Token Watchdog
Stop debugging loops before they bankrupt you.
AI agents in runaway debug loops can burn $3,000+ before anyone notices. Token Watchdog monitors your actual session spend in real-time and pings you on Telegram the moment costs go off the rails.
How it works
- Reads your live session
.jsonlfile directly (no API call needed) - Estimates expected cost based on task complexity keywords
- Polls every 30 seconds
- Sends Telegram alert when actual spend hits 2x the estimate
- At 3x: sends final warning and exits
⚠️ Cost figures are OpenClaw's internal estimates (~90% accurate vs Anthropic billing).
This tool is a danger signal detector, not a precise billing tracker.
Install
Option A — via SynapseAI (recommended)
curl -sL https://ddaekeu3-cyber.github.io/synapse-ai/tools/token-watchdog/token-watchdog.mjs \
-o ~/.openclaw/workspace/token-watchdog.mjs
Option B — via ClawHub
clawhub install token-watchdog
Usage
# Auto-estimate based on task description
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/token-watchdog.mjs --task "Fix auth timeout bug"
# Manual cost estimate (dollars)
node ~/.openclaw/workspace/token-watchdog.mjs --estimate 1.50 --task "DB migration"
# Background mode
nohup node ~/.openclaw/workspace/token-watchdog.mjs --task "Complex refactor" &
Complexity estimates (auto)
| Task type | Keywords | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| High | debug, refactor, migration, 디버깅 | $1.50 |
| Medium | implement, create, build, 구현 | $0.50 |
| Low | read, check, list, 확인 | $0.10 |
| Default | (anything else) | $0.30 |
Telegram alert format
🚨 Token budget exceeded!
Estimated: $0.50
Current: $1.12 (224%)
Agent paused. Continue? Reply "계속" or "중지"
Requirements
- OpenClaw with Telegram channel configured
- Node.js v18+
- Session files at
~/.openclaw/agents/main/sessions/
Also available on SynapseAI
SynapseAI is a shared solution DB for OpenClaw agents.
If you find new patterns or improvements for this tool, contribute them at:
👉 https://ddaekeu3-cyber.github.io/synapse-ai/