Privacy Policy

Effective September 2, 2026

Information the app accesses

For Claude, the Mac App Store edition asks you to choose or create Claude Code’s .claude/settings.json once through Apple’s standard file picker. UsageGlow adds Anthropic’s documented status-line bridge while preserving any status line you already use. Claude Code may request one-time trust for that local status-line command; UsageGlow does not bypass the prompt. After each Claude Code response, the bridge sends only the 5-hour and 7-day percentages and reset times through a token-protected local callback. It does not use a Claude credential or make a separate Claude network request. The direct beta can ask the installed Claude Code tool for its structured weekly summary.

For ChatGPT, the Mac App Store edition first explains the connection, then asks you to select Codex’s auth.json once through Apple’s standard file picker. macOS grants persistent read-only access only to that selected file and may show its own Column-view preview while you select it. UsageGlow stores a security-scoped bookmark—not a credential copy—and uses the existing sign-in credential in memory only to request OpenAI’s agentic rate-limit summary. The direct beta asks the locally installed Codex service for the same account summary.

For Cursor, the Mac App Store edition first explains the connection, then asks you to select Cursor’s state.vscdb once through Apple’s standard file picker. macOS grants persistent read-only access only to that file. UsageGlow opens the database read-only, reads only the existing Cursor sign-in token, and uses it in memory only to request total included usage and billing-cycle dates from Cursor. It never requests Cursor projects, files, prompts, responses, or code.

Information the app stores

The app stores only each provider’s percent used, reset date, and last synchronization time in local app preferences on your Mac.

Information the app does not access

The app does not inspect chats, prompts, responses, keyboard input, terminal output, tasks, projects, source code, Documents, Downloads, Photos, Music, browser history, contacts, provider Keychain credentials, or location. The Claude bridge discards working-directory and transcript fields. For every provider, UsageGlow persists only the percentage, reset date, and last-sync time required for the meter.

Analytics and tracking

There are no analytics, advertising, tracking, crash-reporting, or telemetry SDKs. The developer receives no usage values or credentials.

Software updates

The Mac App Store delivers and verifies updates for the App Store edition, which contains no independent updater. The direct beta uses Sparkle to check a signed UsageGlow update feed; that request contains no usage percentages, provider credentials, prompts, chats, or code.

Provider services

App Store Claude readings come from Claude Code’s documented local status-line payload and create no separate Claude network request. Direct-beta Claude readings happen locally through the installed Claude Code tool. ChatGPT usage requests go only to the installed Codex service or OpenAI. Cursor usage requests go only to Cursor. Those requests remain subject to each provider’s privacy policy. UsageGlow does not send usage values, credentials, or analytics to the developer.

Contact

Questions or feedback: @thelifehiker on X.