CodexMonitor
Monitor Codex activity
Quick Take: CodexMonitor
CodexMonitor is a focused, well-executed utility for Codex CLI users. The cost estimation and budget alert features address a real pain point in AI-assisted development.
Best For
- •Codex CLI users tracking costs
- •Teams managing AI tool budgets
- •Developers wanting oversight of AI agent actions
Install with Homebrew
brew install --cask codexmonitorWhat is CodexMonitor?
CodexMonitor is a macOS utility for monitoring OpenAI Codex CLI activity in real-time. It provides a visual dashboard showing active Codex sessions, their current operations, and resource usage. For developers who rely on Codex for AI-assisted coding, CodexMonitor offers essential visibility into what the agent is doing, how many tokens it's consuming, and whether it needs attention.
Key Features
Real-Time Activity Feed
A live feed showing every action Codex takes — file reads, edits, command executions — with timestamps and status indicators.
Token Usage Tracking
Monitor token consumption per session and over time, with alerts when usage exceeds configurable thresholds.
Session Management
View, pause, and terminate active Codex sessions from the dashboard without switching to the terminal.
Cost Estimation
Approximate cost per session based on model pricing and token usage, helping developers stay within budget.
Menu Bar Integration
A compact menu bar widget shows at-a-glance status of active sessions with quick access to the full dashboard.
Who Should Use CodexMonitor?
1Cost-Conscious Developer
A developer on a tight API budget uses CodexMonitor to set spending alerts and monitor token usage in real-time, ensuring they don't exceed their monthly allocation.
2DevOps Engineer
A DevOps engineer running Codex for infrastructure-as-code tasks monitors the activity feed to ensure the agent isn't making unintended changes to production configurations.
3Team Lead
A team lead reviews CodexMonitor dashboards across the team to understand aggregate AI tool usage and justify budget requests.
Install CodexMonitor on Mac
CodexMonitor is available via Homebrew for easy installation on macOS.
Install Homebrew
If you don't have Homebrew, open your terminal and run: `/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"`
Install CodexMonitor
Run `brew install --cask codexmonitor` in your terminal.
Launch & Configure
Open CodexMonitor and it will automatically detect running Codex CLI sessions.
Pro Tips
- • Ensure Codex CLI is installed before using CodexMonitor.
- • Configure token cost thresholds early to get meaningful spending alerts.
Configuration Tips
Set Budget Alerts
Configure daily and monthly spending thresholds to get notifications before exceeding your API budget.
Customize Activity Filters
Filter the activity feed by action type (file edits, bash commands, etc.) to focus on what matters most for your workflow.
Alternatives to CodexMonitor
CodexMonitor is specific to Codex CLI. Similar monitoring tools exist for other AI coding agents.
Claude DevTools
Claude DevTools provides similar session analysis but for Claude Code. If you use both tools, you'll need both monitors.
Stats
Stats monitors system resources but doesn't track AI coding agent sessions specifically.
Pricing
CodexMonitor is free to download and use.
Pros
- ✓Real-time visibility into Codex activity
- ✓Cost estimation prevents budget surprises
- ✓Menu bar widget for quick status checks
- ✓Session management from the dashboard
- ✓Clean, native macOS interface
Cons
- ✗Codex CLI only — doesn't support other AI tools
- ✗Limited historical analytics in current version
- ✗Relatively new with a small user base
Community & Support
CodexMonitor's development is active, with bug reports and feature requests handled through the project's website.
Frequently Asked Questions about CodexMonitor
Our Verdict
CodexMonitor is a focused, well-executed utility for Codex CLI users. The cost estimation and budget alert features address a real pain point in AI-assisted development.
About the Author
Expert Tips for CodexMonitor
Set up per-project cost alerts to catch runaway sessions early — a complex refactoring can consume 10x the tokens of a simple bug fix.
Related Technologies & Concepts
Related Topics
AI Development Monitoring
Tools for tracking and analyzing AI coding agent activity.