Connect BankSync to Claude Cowork
Claude Cowork is Anthropic's desktop AI agent for knowledge workers. It connects to external services through its Connectors system — MCP is used under the hood but is not exposed as a raw JSON config. You add BankSync through the Claude Cowork desktop UI.
Prerequisites
- A BankSync account with at least one connected bank
- An API key with all permission scopes (created from Workspace menu → Developers)
Requirements: Claude Cowork Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise subscription. Available on macOS and Windows.
Setup Steps
- Open the Claude Cowork desktop app and go to Settings → Connectors.
- Click Add Connector and select a custom MCP connector.
- Enter:
- Name: BankSync
- URL:
https://mcp.banksync.io - Authentication: API key (
X-API-Key: bsk_your_api_key_here)
- Authorize the connection when prompted.
Tip: The exact Connector UI path may vary as Cowork is actively developed. Refer to the Claude Cowork docs if the steps above differ in your version.
Verify Your Connection
After configuring your client, restart it and try these prompts to verify the connection is working:
“List my workspaces”
“What banks do I have connected?”
“What’s my checking account balance?”
Troubleshooting
“No tools available” or MCP server not listed
- Make sure you restarted your AI client after editing the configuration file.
- Verify the JSON is valid (no trailing commas, correct brackets).
- Check that the URL is exactly
https://mcp.banksync.io.
“Authentication failed” or “Invalid API key”
- Confirm the key starts with
bsk_and has not been revoked. - Ensure the key is in the
headersobject underX-API-Key. - Check for accidental whitespace or newlines around the key value.
Tools are listed but return errors
- Verify your API key has the required scopes. For full access, select all scopes when creating the key.
- Make sure you have at least one bank connected in the BankSync app.
- Check that you are passing the correct workspace ID when prompted.
Connection timeout or network errors
- The MCP server uses Streamable HTTP transport. Ensure your network or proxy allows outbound HTTPS connections.
- If using a VPN or firewall, allow connections to
mcp.banksync.io. - Try the connection from a different network to rule out local issues.
- If your client does not support remote HTTP servers, use the npm package instead:
npx -y @banksync/mcp
Debugging with MCP Inspector
- Use the MCP Inspector to test the connection independently of your AI client.
- Run:
npx @modelcontextprotocol/inspector --url https://mcp.banksync.io --header "X-API-Key: bsk_your_key" - If the Inspector connects successfully but your client does not, the issue is with your client configuration.