CodexBar vs OmniRoute
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A menu bar app (plus CLI) that shows your AI coding tool usage limits and reset times.
Open source · MIT
A free, MIT-licensed gateway that routes one API endpoint to many AI model providers.
The short answer
Choose CodexBar if you need…
- Developers who use several AI coding tools and want to see remaining limits at a glance
- People on usage-capped subscription plans who want to plan long tasks around reset times
- Mac users who prefer a menu bar indicator over a web dashboard
- Linux users who want the CLI or the Qt desktop app
Choose OmniRoute if you need…
- Developers who use several AI coding tools and want one place to configure providers
- People who want to connect their own free-tier provider accounts and spread requests across them
- Users who want automatic fallback when one provider hits a rate limit
- Teams experimenting with multiple models through a single OpenAI-style endpoint
Side-by-side
| CodexBar | OmniRoute | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 22.9k | 83.8k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Swift | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 6 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
CodexBar
CodexBar is a small menu bar app for macOS that shows how much of your AI coding provider limits you have used and when each limit resets. It supports a long list of providers, including OpenAI Codex and Claude Code as named in its description. It reuses existing provider sessions such as OAuth, API keys, browser cookies, or local CLI files, and the README says it does not store passwords. A Linux desktop app and a CLI are also available.
OmniRoute
OmniRoute is a self-hosted AI gateway: you point your AI coding tools at one endpoint, and it forwards requests to many model providers such as Claude, GPT, Gemini and DeepSeek. It can fall back to another provider when a quota runs out, and it advertises token compression to reduce usage. The README says it works with tools like Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and Cline.
Best for
CodexBar
- Developers who use several AI coding tools and want to see remaining limits at a glance
- People on usage-capped subscription plans who want to plan long tasks around reset times
- Mac users who prefer a menu bar indicator over a web dashboard
- Linux users who want the CLI or the Qt desktop app
OmniRoute
- Developers who use several AI coding tools and want one place to configure providers
- People who want to connect their own free-tier provider accounts and spread requests across them
- Users who want automatic fallback when one provider hits a rate limit
- Teams experimenting with multiple models through a single OpenAI-style endpoint
Strengths
CodexBar
- Shows usage limits and reset times in one place across many providers
- Reuses existing sessions and states that no passwords are stored
- Available as a macOS menu bar app, a Linux desktop app, and a CLI
OmniRoute
- MIT licensed and open source, with a large GitHub star count
- Single endpoint for many providers and models, as described in the README
- Includes a dashboard and documented methodology for free-tier usage
Not ideal for
CodexBar
- Users on platforms other than macOS or Linux, since the README lists no Windows support
- People who do not want any app reading provider session cookies or local files, since the README says it reuses browser cookies and local files for many providers
- Users of providers outside the README's list, since it covers only the providers it names
OmniRoute
- People who want a token grant or guaranteed free usage; the README says free tiers belong to third-party providers and their terms can change
- Users who do not want to manage provider credentials and configuration
- Those who need a hosted service with support guarantees; the README points mainly to community channels
Trade-offs
CodexBar
- Each provider needs its own setup (CLI login, cookies, or API key), and some depend on browser sessions that may change
- The README describes some providers as experimental or partial, such as Antigravity
- Linux desktop needs glibc 2.39+, Qt 6.4+, and a separate CLI install
OmniRoute
- Headline figures such as the token total are estimates that the README says change over time
- Depends on third-party providers whose free tiers and terms can end or change
- Compression savings and provider counts are the project's own claims, not independently verified here
Getting started
CodexBar
Install the macOS app with Homebrew
brew install --cask codexbarInstall the CLI on Linux with Homebrew
brew install steipete/tap/codexbarOmniRoute
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/cheaper-inference/OmniRouteFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between CodexBar and OmniRoute?
CodexBar: A menu bar app (plus CLI) that shows your AI coding tool usage limits and reset times. OmniRoute: A free, MIT-licensed gateway that routes one API endpoint to many AI model providers. CodexBar suits developers who use several ai coding tools and want to see remaining limits at a glance, while OmniRoute suits developers who use several ai coding tools and want one place to configure providers.
Are CodexBar and OmniRoute free?
CodexBar: Free and open source. OmniRoute: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, CodexBar or OmniRoute?
CodexBar is easier to get started with (rated beginner); OmniRoute is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is CodexBar or OmniRoute more popular?
OmniRoute has more GitHub stars (83.8k) than CodexBar (22.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to CodexBar and OmniRoute?
Other options people compare them with include CC Switch, Orca, CLIProxyAPI, magpie, Happy.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.