Does Aspire connect to my bank?

Aspire does not directly connect to your bank for automatic transaction imports — and that’s by design.

Why no bank connection?

• Privacy. No third-party service has access to your bank credentials or transaction data. Your financial information stays between you and your bank.
• Security. Bank linking services require you to share login credentials with an intermediary (like Plaid or MX). Aspire avoids this entirely.
• Simplicity. Automatic imports often create duplicate transactions, require constant re-authentication, and add complexity to troubleshooting.

How to get transactions into Aspire

You have two options:

Manual entry

Log transactions directly on the Transactions tab. This is the method most Aspire users prefer because:

• It takes 10–20 seconds per transaction
• It keeps you aware of every dollar leaving your accounts
• It builds the budgeting habit (you think about each purchase as you log it)

CSV Import

Most banks let you export recent transactions as a CSV file. The Aspire add-on can import these in bulk:

1. Download a CSV from your bank’s website
2. Open the CSV Import tool in the Aspire add-on sidebar
3. Map the columns and import

This is great for catching up after a busy week or for people who prefer batch processing over real-time entry.

See CSV Import for full details.

Which method should I use?

Related reading

• How to add a transaction
• CSV Import