Show HN: LimitBar, a macOS menu bar app showing your Claude usage limits
LimitBar is a macOS menu bar app ($2.99 one-time) that polls Anthropic's usage endpoint every 60 seconds to display Claude usage limits. Built with native Swift/AppKit as a single under-1MB binary, it uses zero tokens, includes no telemetry, and reuses existing Claude Code CLI authentication. Requires macOS 13+, a Pro or Max subscription, and is not affiliated with Anthropic.
Background
- Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal-based coding assistant (like GitHub Copilot for the command line). The "Max plan" is Anthropic's highest subscription tier for Claude AI access, which comes with usage limits (a cap on how many requests or tokens you can use in a given time period).
- "Dedicated Fable limits" refers to a specific, separate usage allowance for Fable (Anthropic's agentic coding tool) that is distinct from general Claude usage — this split means users must track two different budgets.
- The "usage wheel" is a visual indicator in the Claude desktop app that shows how much of your usage limit you've consumed.
- Gumroad is a platform for selling digital products directly to consumers, popular with indie developers.
- This is a paid utility for a niche problem: heavy Claude Code users who need to monitor their real-time usage without manually checking. The author is an individual developer selling it as a one-time purchase.