Connecting a bank
FlyBudget can import transactions automatically through two services. Both are optional: CSV import works with almost every bank and costs nothing.
| Plaid | SimpleFIN Bridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free Plaid developer account | $1.50 per month, paid to SimpleFIN |
| Setup | Sign up for a Plaid developer account, then enter your client ID and secret | Create an account at SimpleFIN Bridge, then paste a setup token |
| Best for | People comfortable with developer dashboards | Most people |
Connect either one from Settings → Connected Banks, or from the welcome screen.
Plaid
- Create a free developer account at Plaid and copy your client ID and secret.
- Enter them in Settings → Connected Banks. Use Sandbox to try it with test banks, or Production for your real accounts.
- Choose Connect Bank. Plaid's sign-in opens in your web browser, which is how banks that use their own login page (like Chase) are supported.
- Choose which FlyBudget account each bank account belongs to.
Disconnecting a bank revokes its access at Plaid before FlyBudget forgets it.
SimpleFIN
- Sign up at SimpleFIN Bridge and connect your banks there.
- Create a setup token and paste it into FlyBudget.
- Choose which FlyBudget account each bank account belongs to.
FlyBudget exchanges the one-time token for a private access link, stored encrypted. To stop syncing completely, disconnect in FlyBudget and remove the app in SimpleFIN Bridge.
How syncing works
- New transactions are imported when FlyBudget starts and whenever you choose Sync Now.
- Your rules run on every imported transaction.
- Reconciled transactions are never changed by a sync.
- Account balances are adjusted to match what your bank reports.
Your credentials
Bank tokens never leave the FlyBudget server, and they are encrypted at rest. They are never included in backups. See the security overview for details.