Cursor vs Gemini CLI: tracking usage on macOS

This is not an argument about which tool writes better code - that depends on your work, and anyone claiming otherwise is guessing. It is about something narrower and more answerable: how each one is metered, and what you can actually see while you use them.

How each is tracked

Cursor uses an existing local login, and usage is read locally, so it keeps working when the network does not.

Gemini CLI uses an existing local login, and usage is read locally, so it keeps working when the network does not.

Why this matters if you run both

Running two tools means two places to check, two sets of limits, and two chances to be surprised mid-task. The cost is rarely the money - it is losing your thread because something stopped answering and you did not see it coming.

Watching both in one place

SessionWatcher shows Cursor and Gemini CLI together in the macOS menu bar. It reads and displays usage on your Mac; it does not read your code or your conversations. That boundary matters more when you are pointing one tool at two providers.

Per-tool detail is in the Cursor tracker guide and the Gemini CLI tracker guide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I track both at once?

Yes - both appear in the same menu bar reading.

What does each need?

Cursor uses an existing local login. Gemini CLI uses an existing local login.

Does it read my code?

No. Usage only, never code or conversation content.