How to Check Your Claude Code Usage and Rate Limits

Understanding Claude Code Usage Limits

Claude Code is Anthropic's CLI tool for AI-powered coding. Whether you're on the Pro or Max plan, Claude Code enforces rate limits based on a rolling 5-hour window. The tokens you used 5 hours ago gradually become available again.

The frustrating part: there's no persistent, visible indicator of where you stand. You're deep in a coding session, making progress — and suddenly Claude Code stops responding. You've hit your limit. You didn't see it coming, and now you're stuck waiting with no clear timeline.

Method 1: Check Usage via the CLI

Claude Code has a built-in command to check your usage:

This shows your current session statistics including tokens used. However, it requires you to stop what you're doing and run the command. It also doesn't show the 5-hour window countdown or send notifications when you're approaching the limit.

Method 2: Check via the Anthropic Dashboard

You can also check your usage at console.anthropic.com:

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Log in to your account
3. Navigate to Settings → Usage
4. Review your token consumption

Limitations: The dashboard shows historical data but doesn't give you real-time insight into your 5-hour rolling window. You still don't know how close you are to hitting your rate limit right now.

Method 3: Monitor in Real-Time with SessionWatcher

SessionWatcher for Claude Code is a native macOS menu bar app that solves the monitoring problem completely. Instead of stopping to run commands or switching to a browser, you just glance up at your menu bar.

SessionWatcher tracks:

• Real-time token usage — see exactly how many tokens you've consumed in the current window
• 5-hour window countdown — know exactly when your rate limit resets
• API cost tracking — monitor what you're spending in real-time
• Rate limit status — see your percentage of limit used (e.g., 90% of session limit)
• macOS notifications — get warned before you hit the limit

How the Claude Code 5-Hour Rolling Window Works

The 5-hour window is a rolling limit, not a fixed one. Here's what that means in practice:

• At 9:00 AM, you start coding and use 50% of your token limit
• At 11:00 AM, you use another 40% — you're now at 90% of your session limit
• At 11:30 AM, you use 10% more — you're locked out
• At 2:00 PM (5 hours after 9 AM), the tokens from your 9 AM session start freeing up
• Your available limit gradually increases as older usage rolls off

Pro vs Max Plan Limits

Anthropic offers different usage limits based on your plan:

• Pro plan ($20/month) — Standard rate limits for Claude Code usage within the 5-hour window
• Max plan ($100/month or $200/month) — Higher rate limits, allowing significantly more tokens per 5-hour window

SessionWatcher works with both plans, automatically detecting your usage level and showing your real-time position within your plan's limits.

SessionWatcher vs. Manual Monitoring

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my Claude Code usage limit?

Run /usage in the Claude Code CLI for current session stats, or visit the Anthropic dashboard. For real-time monitoring including the 5-hour window, use SessionWatcher.

What does “90% of session limit” mean?

It means you've used 90% of your allotted tokens in the current 5-hour rolling window. You're close to being locked out. SessionWatcher shows this percentage in your menu bar and sends a notification so you can pace your remaining usage.

Why did Claude Code stop working?

You've likely hit your rate limit for the current 5-hour window. Claude Code stops responding without a clear warning. SessionWatcher prevents this by tracking your usage in real-time and alerting you before you reach the limit.

Is there a Claude Code monitor app for macOS?

Yes. SessionWatcher for Claude Code is a native macOS menu bar app that monitors your usage in real-time. $1.99 one-time, zero configuration, works in 10 seconds.