Rollcage

How to check Codex usage, limits and token counts

Codex usage shows up in three places: the CLI itself, your OpenAI account and the session files on your Mac. Which one you need depends on whether you're asking about limits, billing or where the tokens went.

In the CLI: /status

Type /status in a Codex session. It shows the model, the sandbox and approval settings, the tokens used in the current session and, when you're signed in with a ChatGPT plan, how much of your rate limits you've used and when they reset.

In your account

  • Signed in with ChatGPT: the Codex usage page in your ChatGPT settings shows your limits and how much is left. Usage in the CLI, the IDE extension and Codex in the cloud counts towards the same allowance.
  • Using an API key: usage and cost appear on the usage page of the OpenAI platform dashboard, billed per token at the model's API price.

On your Mac: the session files

Codex saves every session under ~/.codex/sessions, in folders by date. Each file is a JSONL log of the session, and after each turn Codex writes a token count event with the running totals: input, cached input, output and reasoning tokens. These files are the only place that tells you which project and which session used what.

Seeing usage per day and per project

Rollcage's usage view reads those session files and shows Codex tokens per day, project, model and session, in the same window as your Claude Code usage. It needs no API key and nothing leaves your Mac.

Rollcage shows token counts for Codex. Dollar costs are calculated for Claude models. It reads local files only, so sessions run in Codex cloud or on another machine aren't included.

What uses the most

  • Long sessions. The whole conversation is sent again on each turn, so cached input tokens climb quickly.
  • Higher reasoning effort. Reasoning tokens are billed as output.
  • Large tool outputs: test logs, build output and big files read whole.
  • MCP servers with many tools, whose descriptions are sent with every request.

Ways to use less

  • Start a new session for a new task, or use /compact to summarise a long one.
  • Lower the reasoning effort for routine work.
  • Point Codex at specific files instead of asking it to explore.
  • Remove MCP servers you aren't using.

While you're in there

The same session files record every command's output, which sometimes includes an API key. Rollcage's secrets leak scan checks ~/.codex for those, and the storage view shows how much space the folder takes.

Questions

How do I see my Codex usage limit?

Type /status in the Codex CLI, or open the Codex usage page in your ChatGPT settings. Both show how much of your limits you've used and when they reset.

Does Codex CLI usage count against my ChatGPT plan?

Yes, when you sign in to Codex with your ChatGPT account. If you use an API key instead, usage is billed per token to your API account.

Where does Codex store session history?

In ~/.codex/sessions, as JSONL files in folders by date. A separate ~/.codex/history.jsonl keeps your prompt history.

Can I see Codex and Claude Code usage in one place?

Yes. Rollcage reads both agents' local session files and shows them together, per day, project, model and session.

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