How BooksGPT connects to your bank, and how much history you get

BooksGPT connects to your bank through one of two secure providers. Both are read-only, so BooksGPT can see your transactions but can never move money.

The two providers

• Stripe Financial Connections. The default. Connects to over 12,000 US banks and credit unions.
• Plaid. The same provider QuickBooks and most banks' own apps use. Reaches further back in history at most banks.

You do not have to pick before you start. BooksGPT shows you which provider is about to open, every time, before any window appears.

"Link" is a sign-in screen, not a payment service

When you connect through Stripe, the secure window is branded Link. That is Stripe's name for its sign-in screen.

It is worth being clear about what it is not:

• It is not a payment gateway, and it does not connect you to one.
• It does not let anyone charge your card or move money from your account.
• It has nothing to do with paying your bills, your invoices, or your BooksGPT subscription.

Link is only the screen where you sign in to your bank and choose which accounts to share. BooksGPT receives transaction history and balances. Nothing else.

How much history you actually get

Your bank decides how far back it will share. The provider sets the ceiling, and the bank sets the real number underneath it.

Through Stripe:

• Most banks share up to about 6 months.
• Big banks usually give the full 6 months. Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank and KeyBank all do.
• Some card issuers stop near 90 days, including American Express and Capital One.

Through Plaid:

• Most banks share 1 to 2 years.
• American Express gives well over a year through Plaid, compared with about 90 days through Stripe.
• Capital One still stops near 90 days. That limit is Capital One's own, so no provider can get past it.

If you need more history than any bank will share, upload a statement or a CSV instead. Open All pages in the left sidebar, then under Setup click Upload bank statement or Import a CSV.

Choosing a provider for your workspace

1. Click Settings at the bottom of the sidebar.
2. Find the Bank connections section.
3. Pick Stripe Financial Connections or Plaid. It saves right away.

Two things to know:

• The choice applies to new connections only. Accounts you have already connected keep syncing exactly as they are.
• You can also reach it from the Connect a bank page. The line under the heading reads "New connections use ...", with a Change link.

Banks that always use Plaid

A few banks cannot share transactions through Stripe at all, so BooksGPT always uses Plaid for them, whatever your setting says:

• Square Checking
• Shopify Balance
• PayPal
• Venmo
• Cash App

You do not need to do anything. Search for the bank as usual and BooksGPT routes it for you.

If you already imported and want more history

• Stripe connections: open All pages, then under Daily work click Banking, and click Import more history on the account. Pick an earlier start date.
• Plaid connections: the history window is fixed when the connection is first made and cannot be widened afterwards. Disconnect the bank and connect it again, choosing the earlier start date this time. Your existing transactions and categories are kept.

How many banks can I connect?

• On any paid plan, there is no limit on the number of banks you can connect.
• One connection covers up to 15 accounts at that bank, including checking, savings and credit cards.
• There is no per-bank or per-connection fee. Connecting a fifth bank costs the same as connecting a first.
• On the free trial only, you can connect up to 3 banks per workspace.

Related articles: "Connect your bank account", "Fix a bank connection", and "My bank is not supported, or will not connect".

Updated on: 10/08/2026