The Ultimate OpenAI Spend Tracker for Engineering Teams
Frugal is an AI API cost management platform that connects directly to your OpenAI account to track spend in real-time, enforce budget limits, and alert you before unexpected bills occur.
The Problem
You gave your engineering team access to the OpenAI API to build incredible features, but now you have no idea how much they are spending until the end of the month.
Spreadsheets are outdated the moment you update them, and logging into the OpenAI dashboard constantly is a waste of time. Worse, a single runaway development loop or poorly optimized prompt can silently drain thousands of dollars overnight.
The Solution
Frugal provides a centralized dashboard to track your OpenAI API costs automatically. We poll your usage data every 5 minutes so you never get surprised by a massive bill again.
It's the easiest way to give your team the AI access they need with the financial guardrails you demand.
Everything you need to control spend
Real-time Polling
See your spend updated every 5 minutes, not just at the end of the month.
Budget Enforcement
Set hard caps that automatically trigger alerts when approaching limits.
AES-256 Encryption
Your API keys are securely encrypted server-side. We never expose them.
"Frugal saved us from a $2,000 runaway loop in our dev environment. The Slack alert fired the minute the loop started, allowing us to kill the process instantly."
— Startup Founder
How it works
Connect Your Account
Securely add your OpenAI API key (encrypted with AES-256).
Set Budget Rules
Define monthly financial limits for your entire team or specific projects.
Get Alerts
Receive Slack and email notifications the exact moment you hit 80% of your budget.
Frugal vs Alternatives
| Feature | Frugal | DIY Scripts | Enterprise Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Time | 5 minutes | Days of engineering | Weeks of onboarding |
| Cost | Accessible SaaS | "Free" (Costs dev time) | $1,000+/mo |
| Custom BI Integrations | No | Yes | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
We are here to help you with any questions you may have. If you don't find what you need, please contact us at support@getfrugal.dev
What is Frugal?
Frugal is an AI API cost management platform that connects directly to your OpenAI account to track spend in real-time, enforce budget limits, and alert you before unexpected bills occur.
Does Frugal act as a proxy?
No, Frugal polls usage data directly from provider APIs on a 5-minute cron schedule. There is no proxy layer, ensuring zero latency to your actual API requests.
How are my API keys secured?
All API keys are encrypted using AES-256 before storage and are only decrypted server-side during the polling execution.
Which AI providers do you support?
We currently support OpenAI, Anthropic, Replicate, and fal.ai, with more providers being added regularly.
What happens if I hit my budget limit?
Frugal sends automated alerts via email and Slack before your costs spiral, allowing you to take immediate action to pause or investigate usage.
Do you offer a free trial?
Yes, we offer a 14-day free trial with full access to all tracking and alerting features, no credit card required.