Token limits
Monthly caps on new tokens, cache reads and cache writes, so a busy month never surprises you.
Your team pays Anthropic directly for the tokens CoderHelm uses. Token limit (under Account) sets monthly caps so usage can't run away.
There are three limits, because the three kinds of token cost very different amounts:
| Limit | What it counts |
|---|---|
| New tokens (input + output) | Tokens sent to the model for the first time, plus everything the model writes. |
| Cache read tokens | Input the model reads back from its prompt cache. Much cheaper than new input. |
| Cache write tokens | Input written into the prompt cache so later calls can read it. |
A run re-reads the same code and instructions many times, so most of its input is cache reads. Splitting the limits lets you set a tight cap on the expensive kind without stopping runs over cheap cache reads.
How limits work
- Leave a limit blank (or 0) for no limit.
- Each limit is checked on its own. The first one reached pauses new work until the next month starts (UTC).
- CoderHelm sends a warning email when a limit reaches 80%, and again at 100%.
- The status at the top of the page reads Under the limits, Near a limit or Limit reached.
When a limit stops a ticket, CoderHelm comments on it, for example: "You've reached this month's cache write limit (… of …). Raise or clear that limit in Settings → Token Limit to continue."
Only admins can change limits. Teams that set a single limit before the split keep it until they save the new fields.
Example
A team that wants to spend at most about the price of 20 million new tokens a month, without counting cheap re-reads, might set:
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| New tokens | 20,000,000 |
| Cache read tokens | blank (no limit) |
| Cache write tokens | 10,000,000 |
See Usage and audit for where each token went.