feat: Implement USD limits per time period per user #128

New Issue

2026-02-15T19:16:08-05:00

yindo commented

2026-02-15 19:16:08 -05:00

Originally created by @NightMachinery on GitHub (Sep 23, 2024).

Feature Request: Per-User Monthly Spending Limits

Description:

I appreciate the global request limits added in Issue #20. However, I need the ability to set customizable monthly spending limits per user.

Use Case:

I want to give my family and friends access to LLMs through Open WebUI, but I need to control costs by limiting how much each user can spend per month in USD.

Potential Solutions and Considerations:

Per-User Spending Limits:
- Allow setting individual monthly spending caps for each user.
Cost Estimation:
- Since determining the exact cost per model usage can be challenging, consider using heuristics such as:
  - Estimating costs based on token usage or number of requests.
  - Assigning a fixed cost per action or session.
Alternative Approaches:
- Implement per-user limits on usage metrics like tokens or requests, which correlate with costs.

Benefits:

Helps manage and predict overall spending.
Enables sharing access with others without unexpected expenses.

Thank you for considering this feature request.

Originally created by @NightMachinery on GitHub (Sep 23, 2024). **Feature Request: Per-User Monthly Spending Limits** **Description:** I appreciate the global request limits added in [Issue #20](https://github.com/open-webui/pipelines/issues/20). However, I need the ability to set customizable monthly spending limits per user. **Use Case:** I want to give my family and friends access to LLMs through Open WebUI, but I need to control costs by limiting how much each user can spend per month in USD. **Potential Solutions and Considerations:** - **Per-User Spending Limits:** - Allow setting individual monthly spending caps for each user. - **Cost Estimation:** - Since determining the exact cost per model usage can be challenging, consider using heuristics such as: - Estimating costs based on token usage or number of requests. - Assigning a fixed cost per action or session. - **Alternative Approaches:** - Implement per-user limits on usage metrics like tokens or requests, which correlate with costs. **Benefits:** - Helps manage and predict overall spending. - Enables sharing access with others without unexpected expenses. **Thank you for considering this feature request.**

yindo commented

2026-02-15 19:16:09 -05:00

@FarisHijazi commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2024):

can we just create a pipeline for this (not a filter, but a pipe), one that will add delays instead of raising an exception when the limit is exceeded.

@FarisHijazi commented on GitHub (Nov 30, 2024): can we just create a pipeline for this (not a filter, but a pipe), one that will add delays instead of raising an exception when the limit is exceeded.

yindo commented

2026-02-15 19:16:09 -05:00

@NicoWeio commented on GitHub (May 5, 2025):

@FarisHijazi I don't think delaying is reasonable on the timescale of months suggested by @NightMachinery. What you describe sounds more like (the usual) rate limiting, which in my opinion is a separate issue.

@NicoWeio commented on GitHub (May 5, 2025): @FarisHijazi I don't think delaying is reasonable on the timescale of months suggested by @NightMachinery. What you describe sounds more like (the usual) rate limiting, which in my opinion is a separate issue.

yindo commented

2026-02-15 19:16:09 -05:00