---
title: "How to give Aider access to your bank account"
description: "Aider has no MCP support, so use the bankbridge command: install it, sign in, then /run it from the chat. Read-only, about two minutes."
slug: "how-to-give-aider-access-to-your-bank-account"
url: "https://bankbridge.money/guides/how-to-give-aider-access-to-your-bank-account"
category: "how-to"
published: "2026-11-06"
updated: "2026-11-06"
---
# How to give Aider access to your bank account

> Aider has no MCP support, so it can't use an MCP server. It does run shell commands. Install the bankbridge command, run bankbridge login with an API key ($5/month per connected bank), then type /run bankbridge recurring --json inside Aider and add the output to the chat. Everything is read-only, and BankBridge keeps no copy of your balances or transactions.

## 1\. Try it with fictional data

Install the [bankbridge command](https://bankbridge.money/cli). It puts one binary in `~/.local/bin` and doesn’t change any agent’s settings.

terminal

```
curl -fsSL https://bankbridge.money/install.sh | sh
bankbridge accounts --demo
```

## 2\. Connect your bank

Sign up at [bankbridge.money/login](https://bankbridge.money/login). Pricing is $5/month per connected bank, and checkout is Stripe. Then click **Connect a bank**, find your bank and sign in, in a window hosted by our bank-data provider. Most banks take about 30 seconds.

Copy an API key from [settings](https://bankbridge.money/dashboard/settings) and save it:

terminal

```
bankbridge login
```

## 3\. Use it from Aider

Aider reads the outside world through shell commands. `/run` (or `!`) runs one and asks whether to add the output to the chat:

inside aider

```
> /run bankbridge recurring --json
Add 1.6k tokens of command output to the chat? (Y)es/(N)o [Yes]: y
> Which of these should I cancel to save $100 a month?
```

For a bigger question, export a file and open it read-only: `bankbridge transactions --month 2026-10 -o october.csv`, then `aider --read october.csv`.

[The full setup doc](https://bankbridge.money/docs/aider) has every step.

## 4\. Check it works

try this

```
/run bankbridge accounts --json
```

If your balances come back, every other command will work too. `bankbridge --help` lists them: transactions, spending, recurring, cashflow, holdings and more.

## Where your data goes

-   **Read-only.** No command can move money, send a payment or change an account.
-   **No copy on our side.** BankBridge keeps no balances or transactions. We store your account, your API key hash and an encrypted bank token.
-   **Your disk, your file.** Exports are written to your machine, readable by your user only.
-   **The model sees what you add.** Output you put in the conversation goes to the model provider you configured in Aider.

## FAQ

### Does Aider support MCP?

No. Aider has no MCP option in its settings, and requests for it are still open on its GitHub. The command line tool is how it reaches BankBridge.

### Can Aider run bankbridge commands by itself?

Aider's model can suggest shell commands, and Aider asks you before running each one. Load a short conventions file with aider --read CONVENTIONS.md that says bankbridge exists, and it will suggest the right command when you ask about money.

### What does it cost to use BankBridge with Aider?

$5 per month per connected bank, or $50 per year per bank. The command line tool comes with the subscription and reads the same banks as every other app you connect. You can try it on fictional data with bankbridge accounts --demo before signing up.

### Can Aider move money through BankBridge?

No. Every command only reads. Nothing in BankBridge can send a payment, move money or change an account, whatever the model asks for.