It would be great if Cursor could show an estimated token cost before executing an action, and ask for confirmation when the estimated cost exceeds a user-defined threshold (e.g. >= $1).
Use case: When running subagents, large codebase analyses, or other expensive operations, users currently have no visibility into the expected cost before execution. A simple confirmation dialog (“This operation will use approximately X tokens / ~$Y. Proceed?”) would help users make informed decisions and avoid unexpected charges.
Suggested implementation:
Add a configurable threshold in settings (e.g. “Warn me when estimated cost exceeds: $1.00”)
Show estimated token count and approximate cost before execution
Allow the user to confirm or cancel
This would complement the existing monthly spending limits with per-action cost awareness.
Getting an exact cost estimate before execution is technically hard. Real usage depends on the model’s output, tool calls, and what extra context the agent pulls in while it runs. A rough estimate is possible in principle.
What we already have that partly helps with surprise bills: Spending Limits per user or team caps and Spend Alerts notifications when you hit a threshold. More info: Spend Limits Get Started with Teams | Cursor Docs and Usage Limits Usage and limits | Cursor Docs.
I can’t share an ETA for a pre execution estimate, but the request is on our radar. If this thread gets more upvotes, it’ll help with prioritization.