---
title: "Spend caps and alerts · Agent Wranglers"
url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts
parts: 4
tokens_total: 2731
updated: 2026-10-22
tokens: 613
licence: "CC BY 4.0"
licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
---

# Spend caps and alerts

For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Usage-based billing](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing.md).

By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-22.

> Let customers set a hard cap on their spend and warn them before they reach it. Split caps by key or member, and show usage that matches the invoice.

**For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `<a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts">Agent Wranglers usage-based billing playbook</a>`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.

## Required

- USG-15 [Let customers cap their spend](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts/customer-spend-cap.md) · 983 tokens · updated 2026-10-22
  Let every customer on a usage or overage plan set a monthly spend cap. Refuse metered work that would pass it, before the work starts.

## Recommended

- USG-16 [Warn customers before they reach a cap or run out](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts/usage-alerts.md) · 551 tokens · updated 2026-10-22
  Email the billing contact when usage reaches 50%, 80% and 100% of the spend cap or the prepaid balance. Send each alert once per period.
- USG-17 [Show live usage that matches the invoice](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts/usage-dashboard.md) · 548 tokens · updated 2026-10-22
  Show customers their usage and charges for the current period, per meter and per day, computed by the same code that builds the invoice.
- USG-18 [Let owners set a cap on each member and key](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/spend-caps-and-alerts/scoped-spend-caps.md) · 649 tokens · updated 2026-10-22
  Let an organisation owner set a spend cap on each member, API key and agent, below the organisation's cap. Refuse work at whichever cap is reached first.

- Previous: [Margins and model cost](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/margins-and-model-cost.md)
- Next: [Usage on invoices](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing/usage-on-invoices.md)
- [All chapters](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/usage-billing.md)