What you need
- Multimeter for macOS 13 or later, $19.99 once.
- The direct download version of Multimeter from this site (the Script source isn’t in the Mac App Store version).
doctl, signed in:brew install doctl, thendoctl auth initwith a read-only token.
Set it up
- Check it in Terminal:Command
doctl balance get -o json - Add a Script meter with that command and the key path
month_to_date_usage. - Refresh every 15 minutes. Set the range to 0 to your monthly budget and alerts on High values near it.
Multimeter settings
In Customize This Meter… (from the meter’s menu):
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | Script |
| Command | doctl balance get -o json |
| Key path | month_to_date_usage |
| Refresh every | 15 minutes |
| Range | 0 to your budget, like 100 |
| Alerts | High values: warning at 80% of budget, critical at budget |
| Label | DO |
| Face | Level Bar, Gradient Track or Pie |
Tested: Run on October 29, 2026 on our own account: returned month-to-date usage in about 1.5 seconds.
Script meters need the direct download version of Multimeter from this site, which is the one on sale now. How commands run, the PATH they see and the 10 second limit are in the Script meters guide.
Limits
- DigitalOcean updates the balance a few times a day, not live.
Variations
Without doctl
Use the API with a read-only token from the Keychain (see the Keychain step on other recipes):
Command
curl -s -m 8 -H "Authorization: Bearer $(security find-generic-password -s digitalocean -w)" https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/customers/my/balanceTroubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The script didn’t print a number | The command failed or printed an error message instead. | Run the exact command in Terminal. If it works there, check for tools that live outside the meter’s PATH and use their full path (which tool). |
| The script took longer than 10 seconds | A slow network call. Multimeter stops scripts after 10 seconds. | Keep the -m timeout on curl, and refresh less often. |
| Scripts need the version from multimeterapp.com | This copy of Multimeter came from the Mac App Store, which can’t run scripts. | Use the direct download version, or run the command from cron or launchd and point a File meter at its output. |
| Unable to authenticate you | doctl isn’t signed in, or the token was revoked. | Run doctl auth init again. |
Questions
Does this work in the Mac App Store version?
Script meters need the direct download version from multimeterapp.com, because the App Store sandbox doesn’t let apps run your commands. Web Address, File and Sent Value meters work in every version.
Does it need a token that can change things?
No. Create the token with read scope only.