diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
index 705f91452..3e347f92b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-please.yml
@@ -12,8 +12,29 @@ permissions:
 jobs:
   release-please:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    outputs:
+      release_created: ${{ steps.release.outputs.release_created }}
+      tag_name: ${{ steps.release.outputs.tag_name }}
     steps:
       - uses: googleapis/release-please-action@v4
+        id: release
         with:
           release-type: rust
           package-name: rtk
+
+  update-latest-tag:
+    name: Update 'latest' tag
+    needs: release-please
+    if: ${{ needs.release-please.outputs.release_created == 'true' }}
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+
+      - name: Update latest tag
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
+          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
+          git tag -fa latest -m "Latest stable release (${{ needs.release-please.outputs.tag_name }})"
+          git push origin latest --force
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index b36b9ca1e..1717c2bd4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -180,32 +180,6 @@ jobs:
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
-  update-latest-tag:
-    name: Update 'latest' tag
-    needs: release
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-        with:
-          fetch-depth: 0
-
-      - name: Get version
-        id: version
-        run: |
-          if [ "${{ github.event_name }}" = "workflow_dispatch" ]; then
-            echo "version=${{ github.event.inputs.tag }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          elif [[ "${{ github.ref }}" == refs/tags/* ]]; then
-            echo "version=${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
-          fi
-
-      - name: Update latest tag
-        run: |
-          git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
-          git config user.email "github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
-          git tag -fa latest -m "Latest stable release (${{ steps.version.outputs.version }})"
-          git push origin latest --force
-
   # TODO: Enable when HOMEBREW_TAP_TOKEN is configured
   # homebrew:
   #   name: Update Homebrew Tap
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f1c1e5884
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+  ".": "0.5.0"
+}
diff --git a/release-please-config.json b/release-please-config.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d404af7d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-please-config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "packages": {
+    ".": {
+      "release-type": "rust",
+      "package-name": "rtk",
+      "bump-minor-pre-major": true,
+      "bump-patch-for-minor-pre-major": true
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/ccusage.rs b/src/ccusage.rs
index 71a44082b..822cca15c 100644
--- a/src/ccusage.rs
+++ b/src/ccusage.rs
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ struct MonthlyEntry {
 
 // ── Public API ──
 
-/// Check if ccusage CLI is available in PATH
-pub fn is_available() -> bool {
+/// Check if ccusage binary exists in PATH
+fn binary_exists() -> bool {
     Command::new("which")
         .arg("ccusage")
         .output()
@@ -91,16 +91,47 @@ pub fn is_available() -> bool {
         .unwrap_or(false)
 }
 
+/// Build the ccusage command, falling back to npx if binary not in PATH
+fn build_command() -> Option<Command> {
+    if binary_exists() {
+        return Some(Command::new("ccusage"));
+    }
+
+    // Fallback: try npx
+    let npx_check = Command::new("npx")
+        .arg("ccusage")
+        .arg("--help")
+        .stdout(std::process::Stdio::null())
+        .stderr(std::process::Stdio::null())
+        .status();
+
+    if npx_check.map(|s| s.success()).unwrap_or(false) {
+        let mut cmd = Command::new("npx");
+        cmd.arg("ccusage");
+        return Some(cmd);
+    }
+
+    None
+}
+
+/// Check if ccusage CLI is available (binary or via npx)
+pub fn is_available() -> bool {
+    build_command().is_some()
+}
+
 /// Fetch usage data from ccusage for the last 90 days
 ///
 /// Returns `Ok(None)` if ccusage is unavailable (graceful degradation)
 /// Returns `Ok(Some(vec))` with parsed data on success
 /// Returns `Err` only on unexpected failures (JSON parse, etc.)
 pub fn fetch(granularity: Granularity) -> Result<Option<Vec<CcusagePeriod>>> {
-    if !is_available() {
-        eprintln!("⚠️  ccusage not found. Install: npm i -g ccusage");
-        return Ok(None);
-    }
+    let mut cmd = match build_command() {
+        Some(cmd) => cmd,
+        None => {
+            eprintln!("⚠️  ccusage not found. Install: npm i -g ccusage (or use npx ccusage)");
+            return Ok(None);
+        }
+    };
 
     let subcommand = match granularity {
         Granularity::Daily => "daily",
@@ -108,7 +139,7 @@ pub fn fetch(granularity: Granularity) -> Result<Option<Vec<CcusagePeriod>>> {
         Granularity::Monthly => "monthly",
     };
 
-    let output = Command::new("ccusage")
+    let output = cmd
         .arg(subcommand)
         .arg("--json")
         .arg("--since")