diff --git a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/AppStore.swift b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/AppStore.swift
index aab72636..c2c64124 100644
--- a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/AppStore.swift
+++ b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/AppStore.swift
@@ -58,6 +58,38 @@ final class AppStore {
     var dailyBudget: Double = UserDefaults.standard.double(forKey: "CodeBurnDailyBudget") {
         didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(dailyBudget, forKey: "CodeBurnDailyBudget") }
     }
+    // Token-denominated daily budget, used when the display metric is token-based.
+    // Stored separately from the cost budget so switching metric never reinterprets
+    // a dollar threshold as a token count (or vice versa).
+    var dailyTokenBudget: Double = UserDefaults.standard.double(forKey: "CodeBurnDailyTokenBudget") {
+        didSet { UserDefaults.standard.set(dailyTokenBudget, forKey: "CodeBurnDailyTokenBudget") }
+    }
+
+    /// True when the menubar metric counts tokens rather than cost.
+    var isTokenMetric: Bool { displayMetric == .tokens || displayMetric == .totalTokens }
+
+    /// Active daily-budget threshold for the current metric: a token count when
+    /// tracking tokens, otherwise USD cost. 0 means the alert is off.
+    var activeDailyBudget: Double { isTokenMetric ? dailyTokenBudget : dailyBudget }
+
+    /// Today's total in the active metric (USD cost, or input+output tokens),
+    /// or nil when today's payload has not loaded yet.
+    var todayMetricTotal: Double? {
+        guard let current = todayPayload?.current else { return nil }
+        return isTokenMetric ? Double(current.inputTokens + current.outputTokens) : current.cost
+    }
+
+    /// True when today's usage has reached or passed the active daily budget.
+    var isOverDailyBudget: Bool {
+        guard activeDailyBudget > 0, let total = todayMetricTotal else { return false }
+        return total >= activeDailyBudget
+    }
+
+    /// The active daily-budget threshold formatted for display (currency or tokens).
+    var dailyBudgetLabel: String {
+        isTokenMetric ? "\(activeDailyBudget.asCompactTokens()) tokens" : activeDailyBudget.asCurrency()
+    }
+
     var isLoading: Bool { loadingCountsByKey.values.contains { $0 > 0 } }
     var isCurrentKeyLoading: Bool { loadingCountsByKey[currentKey, default: 0] > 0 }
     var hasAttemptedCurrentKeyLoad: Bool { attemptedKeys.contains(currentKey) }
@@ -1228,6 +1260,14 @@ private let thousandsFormatter: NumberFormatter = {
         let state = CurrencyState.shared
         return "\(state.symbol)\(Int((self * state.rate).rounded()))"
     }
+
+    func asCompactTokens() -> String {
+        let n = self
+        if n >= 1_000_000_000 { return String(format: "%.1fB", n / 1_000_000_000) }
+        if n >= 1_000_000 { return String(format: "%.1fM", n / 1_000_000) }
+        if n >= 1_000 { return String(format: "%.0fK", n / 1_000) }
+        return String(format: "%.0f", n)
+    }
 }
 
 extension Int {
diff --git a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
index d4303871..e3fbab43 100644
--- a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
+++ b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/CodeBurnApp.swift
@@ -589,6 +589,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSPopoverDelegate {
             _ = self.store.currency
             _ = self.store.displayMetric
             _ = self.store.dailyBudget
+            _ = self.store.dailyTokenBudget
             // Track the live-quota state too so the flame icon re-tints on
             // every subscription / codex usage update, not just every 30s.
             _ = self.store.subscription
@@ -692,8 +693,7 @@ final class AppDelegate: NSObject, NSApplicationDelegate, NSPopoverDelegate {
         // user gets a glanceable signal even when the menu bar is busy.
         let aggregate = store.aggregateQuotaStatus
         var tint = Self.flameTint(for: aggregate.severity)
-        if tint == nil, store.dailyBudget > 0,
-           let todayCost = store.todayPayload?.current.cost, todayCost >= store.dailyBudget {
+        if tint == nil, store.isOverDailyBudget {
             tint = NSColor.systemYellow
         }
         let flameConfig: NSImage.SymbolConfiguration
diff --git a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/HeroSection.swift b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/HeroSection.swift
index 431bde94..de4f24a4 100644
--- a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/HeroSection.swift
+++ b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/HeroSection.swift
@@ -55,13 +55,11 @@ struct HeroSection: View {
 
             if !store.isDayMode,
                store.selectedPeriod == .today,
-               store.dailyBudget > 0,
-               let todayCost = store.todayPayload?.current.cost,
-               todayCost >= store.dailyBudget {
+               store.isOverDailyBudget {
                 HStack(spacing: 4) {
                     Image(systemName: "exclamationmark.triangle.fill")
                         .font(.system(size: 10))
-                    Text("Daily budget of \(store.dailyBudget.asCurrency()) exceeded")
+                    Text("Daily budget of \(store.dailyBudgetLabel) exceeded")
                         .font(.system(size: 11, weight: .medium))
                 }
                 .foregroundStyle(.orange)
diff --git a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/SettingsView.swift b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/SettingsView.swift
index 53c1755e..cb664bfe 100644
--- a/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/SettingsView.swift
+++ b/mac/Sources/CodeBurnMenubar/Views/SettingsView.swift
@@ -73,18 +73,35 @@ private struct GeneralSettingsTab: View {
             }
 
             Section("Alerts") {
-                Picker("Daily budget", selection: Binding(
-                    get: { store.dailyBudget },
-                    set: { store.dailyBudget = $0 }
-                )) {
-                    Text("Off").tag(0.0)
-                    Text("$25").tag(25.0)
-                    Text("$50").tag(50.0)
-                    Text("$100").tag(100.0)
-                    Text("$200").tag(200.0)
-                    Text("$500").tag(500.0)
+                // The budget tracks whatever the menubar metric shows: dollars for
+                // the Cost metric, tokens for the Tokens / Total Tokens metrics.
+                if store.isTokenMetric {
+                    Picker("Daily budget", selection: Binding(
+                        get: { store.dailyTokenBudget },
+                        set: { store.dailyTokenBudget = $0 }
+                    )) {
+                        Text("Off").tag(0.0)
+                        Text("1M").tag(1_000_000.0)
+                        Text("5M").tag(5_000_000.0)
+                        Text("10M").tag(10_000_000.0)
+                        Text("25M").tag(25_000_000.0)
+                        Text("50M").tag(50_000_000.0)
+                        Text("100M").tag(100_000_000.0)
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    Picker("Daily budget", selection: Binding(
+                        get: { store.dailyBudget },
+                        set: { store.dailyBudget = $0 }
+                    )) {
+                        Text("Off").tag(0.0)
+                        Text("$25").tag(25.0)
+                        Text("$50").tag(50.0)
+                        Text("$100").tag(100.0)
+                        Text("$200").tag(200.0)
+                        Text("$500").tag(500.0)
+                    }
                 }
-                Text("Flame icon turns yellow when you pass the daily budget.")
+                Text("Flame icon turns yellow when today's \(store.isTokenMetric ? "tokens" : "cost") pass the daily budget.")
                     .font(.system(size: 11))
                     .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
             }