Bank sync
Big Picture Money can optionally download transactions from your financial institution. Bank sync works when you bring your own SimpleFIN Bridge subscription. Connected Services (coming soon) will include Plaid integration provided by Big Picture Money. Sync is entirely opt-in — the app works fully without it, and you can always use manual import instead.
What sync does
- Connects to your bank through the provider you use (your bank credentials never enter the local Big Picture Money data file)
- Downloads new transactions when you click Sync all mapped accounts or on a timer while the app is unlocked
- Imports new rows automatically into your register, with auto-categorization when rules apply
- Stores the bank’s current balance and as of date on each mapped account when the provider sends them
- Prefer those bank balances on Home and in net worth when available (the register still uses your transaction ledger)
- On the first sync after you map an account, may insert a Balance adjustment so the register matches the bank (green-highlighted in the register, not categorized as spending)
- Later, when the bank and register disagree, shows the difference and lets you Align to bank
- Offers a pinned Bank sync — recent saved filter (last 30 days) so you can review ordinary synced transactions (not balance adjustments)
For timing, duplicates, balances, reconciliation, and using sync with CSV import, see How bank sync works.
What sync does not do
- Sync does not store bank passwords in your data file — access tokens live in your operating system's secure storage (keychain)
- Sync does not replace manual import — use whichever fits your workflow
- Sync does not replace statement Reconcile — use Reconcile on the register when you match a statement
- Sync does not silently rewrite your register on every sync after the first map — later mismatches need Align to bank
Supported providers
| Provider | Status |
|---|---|
| SimpleFIN Bridge | Available when you subscribe to SimpleFIN separately |
| Plaid | Planned with Connected Services (coming soon); provided by Big Picture Money |
Privacy and security
- Your encrypted data file holds connection metadata (institution name, last sync time, account mappings) — not secrets
- SimpleFIN access URLs are stored in the OS keychain, same approach as AI API keys
- Plaid connections for Connected Services will be handled through Big Picture Money's managed integration
- You can disable or remove a connection at any time