diff --git a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/gitops/GitOpsTableView.tsx b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/gitops/GitOpsTableView.tsx
index cd2d9cb3d..db8d4b332 100644
--- a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/gitops/GitOpsTableView.tsx
+++ b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/gitops/GitOpsTableView.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
 import { HealthStatusBadge, SyncStatusBadge } from './GitOpsStatusBadge'
 import { Tooltip } from '../ui/Tooltip'
 import { RowActionMenu, type RowActionItem } from '../ui/RowActionMenu'
+import { UpdatedAtLabel } from '../ui/UpdatedAtLabel'
 import { getGitOpsResourceStatus } from './detail-helpers'
 import { isArgoSuspendedByRadar } from '../resources/resource-utils-argo'
 import { toggleSet } from './GitOpsGraphFilterRail'
@@ -164,6 +165,13 @@ export interface GitOpsTableViewProps {
   counts: Record<string, number>
   // Caller refresh — typically invalidates its useQuery + refetches.
   onRefresh?: () => void
+  // When set, an "Updated N ago" freshness label renders next to the refresh
+  // button (epoch ms of the last successful load — e.g. React Query's
+  // dataUpdatedAt). Keeps freshness in the existing toolbar, no separate band.
+  dataUpdatedAt?: number
+  // Spins the refresh button during background refetches (vs. `loading`, which
+  // only covers the first load). Optional.
+  isFetching?: boolean
   // Row click — caller routes to its own detail page. When the host also
   // passes `rowHrefFor`, the callback receives the MouseEvent so it can
   // `preventDefault()` for SPA-local nav (e.g. react-router) or skip the
@@ -234,6 +242,8 @@ export function GitOpsTableView({
   error,
   counts,
   onRefresh,
+  dataUpdatedAt,
+  isFetching,
   onRowClick,
   rowHrefFor,
   onDestinationClick,
@@ -633,6 +643,7 @@ export function GitOpsTableView({
               <GitOpsIconToggle active={viewMode === 'table'} label="Table view" icon={List} onClick={() => setViewMode('table')} />
               <GitOpsIconToggle active={viewMode === 'tiles'} label="Tiles view" icon={LayoutGrid} onClick={() => setViewMode('tiles')} />
             </div>
+            {dataUpdatedAt != null && <UpdatedAtLabel dataUpdatedAt={dataUpdatedAt} />}
             {onRefresh && (
               <Tooltip content="Refresh GitOps resources">
                 <button
@@ -640,7 +651,7 @@ export function GitOpsTableView({
                   onClick={onRefresh}
                   className="inline-flex h-8 w-8 items-center justify-center rounded-md border border-theme-border bg-theme-base text-theme-text-secondary hover:bg-theme-hover hover:text-theme-text-primary"
                 >
-                  <RefreshCw className={`h-3.5 w-3.5 ${loading ? 'animate-spin' : ''}`} />
+                  <RefreshCw className={`h-3.5 w-3.5 ${loading || isFetching ? 'animate-spin' : ''}`} />
                 </button>
               </Tooltip>
             )}
diff --git a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx
index febd27eb6..ee001cf79 100644
--- a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx
+++ b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/resources/ResourcesView.tsx
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ import {
 } from './resource-utils'
 import { SEVERITY_BADGE, EVENT_TYPE_COLORS } from '../../utils/badge-colors'
 import { pluralize } from '../../utils/pluralize'
+import { formatLastUpdatedBucket, msToNextBucket } from '../../utils/format'
 import { Tooltip } from '../ui/Tooltip'
 // CRD-specific cell components (extracted)
 import { GitRepositoryCell, OCIRepositoryCell, HelmRepositoryCell, KustomizationCell, FluxHelmReleaseCell, FluxAlertCell } from './renderers/flux-cells'
@@ -1861,27 +1862,6 @@ function getInitialFiltersFromURL() {
 // Sort state type
 type SortDirection = 'asc' | 'desc' | null
 
-// Coarse "just now / Xm / Xh / Xd" buckets — finer-grained updates
-// add motion in the periphery without aiding any user decision.
-function formatLastUpdatedBucket(elapsedMs: number): string {
-  const elapsedSec = Math.max(0, Math.floor(elapsedMs / 1000))
-  if (elapsedSec < 60) return 'just now'
-  const minutes = Math.floor(elapsedSec / 60)
-  if (minutes < 60) return `${minutes}m`
-  const hours = Math.floor(minutes / 60)
-  if (hours < 24) return `${hours}h`
-  return `${Math.floor(hours / 24)}d`
-}
-
-// ms until the displayed bucket would change.
-function msToNextBucket(elapsedMs: number): number {
-  const elapsed = Math.max(0, elapsedMs)
-  if (elapsed < 60_000) return 60_000 - elapsed
-  if (elapsed < 3_600_000) return 60_000 - (elapsed % 60_000)
-  if (elapsed < 86_400_000) return 3_600_000 - (elapsed % 3_600_000)
-  return 86_400_000 - (elapsed % 86_400_000)
-}
-
 // Isolated subtree so re-renders don't cascade into the parent's
 // virtualized table.
 function LastUpdatedLabel({ lastUpdated }: { lastUpdated: Date }) {
diff --git a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/UpdatedAtLabel.tsx b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/UpdatedAtLabel.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41d2169b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/UpdatedAtLabel.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from 'react'
+import { clsx } from 'clsx'
+import { formatUpdatedAgo, msToNextBucket } from '../../utils/format'
+
+interface UpdatedAtLabelProps {
+  // Epoch ms of the last successful load — e.g. React Query's dataUpdatedAt.
+  dataUpdatedAt: number
+  className?: string
+}
+
+// Standalone "Updated N ago" freshness label. Re-renders exactly when the
+// displayed bucket would change (not every second) via msToNextBucket. Pair it
+// with a host-owned refresh button (the GitOps table and Audit header both do).
+export function UpdatedAtLabel({ dataUpdatedAt, className }: UpdatedAtLabelProps) {
+  const [, force] = useState(0)
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (dataUpdatedAt <= 0) return
+    let id: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>
+    function schedule() {
+      const delay = Math.max(1000, msToNextBucket(Date.now() - dataUpdatedAt))
+      id = setTimeout(() => {
+        force((t) => t + 1)
+        schedule()
+      }, delay)
+    }
+    schedule()
+    return () => clearTimeout(id)
+  }, [dataUpdatedAt])
+
+  const label = dataUpdatedAt > 0 ? `Updated ${formatUpdatedAgo(Date.now() - dataUpdatedAt)}` : 'Not yet loaded'
+
+  return (
+    <span className={clsx('whitespace-nowrap tabular-nums text-xs text-theme-text-tertiary', className)}>
+      {label}
+    </span>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/index.ts b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/index.ts
index 2b31f1554..2af6497cd 100644
--- a/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/index.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s-ui/src/components/ui/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 export { Tooltip } from './Tooltip'
+export { UpdatedAtLabel } from './UpdatedAtLabel'
 export { PaneLoader } from './PaneLoader'
 export { ClusterName } from './ClusterName'
 export { MiddleEllipsis } from './MiddleEllipsis'
diff --git a/packages/k8s-ui/src/utils/format.ts b/packages/k8s-ui/src/utils/format.ts
index 6953567f1..12a214d98 100644
--- a/packages/k8s-ui/src/utils/format.ts
+++ b/packages/k8s-ui/src/utils/format.ts
@@ -192,6 +192,38 @@ export function formatCompactAge(value?: string): string {
   return `${Math.floor(hours / 24)}d`
 }
 
+// Coarse "just now / Xm / Xh / Xd" buckets for freshness labels — finer-grained
+// updates add motion in the periphery without aiding any user decision.
+export function formatLastUpdatedBucket(elapsedMs: number): string {
+  const elapsedSec = Math.max(0, Math.floor(elapsedMs / 1000))
+  if (elapsedSec < 60) return 'just now'
+  const minutes = Math.floor(elapsedSec / 60)
+  if (minutes < 60) return `${minutes}m`
+  const hours = Math.floor(minutes / 60)
+  if (hours < 24) return `${hours}h`
+  return `${Math.floor(hours / 24)}d`
+}
+
+// ms until the bucket produced by formatLastUpdatedBucket would change — lets a
+// ticker re-render exactly on the boundary instead of polling every second.
+export function msToNextBucket(elapsedMs: number): number {
+  const elapsed = Math.max(0, elapsedMs)
+  if (elapsed < 60_000) return 60_000 - elapsed
+  if (elapsed < 3_600_000) return 60_000 - (elapsed % 60_000)
+  if (elapsed < 86_400_000) return 3_600_000 - (elapsed % 3_600_000)
+  return 86_400_000 - (elapsed % 86_400_000)
+}
+
+// Freshness phrasing for "Updated X" indicators: just now / Xm ago / Xh ago /
+// over a day ago. An exact day count is noise for an auto-refresh signal, so
+// anything past 24h collapses to "over a day ago".
+export function formatUpdatedAgo(elapsedMs: number): string {
+  const bucket = formatLastUpdatedBucket(elapsedMs)
+  if (bucket === 'just now') return 'just now'
+  if (bucket.endsWith('d')) return 'over a day ago'
+  return `${bucket} ago`
+}
+
 export function formatRelativeAgeTime(value?: string, fallback = '-'): string {
   if (!value) return fallback
   const time = Date.parse(value)
diff --git a/web/src/components/audit/AuditView.tsx b/web/src/components/audit/AuditView.tsx
index f6e39a165..a865f3a3b 100644
--- a/web/src/components/audit/AuditView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/audit/AuditView.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { useState, useCallback } from 'react'
 import { useAudit, useAuditSettings, useUpdateAuditSettings } from '../../api/client'
 import type { SelectedResource } from '../../types'
-import { ChecksView, PaneLoader, type CheckResourceRef } from '@skyhook-io/k8s-ui'
-import { ArrowLeft, ClipboardCheck, Settings } from 'lucide-react'
+import { ChecksView, PaneLoader, UpdatedAtLabel, useRefreshAnimation, type CheckResourceRef } from '@skyhook-io/k8s-ui'
+import { ArrowLeft, ClipboardCheck, RefreshCw, Settings } from 'lucide-react'
+import { clsx } from 'clsx'
 import { AuditSettingsDialog } from './AuditSettingsDialog'
 
 interface AuditViewProps {
@@ -18,13 +19,16 @@ interface AuditViewProps {
 // ~/.radar settings are this cluster's "policy" and the row hide-menu writes to
 // them.
 export function AuditView({ namespaces, onBack, onNavigateToResource }: AuditViewProps) {
-  const { data, isLoading, error } = useAudit(namespaces)
+  const { data, isLoading, error, isFetching, dataUpdatedAt, refetch } = useAudit(namespaces)
   const { data: auditSettings } = useAuditSettings()
   const updateSettings = useUpdateAuditSettings()
   const [showSettings, setShowSettings] = useState(false)
 
   const ignoredCount = auditSettings?.ignoredNamespaces?.length ?? 0
 
+  const [refresh, isAnimating] = useRefreshAnimation(() => refetch())
+  const spinning = isFetching || isAnimating
+
   // Inline hide actions — persist to local settings immediately.
   const hideCheck = useCallback((checkID: string) => {
     if (!auditSettings) return
@@ -87,6 +91,18 @@ export function AuditView({ namespaces, onBack, onNavigateToResource }: AuditVie
           </p>
         </div>
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2 shrink-0">
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+            <UpdatedAtLabel dataUpdatedAt={dataUpdatedAt} />
+            <button
+              onClick={refresh}
+              disabled={spinning}
+              className="p-1.5 rounded-lg hover:bg-theme-hover text-theme-text-tertiary hover:text-theme-text-secondary transition-colors disabled:opacity-50"
+              title="Refresh now"
+              aria-label="Refresh now"
+            >
+              <RefreshCw className={clsx('w-3.5 h-3.5', spinning && 'animate-spin')} />
+            </button>
+          </div>
           {ignoredCount > 0 && (
             <button onClick={() => setShowSettings(true)} className="text-xs text-theme-text-tertiary hover:text-theme-text-secondary transition-colors">{ignoredCount} {ignoredCount === 1 ? 'namespace' : 'namespaces'} hidden</button>
           )}
diff --git a/web/src/components/gitops/GitOpsView.tsx b/web/src/components/gitops/GitOpsView.tsx
index 09f7912d0..fcc9f525b 100644
--- a/web/src/components/gitops/GitOpsView.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/gitops/GitOpsView.tsx
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ function GitOpsTableView({ namespaces, onClearNamespaces }: { namespaces: string
   // inviting a duplicate request. Radar serves reads from an informer cache that
   // lags the write by the watch-propagation delay, so refetch once now (covers
   // an already-current cache) and once shortly after to catch the propagated
-  // update; refetch() forces a fetch regardless of staleTime.
+  // update; refetch() forces a fetch regardless of staleTime. The toolbar's
+  // manual refresh reuses refetchTable so rows + counts stay in sync.
   const refetchTable = () => {
     rowsQuery.refetch()
     countsQuery.refetch()
@@ -249,7 +250,9 @@ function GitOpsTableView({ namespaces, onClearNamespaces }: { namespaces: string
         loading={apiResourcesLoading || countsQuery.isLoading || rowsQuery.isLoading}
         error={(rowsQuery.error as Error | null) ?? null}
         counts={countsQuery.data?.counts ?? {}}
-        onRefresh={() => rowsQuery.refetch()}
+        dataUpdatedAt={rowsQuery.dataUpdatedAt}
+        isFetching={rowsQuery.isFetching || countsQuery.isFetching}
+        onRefresh={refetchTable}
         onRowClick={(row) => {
           const ns = row.namespace || '_'
           const params = new URLSearchParams()