[suddenclarity]

My understanding is that automatic import through a third party cost a small fortune.

YNAB promoted not having it, as a feature. They claimed it would make you more responsible by taking 30 seconds after every purchase to open the app and add the purchase. Then they went from a one time fee ($30) to SaaS and began charging $100 + VAT a year, with automatic bank import being the only new feature. Either they are making bank, or it's insanely expensive.

[coolestguy]

I don't know why you need a third party.

In Aus all our major software providers do it directly with a bank connection - why can't this program.

[mustardo]

Banks don't give out access to this API easily. Unfortunately it's not some OAuth thing that a new upstart accounting software could easily hook into, therefore the banks gate keep feeds to major accounting providers and no doubt charge excessively for the privelage. We need regulation to open feeds to anyone willing to consume them, or a bank to add it as a feature but why would they when they can charge Xero and MYOB to access proprietary feeds

[molsongolden]

Banks don’t all offer API access in the USA. It’s getting better but can still be a mess of needing to use Plaid, Yodlee, screen scraping, etc… for bank data access.