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A budgeting app that doesn't need Plaid

Skwad reads the transaction alerts your bank already emails you, so your spending syncs without Plaid and without your bank login.

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Where your transactions travel

The difference is who sits between your bank and your budget.

Plaid

LINK plan

Your bank
Your login
Plaid
Sync
Skwad

You sign in to your bank through Plaid, and it keeps that connection open. If it drops, you sign in again.

Skwad bank alerts

Every plan

Your bank
Alert email
Your inbox
Forward
Skwad

Your bank already emails you when you spend. No login leaves your hands, and there's no connection to drop.

How bank alerts work

Your bank already emails you when you spend. Skwad turns those emails into your budget.

1In your bank
Turn on transaction alerts
In your bank's app or website, switch on an email alert for every purchase. Most big banks offer them.
Find your bank's alert settings
2In your email
Forward them to Skwad
Add a forwarding rule so those alerts go to your private Skwad address.
How email scanning works
3In Skwad
Spending lands categorized
Skwad reads the merchant, date and amount from each alert and files it into your budget.
Alert setup for popular banks

Your bank doesn't send alerts? Link it through SimpleFIN or Plaid, or import a statement.

Side by side

What changes depending on how your transactions get in.

Feature	Plaid	Skwad bank alerts
Needs your bank password	Yes	No
Works when your bank blocks aggregators	No	Yes
Reconnecting when a link drops	Sometimes needed	Never
Past history	3 to 6 months	From setupImport a statement for older months
Included on	LINK plan	Every plan

When Plaid is still the right choice

Avoiding Plaid isn't a rule, it's a preference. If your bank connects through a secure login screen and you like the hands-off feel of a direct sync, Plaid is a good fit, and Skwad supports it on the LINK plan.

You don't have to choose once and live with it. Connect a couple of accounts through Plaid, track the rest with bank alerts, and change your mind whenever you want.

Frequently asked questions

What are the alternatives to Plaid?

For most people, it's the transaction alerts your bank already emails you. Skwad reads them, so your spending syncs without an aggregator and without your login. If your bank doesn't send alerts, SimpleFIN or a statement import covers it.

Is Plaid safe?

Plaid is a large, regulated company, and for many banks it connects through a secure login screen you never share with the app. But size cuts both ways: bigger data stores are bigger targets, and Plaid settled a class action over how much data it collected. For banks without that secure handoff, an aggregator has to store your credentials to keep refreshing. If that trade-off bothers you, Skwad's bank alerts skip it entirely.

Which money apps don't use Plaid?

Skwad is built to work without it. Most people run it on bank alerts alone and never connect through Plaid. Plaid is there on the LINK plan if you want it, but nothing depends on it.

Can I use Skwad with and without Plaid?

Yes. Connect some accounts through Plaid and track the rest with bank alerts, all in the same budget. Start with alerts alone and add a Plaid connection later, or drop one whenever you like.