Connect BankSync to Claude Desktop

Connect BankSync MCP server to Claude Desktop for natural language access to bank transactions, balances, and investments in Anthropic's desktop app.

See the Claude Desktop MCP docs for more detail.

Add the official connector

BankSync is listed in Claude’s connector directory. Add it, sign in with your BankSync account and choose a workspace. Claude handles the OAuth sign-in, so there is no API key or config file. Works in Claude Desktop and on claude.ai.

Add BankSync to Claude

Need a file-based or headless setup? Use an API key instead, below.

Prerequisites

A BankSync account with at least one connected bank
For the API-key setup: a key with all permission scopes (created from Workspace → Developers)

Desktop Extension (Claude Desktop app)

Prefer a file-based install? Download the BankSync bundle, open it with Claude Desktop and enter an API key when prompted.

Download banksync-mcp.mcpb

Configuration

Add the BankSync server to your Claude Desktop MCP configuration, replacing the placeholder with your API key:

MCP config (JSON)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "banksync": {
      "url": "https://mcp.banksync.io",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "bsk_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Where it goes: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) · %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows)

npm package (local stdio bridge — use if your Claude Desktop version does not support remote HTTP servers; requires Node.js)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "banksync": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@banksync/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "BANKSYNC_API_KEY": "bsk_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Tip. Prefer a file-based setup? The one-click Desktop Extension (.mcpb) also works: open it with Claude Desktop and enter your API key when prompted. The download link always serves the latest release.

Server URL. BankSync’s MCP server is at https://mcp.banksync.io over Streamable HTTP. Clients sign in with OAuth, or send an API key in the X-API-Key header. If Claude Desktop can’t reach a remote server, use the local bridge npx -y @banksync/mcp with BANKSYNC_API_KEY set.

Verify your connection

Restart your client and try these prompts to confirm the connection works:

“List my workspaces”

“What banks do I have connected?”

“What’s my checking account balance?”

Troubleshooting

“No tools available” or the MCP server is not listed

Make sure you restarted your AI client after editing the config file.
Verify the JSON/YAML is valid (no trailing commas, correct brackets).
Check 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 passed in the X-API-Key header.
Check for stray whitespace or newlines around the key value.

Connection timeout or the client lacks remote HTTP support

The server uses Streamable HTTP. Allow outbound HTTPS to mcp.banksync.io.
If your client only supports local servers, use the npm bridge: npx -y @banksync/mcp.

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.

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 but your client does not, the issue is your client configuration.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

On macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. On Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json.

What is the easiest way to add BankSync to Claude?

Add BankSync from Claude's connector directory (claude.ai/directory/banksync) and sign in with your BankSync account. Claude handles the OAuth sign-in, so there is no API key or config file. The connector works in Claude Desktop and on claude.ai.

Does Claude Desktop support remote MCP servers?

Yes. Claude Desktop supports remote MCP servers via Streamable HTTP natively. The official connector uses that with OAuth; you can also add the remote URL and an API key to the config file.

Can I use the npm package instead of the remote URL?

Yes. If your version of Claude Desktop does not support remote HTTP servers, you can use the @banksync/mcp npm package as a local stdio bridge. This requires Node.js to be installed.

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