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Best Cursor Usage Trackers for Mac (2026)
Cursor's billing model changed in June 2025 - gone is “500 fast requests/month,” replaced by dollar-denominated included credits. That makes “am I close to my limit?” much harder to eyeball. Here are the four real ways to track Cursor usage on macOS, ranked.
Last updated September 2026 · Reflects the June 2025 included-credits pricing change · By Soren Starck
Quick answer: what is the best Cursor usage tracker?
If you only need an occasional check, Cursor's own dashboard is the official free source for usage and billing. If you want a live readout in the Mac menu bar or Windows taskbar, overage warnings, and the same tracker across Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, Copilot, Gemini, opencode, and Antigravity, use SessionWatcher.
The most important difference is timing: built-in dashboards are manual checks; a dedicated tracker stays visible while you code and warns before a heavy Agent or Composer run burns through the month's included credits.
Why Cursor Usage Is Harder to Track Now
The old “500 fast requests per month” quota was easy to count. The new model isn't. Pro includes $20 of credits spent at provider API rates. Pro+ includes $70 with a 3× usage multiplier. Ultra includes $400 with a 20× multiplier. A single Claude Opus Agent run can cost $0.50; a Sonnet edit might cost $0.01. Your “requests remaining” depends entirely on which model you used and how long the agent ran.
The practical effect: you can be at 90% of your budget without realizing it, and the next Composer run pushes you into overage billing. A real tracker translates dollars-spent to dollars-remaining and warns you before that happens.
We tested four approaches. Here's how they compare.
#1: SessionWatcher for Cursor Editor's Pick
SessionWatcher for Cursor is a native app for the Mac menu bar and the Windows taskbar that tracks your included-credits balance, applied multiplier, and overage risk in real time as you code.
What it tracks:
- Included credits remaining: Live dollar balance - $13.42 of $20 left, not “some requests left.”
- Multiplier-aware: Knows Pro+ stretches credits 3× and Ultra 20× - shows effective spending power.
- Per-model spend: How much of this month went to Sonnet vs Opus vs GPT-5.5.
- Overage warning: Desktop notification when you're close to using up included credits and about to roll into usage-based billing.
- Daily burn rate: Projected month-end based on current pace.
- Menu bar or taskbar percentage: A single glanceable number: “42% used.”
Setup: Download, install (drag to Applications on Mac, run the installer on Windows), paste your license key. Tracking in 30 seconds. No API keys, no Cursor login leak.
Pricing: $6.99 one-time. Pro ($59 one-time, or $24/year) covers all supported tools.
Limitations: macOS 14+ or Windows 10 (2004+)/11 only.
#2: Cursor's In-App Dashboard
The official source is the dashboard at cursor.com/dashboard. It shows your monthly included-credit balance, model breakdown, and overage charges to date.
What it shows:
- Remaining included credits this billing cycle
- Spend by model (Sonnet, Opus, GPT-5.5, etc.)
- Overage charges accrued
- Historical usage by day
Pricing: Free.
Limitations: Lives in a browser tab. Numbers can lag by several minutes. No overage warning. No always-visible widget. You have to remember to check before a heavy Composer run.
#3: Cursor Settings Panel
Open Cursor → Settings → Billing to see a similar view inside the IDE itself. Convenient if you're already in Cursor, but it still requires a context switch.
What it shows:
- Remaining credits this cycle
- Per-model usage if you expand the panel
- Plan tier and renewal date
Pricing: Free.
Limitations: Still on-demand. No notifications. No always-on display. Same lag as the web dashboard. Closes the moment you switch back to coding.
SessionWatcher
Stop accidentally entering overage billing.
Watch your credits live.
Native app for the Mac menu bar and the Windows taskbar. Track Claude, Codex and 18 more tools' usage, costs, and rate limits in real time.
“Fast, simple, and does exactly what it should. Definitely worth it.”
@nicojerome on GitHub
Prices go up Nov 1, midnight Paris time. Prices go up Nov 1
macOS 14+. Free for 7 days, no credit card.
For Mac (macOS 14+). Cursor and everything in Pro are included. Nothing is charged when it ends.
#4: DIY Scripts (Cursor API + cron)
Some developers build their own with Cursor's admin/usage endpoints, log parsers, or shell hooks that wrap the Cursor CLI to record per-request costs.
Typical approaches:
- Polling Cursor's billing/usage endpoint on a cron schedule
- Parsing Cursor session logs locally for token counts × per-model rate
- SwiftBar / xbar plugins that re-fetch and render in the menu bar
- Custom Grafana dashboards if you want to be that person
Pricing: Free, plus your time.
Limitations: Cursor's usage endpoints are not officially documented for external consumers - they can change without notice. Multiplier math has to be re-implemented every plan change. Most DIY trackers die after the first breaking change.
Comparison: All 4 Options at a Glance
| Feature | SessionWatcher | Dashboard | Settings | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time credits | Yes | Delayed | Delayed | Varies |
| Multiplier-aware | Yes | Yes | Yes | Manual |
| Overage warning | Yes | No | No | DIY |
| Per-model breakdown | Yes | Yes | Yes | Varies |
| Always-on display | Menu bar / taskbar | No | No | DIY |
| Setup time | 30 seconds | None | None | Hours+ |
| Price | $6.99 once | Free | Free | Free + time |
Tracking Cursor Usage on Windows
Cursor runs on Windows too, and so does SessionWatcher. SessionWatcher for Windows puts the same Cursor readout in the Windows taskbar on Windows 11; on Windows 10 (version 2004 or later) it sits in a small window next to the taskbar. Plans and prices are identical, and one licence key works on Mac and Windows. For every Windows option, see the best AI usage trackers for Windows.
The Verdict
For developers on Pro+ or Ultra who run heavy Composer / Agent sessions, SessionWatcher for Cursor is the only option that gives you a live dollar balance and multiplier-aware burn projection - without leaving the IDE.
If you're on Hobby or barely use Agent mode, the in-app panel is fine. The moment you start running Composer or worry about overage, $6.99 pays for itself in one prevented bill.
SessionWatcherThe Cursor tracker that watches your dollars live.
$6.99. No subscription.
Native app for the Mac menu bar and the Windows taskbar. Track Claude, Codex and 18 more tools' usage, costs, and rate limits in real time.
“Fast, simple, and does exactly what it should. Definitely worth it.”
@nicojerome on GitHub
Prices go up Nov 1, midnight Paris time. Prices go up Nov 1
macOS 14+. Free for 7 days, no credit card.
For Mac (macOS 14+). Cursor and everything in Pro are included. Nothing is charged when it ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Cursor usage tracker for Mac?
SessionWatcher for Cursor. Menu-bar readout (taskbar on Windows), real-time dollar balance, multiplier-aware, overage notifications. $6.99 one-time.
Is there a Cursor usage tracker for Windows?
Yes - SessionWatcher for Windows tracks Cursor the same way the Mac app does, with the live readout in the Windows taskbar on Windows 11, or in a small window next to the taskbar on Windows 10 (version 2004 or later). Plans and prices are the same, and one licence key works on Mac and Windows. Cursor's own dashboard is a web page, so it works on any OS. See also the best AI usage trackers for Windows.
How does Cursor billing work after June 2025?
Dollar-denominated included credits, not request quotas. Pro = $20 included. Pro+ = $70 with 3× multiplier. Ultra = $400 with 20× multiplier. See our Cursor rate limits guide for the full breakdown.
Can I track Cursor usage for free?
Yes - open the in-app settings panel or cursor.com/dashboard. Neither is always-visible or warns before overage.
How much does SessionWatcher for Cursor cost?
$6.99 one-time for Cursor. Pro ($59 one-time, or $24/year) covers all supported tools.