claudetop provides real-time tracking of token usage and costs for Claude Code sessions, allowing users to monitor their expenses effectively. It displays metrics such as cache efficiency, model comparisons, and smart alerts to optimize spending.

A stolen Google Cloud API key incurred $82,314 in charges for Gemini usage within 48 hours, while the typical monthly expenditure was only $180. Setting billing caps and alerts on cloud API keys is crucial to prevent significant financial losses from unauthorized usage.