Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

What is Tokenade?

Tokenade is a local MCP proxy that automatically cuts the token usage of AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, GitHub Copilot, Kilo, Windsurf, Cline, and more). It intercepts agent–LLM traffic, filters noisy shell output, replaces whole-file reads with skeleton or semantic search, and loads MCP tools lazily — without touching your code or prompts.

Which agents and IDEs does Tokenade work with?

Tokenade works with any MCP-compatible agent: Claude Code, Cursor, GitHub Copilot (agent mode), Kilo Code, Windsurf (Cascade), Cline, Codex CLI, and any other MCP client. OS support: Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Is Tokenade free?

Yes. The Free plan is free forever, no credit card required. It covers up to ~20 million tokens saved per month. Beyond that, the Pro plan is $9.90/mo (excl. tax). You can cancel anytime.

What happens when I hit the 20 million free-tier cap?

Optimizations continue, but some advanced features (more aggressive compression, detailed dashboard analytics) are gated to the Pro plan. You receive a notification in the dashboard before reaching the limit.

How many machines can I use with one Pro license?

One Pro license covers 3 simultaneous installations (3 machines or 3 user profiles). If you need more seats, you can purchase additional licenses.

Does Tokenade send my code or prompts to external servers?

No. Tokenade runs entirely locally. The only telemetry it sends is token-savings metadata: operation type + before/after token counts. No code, no prompts, no file paths are transmitted. Any secrets that appear in shell output are redacted before logging.

Which operating systems does Tokenade support?

Linux, macOS, and Windows are all officially supported. Installation is via npm/npx — no native binary required.

How do I install and activate Tokenade?

Run `npx tokenade init` in your terminal. The command detects your agent, updates its MCP configuration, and starts the local proxy. For Claude Code specifically, it writes the tokenade MCP server entry into ~/.claude/settings.json automatically.

How many tokens does Tokenade actually save?

Savings depend on the agent and project. On typical Claude Code development sessions, users report 40–80% fewer tokens consumed. The Tokenade dashboard shows your real-time savings.

Is Tokenade open source?

Tokenade's proxy core is source-available under the MIT license. You can audit the code and verify exactly what is intercepted and how. The source is on GitHub.

How is Tokenade different from other token optimizers?

Most optimizers work at the prompt level (truncation, summarization). Tokenade works at the MCP transport layer: it structurally replaces expensive tools (full file reads, verbose bash) with compact equivalents (skeleton, semantic_search, exec_compact). The result is systematic reduction without quality loss — not an approximate summary.

How do I cancel my Pro subscription?

Cancel from the Tokenade dashboard → Settings → Subscription, or email [email protected]. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period; Pro access remains active until then.