FavTray vs CodexBar
Both put AI coding limits in the Mac menu bar for free. CodexBar is open source with the longest provider list; FavTray adds a notch glance and a developer cockpit.
FavShelf's notch moments
Feature comparison
| Feature | FavTray | CodexBar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | AI usage tracker free; Pro ($4.99 once) adds account switching, the notch tools and Claude Code approvals | Free |
| Open source | No | Yes, MIT |
| Platforms | macOS 14+ | macOS 14+; a Linux desktop app; a CLI for macOS and Linux |
| Providers | 30, including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, Copilot, Windsurf, OpenRouter and API accounts for OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Moonshot and xAI | More than 85 listed in its README |
| Limits | Session and weekly limits, pace, and when you'll hit the limit | Session, weekly and monthly windows with reset countdowns |
| Cost | Claude and Codex cost from local logs, last 30 days | Credits, spend dashboards and local cost scans where available |
| History | 56 days of usage history; CSV export | Not stated |
| Alerts | 80%, 95% and the limit; with Pro they drop from the notch | Optional session-quota notifications |
| In the notch | Claude or Codex bars in FavShelf's free glance | No |
| Widgets and CLI | No | WidgetKit widgets and a codexbar CLI |
| Accounts | Pro: switch Claude Code and Codex logins; suggests a switch near 90% | Codex switching built in; Claude through claude-swap |
| Logins | Reads the logins on your Mac read-only and never refreshes them; changes a login only when you switch accounts (Pro) | Reuses existing provider sessions; stores no passwords |
| Beyond usage | Developer cockpit: CI and PRs, ports, cloud costs, meetings; Claude Code approvals (Pro) | Focused on usage |
| Install | DMG from favtray.com | brew install --cask codexbar or GitHub releases |
CodexBar details are from its README on GitHub, read on 2026-10-07. Account switching is from its Claude docs and our multiple-accounts comparison, checked on 28–29 September 2026 against release 0.69.0 (28 September 2026). We'll correct anything its developer tells us is out of date. FavTray details reflect version 2.0.8.
The verdict
Pick CodexBar if you want free and open source, the longest provider list, Linux or a CLI. It covers more than 85 providers, adds widgets and provider-status badges, and costs nothing.
Pick FavTray if you want your limits in the notch as well as the menu bar, alerts that drop from the notch, one-click Claude Code and Codex switching, and the rest of a developer cockpit. The tracker, its history and the notch bars are free; switching and notch alerts come with FavTray Pro.
You can run both: each only reads your logins to fetch usage. More on limits and accounts: Claude Code usage limits on Mac · multiple Claude Code accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Is CodexBar free?
Yes. CodexBar is free and open source under the MIT licence, by Peter Steinberger. It's a menu bar app for macOS 14 or later, with a Linux desktop app and a CLI for macOS and Linux too. You install it with brew install --cask codexbar or from its GitHub releases.
Is FavTray's AI usage tracker free?
Yes, in full: 30 providers, session and weekly limits with pace, alerts at 80%, 95% and the limit, and 56 days of history with CSV export. FavTray Pro adds Claude Code and Codex account switching, the island's tools and Claude Code approvals, and every install starts with a 7-day trial of Pro.
Which tracks more providers?
CodexBar. Its README lists more than 85, from Codex, Claude, Cursor, Gemini and Copilot to Grok, OpenRouter, AWS Bedrock, Vertex AI, z.ai, MiniMax, Kiro and Zed. FavTray tracks 30, including Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, Copilot, Windsurf and OpenRouter, plus API accounts for OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, Moonshot and xAI.
Can I see my Claude limits in the MacBook notch?
Yes, with FavTray: FavShelf's free glance shows your Claude or Codex session and weekly bars in the notch. CodexBar has no notch display; it lives in the menu bar and in widgets. Notch-only alternatives include CodexIsland (free, MIT, github.com/ericjypark/codex-island) and Notchy.
Will either sign me out of Claude Code?
FavTray's tracker can't: it reads the Claude Code login on your Mac read-only and never refreshes it or writes it back. The only time FavTray changes that login is when you switch accounts yourself, a Pro feature. CodexBar says it reuses existing provider sessions and stores no passwords; see its docs for how it handles each provider.
Can I run both?
Yes. Each only reads the logins already on your Mac to fetch usage, so running both is fine. Keep CodexBar for its provider list, widgets or CLI, and add FavTray for the notch glance, notch alerts and the developer cockpit.
More: Claude Code usage limits on Mac · Multiple Claude Code accounts · AI Usage Tracker · Best AI usage tracking tools