choose.

## Sources

- [Claude Code commands](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/commands), Anthropic
- [Track Claude Code usage, limits, cost, and history](https://usageatlas.com/guides/claude-code-usage-tracker), UsageAtlas
- [UsageAtlas](https://usageatlas.com/), UsageAtlas
- [Claude Code Usage Monitor on GitHub](https://github.com/Maciek-roboblog/Claude-Code-Usage-Monitor), GitHub