Understanding tokens spent

Hey, valid concern, this comes up a lot from power users.

You can track your overall usage right in the app. Open Cursor Settings and you’ll see how much of your included usage you’ve consumed. For a more detailed breakdown by model and tokens, check the web dashboard at https://cursor.com/dashboard/usage.

That said, per-chat or per-request token and cost counters in the IDE don’t exist yet. This is one of the most requested features on the forum.

A few tips to keep costs down:

  • Start a new chat for each task. The full conversation history gets resent as context with every request, so long threads add up fast.
  • Only attach the files you actually need in context.
  • Use cheaper models, or Auto, for simpler tasks. Model choice is the biggest factor in burn rate.
  • Keep Cursor rules concise and disable MCP tools you’re not using.

With Ultra you get 400 USD of included API usage, so hitting 1 000 USD means significant on-demand charges. If you haven’t already, set a spend limit at https://cursor.com/dashboard/spending as a safety net.

The per-chat cost visibility you’re asking about is a popular request. Related threads here: Better spending usage tracking directly in the IDE and Inline Multi-Tier Usage Metrics (Single-Line) with $ Spent & Days Left in Cycle. The team is aware, but there’s no ETA yet.

Let me know if the dashboard helps narrow down what’s driving the costs.