What is kerf-cli and how does it track Claude Code costs?

Local CLI ingests JSONL session logs into SQLite for queries, summaries, budgets. Enforces caps via hooks.

Does kerf-cli save money on Anthropic bills?

Yes — flags Opus-to-Sonnet switches (4x savings), cache optimizations (60% cost chunk). Creator cut monthly bill meaningfully.

Is kerf-cli open source and free?

Totally. npm install, GitHub repo. No cloud, no subs.

🤝 Community & Governance

kerf-cli: The No-BS Tool Exposing Claude Code's Cost Black Hole

Claude Code whispers 'don't worry about costs' — then hits you with a $178 weekly bill. kerf-cli fights back, turning raw logs into actionable intel that actually saves cash.

theAIcatchup Apr 08, 2026 3 min read 20 views

kerf-cli dashboard showing weekly Claude Code costs by project and model

⚡ Key Takeaways

kerf-cli turns Claude Code's raw JSONL logs into queryable SQLite for precise cost tracking. 𝕏
Budget hooks block overages before they happen — warnings don't cut it. 𝕏
Cache reads eat 60-80% of bills; Opus defaults are mostly unnecessary. 𝕏

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theAIcatchup

Community-driven. Code-first.

#AI cost tracking #Anthropic billing #Claude Code #kerf-cli #kerf-cli

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Originally reported by Dev.to

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