CodexBar shows how much you've used. Fuel Gauge says if you'll make it to reset.
CodexBar is a good free menu bar app that tracks usage across a huge list of AI providers. Fuel Gauge does less, on purpose: four tools, and one answer for each.
The short version
Pick CodexBar if you use many AI providers and want them all in one menu. Pick Fuel Gauge if you live in Claude Code, Codex, or Grok Bot and want the verdict first, a forecast under your Claude Code prompt, and an exit code your agents can check. Fuel Gauge reads only local files.
What CodexBar does well
Breadth. CodexBar tracks usage across more than 100 AI providers from one menu bar icon, and it's free and MIT licensed. If you bounce between many services, nothing else covers as much.
For each limit it shows how much you've used, with a line that says when it runs out at your current rate.
Where Fuel Gauge is different
It leads with the verdict. Each card opens with “Runs out around 11:50a, 1h 30m early” or “Makes it to reset, about 86% by then”, then shows how much you can use per hour and still make it.
It sits under your Claude Code prompt. The optional status line puts the forecast in Claude Code after every reply.
Agents can check it. fuelgauge status exits with code 2 when a limit will run out before it resets, so an agent can ask before a big job.
It reads only local files. CodexBar uses browser cookies and Full Disk Access for some providers. Fuel Gauge never does.
Fuel Gauge vs CodexBar
| Fuel Gauge | CodexBar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| License | FSL-1.1-MIT, source on GitHub | MIT |
| Providers | Claude Code, Codex, Grok Bot, Cursor (opt-in) | Over 100 |
| Leads with | The verdict: makes it, or runs out early | Percent used, plus a “runs out in” line |
| Claude Code status line | Yes | — |
| Exit code for agents | Yes, fuelgauge status exits 2 | — |
| Browser cookies | Never | For some providers |
| Full Disk Access | Never | For some providers |
| Telemetry | None | — |
“—” means we couldn't confirm it from CodexBar's own materials as of October 2026.
What CodexBar does better
Coverage. If you need usage from dozens of AI services in one place, CodexBar is the one to use.
What Fuel Gauge does better
The forecast. It tells you if you'll make it, shows a range instead of one exact minute, warns you once when you're on pace to run out early, and puts the answer where you work: the menu bar, Claude Code's status line, and your agent's shell.
Trying it takes a minute
- Install Fuel Gauge.
brew install --cask coreyhaines31/tap/fuelgauge, or download the app from GitHub and drag it to Applications. - Turn on the status line. From the app, or with
fuelgauge install-statusline. It keeps your existing status line and backs upsettings.json. - Keep working. A 5-hour limit gets a forecast after about 10 minutes of readings, a weekly one after 3 hours. Until then it says “Learning your pace.”
- Keep CodexBar if you use its other providers. The two don't conflict.
Questions
Is CodexBar free?
Yes. CodexBar is free and MIT licensed. Fuel Gauge is free too, with the source on GitHub under the FSL-1.1-MIT license.
Does Fuel Gauge track as many providers as CodexBar?
No. CodexBar lists over 100 providers. Fuel Gauge tracks Claude Code, Codex, Grok Bot, and Cursor, and puts its effort into forecasting those.
Why doesn't Fuel Gauge use browser cookies?
It reads only what Claude Code, Codex, and Grok Bot already save on your Mac. That means no browser cookies, no Full Disk Access, no keychain, and no sign-in.
Can I run both?
Yes. They don't conflict. Some people keep CodexBar for its breadth and Fuel Gauge for the forecast.
Know if you'll make it.
Free. No account, no subscription.
brew install --cask coreyhaines31/tap/fuelgaugeOr ask your coding agent:
Install Fuel Gauge on my Mac: run `brew install --cask coreyhaines31/tap/fuelgauge`, open Fuel Gauge, then run `fuelgauge install-statusline` and `fuelgauge status`.
macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple Silicon and Intel