Why Usage Matters
Claude Code uses your Anthropic account credits every time you send a message. Knowing how to check your usage helps you stay in control and avoid surprises on your bill.
The /usage Command
Inside any Claude Code session, type:
/usageThis shows you a summary of your current usage for the session, including how much you've used and approximately how much it cost.
What the Numbers Mean
When you run /usage, you'll see a few key numbers:
- Input. How much text you've sent to Claude (your messages, file contents).
- Output. How much text Claude has sent back (responses, code, explanations).
- Total cost. The estimated dollar amount for the current session.
The more you write to Claude and the more Claude writes back, the more it costs. Longer conversations cost more than short ones.
Tracking Your Spend
For a full picture of your usage across all sessions, check your Anthropic dashboard:
- Go to console.anthropic.com
- Click the Usage section
- You'll see daily and monthly breakdowns of your spending
This is especially useful if you're using Claude Code on multiple projects and want to see where your credits are going.
Rate Limits
Anthropic applies rate limits to prevent overuse. If you hit a limit, Claude will let you know and you'll need to wait before sending more messages. Here's what to know:
- Messages per minute. There's a cap on how many messages you can send in a short window.
- Size per minute. Sending very large messages (like pasting an entire file) uses more of your budget.
- Daily limits. Some plans have daily spending caps you can set up.
If you hit a rate limit, just wait a minute and try again. It's not an error, just a speed bump.
Tips for Managing Usage
- Be specific. Clear, focused messages cost less than vague ones that need follow-ups.
- Use plan mode. Let Claude think through the approach before writing code (you'll learn this in the next lesson).
- Set spending alerts. Set up alerts in the Anthropic console so you get notified before hitting your budget.
What You Learned
You know how to check your session usage with /usage, read the cost breakdown, and monitor your overall spending in the Anthropic dashboard. No surprises.
