YNAB
An MCP server that exposes the full YNAB API, allowing LLMs to read and manage budgets, accounts, and transactions through natural language. It features 49 specialized tools for comprehensive financial management, including category updates, money mo
What is YNAB?
YNAB is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to mcp server that exposes the full ynab api, allowing llms to read and manage budgets, accounts, and transactions through natural language. it features 49 specialized tools for comprehensive financial m...
An MCP server that exposes the full YNAB API, allowing LLMs to read and manage budgets, accounts, and transactions through natural language. It features 49 specialized tools for comprehensive financial management, including category updates, money mo
This server falls under the Finance & Fintech category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- An MCP server that exposes the full YNAB API, allowing LLMs
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y ynabManual Installation
npx -y ynabConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use YNAB
The YNAB MCP server exposes the full You Need A Budget (YNAB) API through 49 specialized tools, allowing AI assistants to read and manage your entire budget using natural language. It covers every YNAB entity — budgets, accounts, categories, transactions, payees, scheduled transactions, and monthly summaries — and also includes guided workflow prompts for common tasks like monthly reviews, transaction audits, and credit-card reconciliation. Developers and power YNAB users reach for it when they want to ask questions like 'How much did I spend on dining last month?' or automate bulk transaction management without clicking through the YNAB web app.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 20 or higher
- A YNAB account with at least one budget
- A YNAB Personal Access Token (generated at app.ynab.com/settings/developer)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Claude Code
Generate a YNAB Personal Access Token
Log into YNAB and navigate to Account Settings > Developer Settings. Click 'New Token', give it a name, and copy the generated token — it is only shown once.
Install the ynab-mcp package globally
Install the package from npm so the ynab-mcp binary is available on your PATH for use as an MCP server command.
npm install -g ynab-mcpAdd the server to Claude Desktop configuration
Edit your claude_desktop_config.json to register ynab-mcp as an MCP server, passing your token through the YNAB_API_TOKEN environment variable.
Add via Claude Code CLI (alternative)
If you use Claude Code, register the server with a single command instead of editing a config file manually.
claude mcp add ynab-mcp ynab-mcp -e YNAB_API_TOKEN=your-token-hereVerify the connection
Start Claude Desktop or a new Claude Code session. Ask the assistant to list your budgets to confirm the server is connected and your token is valid.
YNAB Examples
Client configuration
Add this block to claude_desktop_config.json. Replace the token value with your actual YNAB Personal Access Token.
{
"mcpServers": {
"ynab-mcp": {
"command": "ynab-mcp",
"args": [],
"env": {
"YNAB_API_TOKEN": "your-token-here"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example natural-language prompts that exercise the 49 YNAB tools, workflow prompts, and MCP resources:
- "List all my budgets and show their account balances"
- "How much did I spend on groceries in May 2025?"
- "Show all unapproved transactions in my checking account since June 1st"
- "Move $200 from the Fun Money category to Groceries this month"
- "Run a monthly review for budget ID abc123 for June 2025"
- "Audit my Visa credit card payment category and fix any mismatches"Troubleshooting YNAB
401 Unauthorized errors on all tool calls
Your YNAB_API_TOKEN is missing or invalid. Regenerate a token at app.ynab.com/settings/developer and update the env block in your config. Tokens do not expire but can be revoked.
Rate limit warnings appearing in responses
YNAB caps the API at 200 requests per hour per token. The server appends [RATE LIMIT WARNING] at 50 or fewer remaining requests. Use bulk tools like create_transactions and update_transactions instead of loops of single-call tools to stay under the limit.
Monetary amounts look wrong (e.g. 1234000 instead of $1,234)
YNAB uses milliunits for all monetary values — $1.00 = 1000 milliunits. Ask the assistant to convert: 'Show amounts in dollars by dividing by 1000', or specify dollar values in your prompts and let the server convert (e.g. 'budget $50 to Dining' = 50000 milliunits).
Frequently Asked Questions about YNAB
What is YNAB?
YNAB is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that mcp server that exposes the full ynab api, allowing llms to read and manage budgets, accounts, and transactions through natural language. it features 49 specialized tools for comprehensive financial management, including category updates, money mo It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install YNAB?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y ynab. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with YNAB?
YNAB works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is YNAB free to use?
Yes, YNAB is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Set Up YNAB in Your Editor
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Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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