---
title: "Track cost"
description: "Track recorded spend by thread and control work with budgets and usage attribution."
canonical_url: "https://hoplite.sh/docs/threads/cost"
markdown_url: "https://hoplite.sh/docs/threads/cost.md"
---

# Track cost
URL: /docs/threads/cost
LLM index: /llms.txt
Description: Track recorded spend by thread and control work with budgets and usage attribution.
Related: /docs/workspace/billing, /docs/agent/models, /docs/threads/manage

# Track cost

Track the cost of a task from its thread and use spend limits to control its budget. The context-gauge card shows recorded usage costs; the usage page and workspace [billing](/docs/workspace/billing) provide the attribution behind them.

## The cost card

The card tracks lifetime cost as the agent works, including the split between LLM and available sandbox-provider charges. Expand it for model, token, runtime, BYOK, and subscription attribution.

## Lifetime spend limit

Set, increase, or remove a thread's lifetime spend limit from its actions menu. Model charges and any available sandbox charges count toward the cap. When the thread reaches it, Hoplite parks the run instead of repeatedly retrying or permanently failing it; increasing or removing the limit wakes the parked session so work can continue.

## Per-run attribution

The **Usage** page (**Settings → Workspace → Usage**) charts spend per day or week by model and breaks it down by member, and owners can also break it down by project, so you can see exactly where credits go. Every run's token usage is attributed there.

## How credits settle

Runs reserve credits while in flight and settle to actual usage when they finish. On the billing page these reservations show as **Held** — released back, minus actual usage, when the run completes. See [Billing](/docs/workspace/billing).

## The BYOK badge

In the cost breakdown, a **BYOK** badge beside LLM inference means every run with a durable model-resolution record used the workspace's provider credentials. Mixed threads and historical usage without a resolution record stay unbadged, so the UI does not overstate who supplied credentials.

<Callout type="info" title="ChatGPT subscription models">
Calls routed through your connected ChatGPT subscription use that plan and incur zero Hoplite workspace-credit cost. Selecting an OpenAI model alone does not guarantee that route: eligible calls can use platform billing or BYOK instead. Check the payer in the thread's cost breakdown or Usage, and see [model routing](/docs/agent/models#automatic-chatgpt-api-routing) for eligibility and fallback behavior.
</Callout>

## Sitemap

Sitemap discovery is not enabled for this deployment.