How do I use plaid-mcp?

1. Click on "Install Server". 2. Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state. 3. In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@plaid-mcp what's my checking account balance?" That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed. Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.

plaid-mcp

by nicholasg-dev

Overview Schema Related Servers Score Discussions

TypeScript

Local

plaid-mcp

Let an AI coding assistant (like Claude Code) answer questions about your own bank balances and transactions — by talking to the official Plaid CLI on your own computer.

This project doesn't store your bank data, doesn't see your bank credentials, and doesn't talk to Plaid's servers itself. It's a small translator program that sits between an AI assistant and a tool you already trust (the Plaid CLI), so the assistant can ask it questions like "what's my checking account balance?" or "list last month's transactions."

If you've never heard of "MCP" or "Claude Code" before, start with the next section — it explains everything from scratch. If you already know what those are and just want the tool reference, jump to Tool reference.

Related MCP server: plaid-mcp

New here? Start with this

Three things you need to know about before any of this will make sense:

Plaid is a company that banks and financial apps use to securely connect to your bank account — it's the technology behind the "Connect your bank" button in apps like Venmo or budgeting apps. Plaid also publishes a command-line tool called the Plaid CLI that lets a developer log in to their own Plaid account and pull their own linked bank data from a terminal, without writing any code.

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that lets an AI assistant call out to external programs — called "tools" — to do things it can't do on its own, like read a file, run a search, or (in this case) ask the Plaid CLI for your account balance. An "MCP server" is just a small program that offers a fixed set of these tools over a standard interface. This project is an MCP server: it offers six tools (listed below) that all revolve around reading Plaid data.

Claude Code is Anthropic's official command-line AI coding assistant. It can be extended with MCP servers, so that in addition to reading and writing code, it can also call out to tools like this one. This project was built for and tested against Claude Code, but since MCP is an open standard, any MCP-compatible client should be able to use it too — this README also includes setup steps for OpenCode, a popular open-source alternative (see Using this with OpenCode), and the same general approach should work for other MCP clients as well.

Put together: this repository is code you run on your own computer that lets Claude Code (or another MCP client) ask your already-set-up Plaid CLI for your own bank data, and hand the answer back to you in conversation — e.g. "What did I spend on groceries last week?"

Is this safe? / Who should (and shouldn't) use this

This project never sees your bank login, and never talks to Plaid's servers directly. All of that is handled entirely by the official Plaid CLI, which you install and log into yourself, independently of this project. This server's only job is to run CLI commands like plaid balance --json as a subprocess and hand back whatever the CLI prints out. There is no code anywhere in this repository that stores, transmits, or has access to a Plaid API key, access token, or bank password — which is also exactly why it's safe for this repository to be public: there's nothing secret in it to leak.

This is a good fit for you if:

You're comfortable using a terminal / command line.
You already use (or are willing to set up) the Plaid CLI with your own Plaid account and a real linked bank account.
You use Claude Code (or another MCP-compatible AI assistant) and want it to be able to answer questions about your own finances.

This is not:

A hosted service — there's no server to sign up for; you run it yourself, locally, and it only ever talks to your own machine's Plaid CLI.
A way to view other people's bank data, or anyone's data but your own linked Plaid account(s).
Officially affiliated with Plaid or Anthropic — it's an independent, personal project that happens to use both of their tools.

Glossary

Terms used throughout this README, in case any are unfamiliar:

Term	Meaning
Terminal / command line / shell	A text-based way of running programs on your computer, instead of clicking icons. On macOS this is the "Terminal" app; the commands in this README are typed there.
Repository ("repo")	A folder of code tracked by Git (see below), often hosted on a site like GitHub so others can view or download it.
Git / `git clone`	Git is the version-control tool that tracks changes to code. `git clone <url>` downloads a copy of a repository to your computer.
Node.js / `npm`	Node.js is a runtime for running JavaScript/TypeScript code outside a web browser; this project is written in TypeScript and runs on Node.js. `npm` is Node's package manager — `npm install` downloads the libraries this project depends on.
Plaid Item	Plaid's term for one linked bank connection (e.g. "my checking account at Bank X"). Referred to as `item` or `item_id` throughout this README and in the tools below.
MCP server	A program that exposes a set of "tools" an AI assistant can call. This project is one.
Tool	One specific action an MCP server offers — e.g. `get_balances`. Each tool has defined inputs and returns a defined kind of result.
stdio transport	The way this MCP server communicates with its client (like Claude Code): by reading/writing structured messages over standard input/output, the same input/output channel a terminal program normally uses for text. You don't need to understand the mechanics of this — it just means "runs locally as a subprocess," not "listens on the network."
`--json` flag	A flag supported by the Plaid CLI that makes it print machine-readable JSON output instead of human-formatted text. This server always uses it.

Prerequisites

You'll need all of the following installed and working before setting up this project. None of them are things this project installs for you.

Requirement	What it is	How to get it
A terminal	See glossary	Built into macOS/Linux ("Terminal"); on Windows, use WSL or Git Bash.
Git	Used to download this repository	`brew install git` (macOS) or see git-scm.com/downloads
Node.js v22 or newer	Runs this project's code	Download from nodejs.org (includes `npm`), or `brew install node` on macOS
Plaid CLI (`plaid`)	The tool this server talks to	See Setting up a Plaid account and the Plaid CLI, below
A Plaid account, logged in via the CLI	Lets the CLI actually fetch your data	See Setting up a Plaid account and the Plaid CLI, below
At least one linked bank ("Item")	The actual bank connection you want to ask about	See Setting up a Plaid account and the Plaid CLI, below
Claude Code	The AI assistant that will use this server	See Anthropic's installation instructions

Check your Plaid CLI setup works before going any further — every tool in this project will fail the same way if this part isn't working yet:

plaid config           # shows whether you're logged in
plaid item list --json # should print your linked bank(s) as JSON, not an error

If either of those doesn't work, fix that first (usually by running plaid login and/or plaid link, both covered step by step below) — this project can't do anything the CLI itself can't already do.

Setting up a Plaid account and the Plaid CLI

If you've never used Plaid before, this section walks through everything from "I have no Plaid account" to "the CLI can see my real bank balance" — all of it happens through Plaid's own CLI and dashboard, before you ever touch this project's code.

1. Install the Plaid CLI

The official Plaid CLI docs only document one installation method, via Homebrew:

brew install plaid/plaid-cli/plaid

macOS: works directly, as above. If you don't have Homebrew yet, install it first from brew.sh.
Linux: Homebrew also works on Linux (Linuxbrew) — install Homebrew first, then run the same command.
Windows: Plaid doesn't document a native Windows install. The most reliable path is to install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux), then install Homebrew and the CLI inside your WSL Linux environment as above.

Confirm it installed correctly:

plaid --version

2. Create a Plaid account

If you don't already have one, sign up right from the CLI:

plaid register

This opens Plaid's dashboard signup page in your browser. Create your account there (email/password or SSO, plus verifying your email) — this is Plaid's own signup flow, not anything specific to this project.

Every new Plaid account automatically gets access to the Sandbox environment — a fake/test environment with fake banks and fake data, meant for developers to try things out safely. Sandbox alone isn't enough to see your own real bank data — for that, you need Production access, which is the next step.

3. Log in via the CLI

plaid login

This opens your browser to log in to the account you just created. Once you approve it, the CLI stores your login locally and automatically fetches your API keys — you don't need to find or copy/paste any keys yourself.

4. Get approved for Production access (to use a real bank)

By default your account can only use Plaid's fake Sandbox data. To connect an actual bank account, you need to apply for Plaid's Trial plan:

plaid trial

This opens a short application form in your browser — no business paperwork required for the Trial plan, and Plaid states that around 90% of applicants are auto-approved within about 60 seconds. Once approved, pull down your newly-unlocked Production API keys:

plaid keys fetch

5. Link a real bank account

plaid link

This opens Plaid's own "Link" flow in your browser — the same secure bank-connection widget used by apps like Venmo. Search for your bank, log in with your real online banking credentials (this happens inside Plaid's own widget — this project, and the Plaid CLI itself, never see or store your bank password), and choose which account(s) to connect. Plaid calls each connection you create this way an Item (see Glossary).

6. Confirm it worked

plaid item list --json

This should print JSON describing the bank connection you just linked. If it does, you're fully set up — continue to Quick start to set up this project itself.

Quick start

Once every item in Prerequisites above is working, here's the whole setup, start to finish:

# 1. Download this project
git clone https://github.com/nicholasg-dev/plaid-cli-mcp-server.git
cd plaid-cli-mcp-server

# 2. Install its dependencies
npm install

# 3. Compile it (this project is written in TypeScript, which needs to be
#    turned into plain JavaScript before it can run)
npm run build

# 4. Tell Claude Code about it
claude mcp add plaid --scope user -- node $(pwd)/dist/index.js

That's it. Open (or restart) Claude Code and ask it something like "What's my current bank balance?" — it should recognize it has a plaid tool available and use it.

To confirm it's registered correctly at any point:

claude mcp list        # "plaid" should show up as connected

Registering with Claude Code

The one command from step 4 above, explained:

claude mcp add plaid --scope user -- node $(pwd)/dist/index.js

This tells Claude Code: "there's an MCP server named plaid; to start it, run node on this compiled file." Everything after -- is the exact command Claude Code will run as a subprocess whenever it needs to use one of this server's tools.

--scope user matters: it registers the server for every Claude Code session on your computer, not just when you happen to be working inside this specific folder (which is what claude mcp add does by default, without --scope user). Since asking about your bank balance isn't tied to any one coding project, user scope is almost always what you want here.

Useful follow-up commands:

claude mcp list          # see all registered MCP servers, and whether they're connected
claude mcp get plaid     # see the exact command Claude Code has stored for "plaid"
claude mcp remove plaid  # unregister it

If you later move this folder to a different location on disk, re-run the claude mcp add command from that new location — the registration stores an absolute file path, which won't update itself.

Using this with OpenCode

OpenCode is another open-source, terminal-based AI coding assistant, unrelated to Anthropic, that also supports MCP servers. This project works with it the same way it works with Claude Code — same prerequisites, same compiled dist/index.js — only the registration step is different, since OpenCode is configured via a JSON file instead of a CLI command.

1. Build this project first, if you haven't already (see Quick start):

npm install
npm run build

2. Add it to an OpenCode config file. OpenCode reads a JSON config file either per-project (opencode.json in your project's root folder) or globally, for every project (~/.config/opencode/opencode.json — create this file and any missing folders in the path if it doesn't exist yet). Global is usually what you want here, for the same reason --scope user is recommended for Claude Code above: your bank balance isn't tied to any one coding project.

Add a "plaid" entry under "mcp", using the absolute path to this project's compiled dist/index.js:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "plaid": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["node", "/absolute/path/to/plaid-cli-mcp-server/dist/index.js"],
      "enabled": true
    }
  }
}

Replace /absolute/path/to/plaid-cli-mcp-server with wherever you cloned this repository — run pwd inside the project folder to get that path. If a "mcp" key (or the file itself) already exists with other servers in it, just add the "plaid" entry alongside them rather than replacing the whole file.

3. Confirm it's picked up:

opencode mcp list   # "plaid" should appear, enabled

Then, from an OpenCode session, ask it something like "what's my bank balance?" the same way you would with Claude Code — it should recognize and call the plaid tools automatically.

Tool reference

This section is the detailed reference for each of the six tools this server offers. You won't normally need to read this to use the server — just ask Claude Code what you want in plain English and it'll pick the right tool. This section is for understanding exactly what's happening under the hood, or for developers extending this project.

All inputs are validated with zod schemas that map 1:1 onto the underlying plaid CLI's own flags — nothing is renamed or reshaped between what the AI assistant sends and what the CLI receives. Every tool call runs plaid <subcommand> ... --json and returns the parsed JSON as the result.

A successful tool call looks like:

{
  "content": [{ "type": "text", "text": "<pretty-printed JSON from the CLI>" }]
}

A failed one sets isError: true, with the Plaid CLI's own error message as the content (see Error handling model):

{
  "content": [{ "type": "text", "text": "<error message from the plaid CLI>" }],
  "isError": true
}

`list_items`

Lists every bank connection ("Item") you've linked via the Plaid CLI.

Runs: plaid item list --json
Inputs: none
Returns: an object with an items array; each entry has at least an item_id, which you can pass to the other tools below.

This is usually the first tool called, since every other tool that takes an item argument needs an item_id from here.

`get_item`

Gets details for one linked Item, including its accounts.

Runs: plaid item get --item <id> --json
Inputs:
Field
Type
Required
Description
item
string
yes
The item_id to look up (from list_items)
If the item id doesn't exist: returns isError: true with a message containing ITEM_NOT_FOUND (see Item health statuses).

`get_balances`

Gets current account balances — for one linked Item, or all of them.

Runs: plaid balance --json [--item <id> | --all]
Inputs:
Field
Type
Required
Description
item
string
no
Only get balances for this one Item
all
boolean
no
Get balances for every linked Item
Only specify one of item or all, not both — that mirrors the Plaid CLI's own rule, which this server doesn't duplicate; it just passes along whatever you asked for and lets the CLI validate it.

`list_transactions`

Lists transactions in a date range.

Runs: plaid transactions list --json [--item <id> | --all] [--start-date <date>] [--end-date <date>] [--count <n>] [--offset <n>]

Inputs:

Field	Type	Required	Description
`item`	`string`	no	Only this one Item
`all`	`boolean`	no	Every linked Item
`startDate`	`string` (`YYYY-MM-DD`)	no	Start of the date range. If left out, the CLI defaults to the last 30 days.
`endDate`	`string` (`YYYY-MM-DD`)	no	End of the date range
`count`	`integer`	no	Maximum number of results to return
`offset`	`integer`	no	How many results to skip (for paging through a long list)

`sync_transactions`

Fetches only new or changed transactions since the last time this was called, using Plaid's official incremental-sync mechanism. Useful for "what's changed since I last checked."

Runs: plaid transactions sync --json [--item <id> | --all] [--limit <n>] [--page-size <n>]
Inputs:
Field
Type
Required
Description
item
string
no
Only this one Item
all
boolean
no
Every linked Item
limit
integer
no
Maximum total results to return
pageSize
integer
no
How many results to fetch per underlying request
The first time this runs for a given Item, it returns that Item's full transaction history (there's nothing to compare against yet). Every call after that only returns what's new or changed. The bookkeeping needed to know "what's changed since last time" (called a cursor) is handled entirely by the Plaid CLI — this project doesn't store or manage it.

`check_item_health`

Checks whether one or all linked Items are working normally, or need your attention (e.g. because a bank requires you to log in again).

Inputs:
Field
Type
Required
Description
item
string
no
Check just this one Item. Left out: checks every linked Item.
How it works: the Plaid CLI has no single "check health" command, so this tool does it in two steps: list the Item(s) to check (via plaid item list, unless you gave a specific item), then run plaid item get on each one and see whether it succeeds. If checking multiple Items, one broken Item won't stop the others from being checked — you always get a result for every Item you asked about.

Example result:

[
  { "itemId": "abc123", "status": "healthy" },
  { "itemId": "def456", "status": "re_auth_required" }
]

See Item health statuses for what each possible status value means.

Error handling model

Every call to the Plaid CLI goes through one function (src/plaidCli.ts) — nothing else in this codebase runs the plaid binary directly. It always runs the CLI safely (as a plain argument list, never as a shell command string someone could tamper with), and always adds the --json flag.

If the CLI exits successfully: its JSON output is parsed and returned as the tool's result.
If the CLI exits with an error: whatever it printed as its error message is captured, and the tool returns a normal (non-crashing) result with isError: true and that message as the content. This covers things like: not being logged in, an unrecognized item id, a malformed date, or the plaid program not being found at all.

For example, asking about an Item that doesn't exist produces an error message shaped like this from the CLI itself:

{"error":{"code":"ITEM_NOT_FOUND","message":"no item matching \"bogus-item\" found","type":"INVALID_INPUT"}}

Item health statuses

check_item_health reads the Plaid CLI's error messages and turns them into one of these plain-English statuses:

Underlying Plaid error code	`status` returned	What it means
(no error — the check succeeded)	`healthy`	Everything's working normally
`ITEM_LOGIN_REQUIRED`	`re_auth_required`	The bank needs you to log back in via `plaid link` (common after a password change on the bank's side)
`ITEM_LOCKED`	`item_locked`	The bank connection is temporarily locked
`PENDING_EXPIRATION`	`pending_expiration`	The connection will need re-authentication soon
`ITEM_NOT_FOUND`	`not_found`	That `item_id` doesn't exist
anything else / an unrecognized error	`unknown_error`	See the `reason` field in the result for details

Project structure

For anyone looking to read or modify the code:

plaid-mcp/
  src/
    index.ts         # Starts the MCP server and registers all six tools
    tools.ts          # Defines each tool's inputs and what it does when called
    plaidCli.ts        # The one place that actually runs the `plaid` CLI program
    itemHealth.ts      # Logic behind check_item_health
  tests/               # Automated tests (see Development, below)
  dist/                # Compiled output — created by `npm run build`, not checked into Git
  package.json         # Project metadata and dependency list
  tsconfig.json         # TypeScript compiler settings

Development

npm test    # runs the automated test suite
npm run build
npm start   # runs the compiled server directly, for manual testing

Note: the test suite runs against your real, logged-in Plaid CLI — there are no fake/mock responses. That means running npm test requires the same setup as using the server day-to-day (see Prerequisites): plaid installed, logged in, with at least one bank linked.

Frequently asked questions

Does this project ever see my bank password or Plaid API keys? No. It only ever runs commands like plaid balance --json and reads the output. All login and credentials live inside the Plaid CLI's own local configuration, which this project never reads or touches.

Is my data sent anywhere other than my own computer and Plaid? This project itself makes no network calls at all — it only starts a local subprocess (plaid) and reads its output. Whatever Claude Code (or whichever AI assistant you're using) does with the resulting data — e.g. sending it to Anthropic's API as part of your conversation — is between you and that assistant, the same as with anything else you ask it about.

Is this an official Plaid or Anthropic product? No — this is an independent personal project. "Plaid" and "Claude Code" are the names of the respective companies' own products that this project integrates with; this repository isn't published or endorsed by either company.

Can I use this with something other than Claude Code? Yes — see Using this with OpenCode for a second, fully-documented client. More generally, since MCP is an open standard, any MCP client that supports stdio-transport servers should be able to run it the same way; consult that client's own documentation for how to add an MCP server by command or config file.

Can this create new bank connections, or move money? No. It only reads data that's already there (linked Items, balances, transactions). There's no code path anywhere in this project that links a new bank, removes one, or initiates any transfer or payment. See Non-goals / scope.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause / fix
`command not found: plaid` (or every tool call errors similarly)	The `plaid` CLI isn't installed, or isn't on your `PATH`. Run `which plaid` in the same terminal Claude Code uses to confirm it can be found.
`command not found: node` or `npm`	Node.js isn't installed — see Prerequisites.
Tool calls fail with a login/auth-related error	Run `plaid login` again — your CLI session may have expired.
One specific bank ("Item") keeps failing	Run the `check_item_health` tool (or `plaid item get --item <id> --json` directly) to see exactly why — often it just needs `plaid link` run again for that bank.
`claude mcp list` doesn't show `plaid`, or shows it as disconnected	Re-run the `claude mcp add` command from Quick start. Make sure `npm run build` has been run so `dist/index.js` actually exists.
Made a code change but nothing seems different	Run `npm run build` again — Claude Code runs the compiled `dist/` files, not the TypeScript source directly.

Non-goals / scope

To be explicit about what this project intentionally does not do:

No write access. It can't link a new bank, remove one, or move money — only ever reads data from banks you've already linked yourself.
No direct connection to Plaid's servers. All communication with Plaid goes through the official CLI; this project never calls Plaid's API directly.
No investments or liabilities data — only Items, balances, and transactions are covered.
No credential storage. Login and API keys are entirely the Plaid CLI's responsibility; this project has nowhere to keep them even if it wanted to.

License

MIT — free and open source. You're welcome to use, modify, and distribute this code, including commercially, as long as the original copyright notice is kept. See the LICENSE file for the full text.

Available Tools

6 tools

check_item_healthA

Check whether one or all linked Plaid items are healthy or need re-authentication.

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`item`	No

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure. It only states the high-level purpose without explaining whether the operation is read-only, what side effects might occur, or what the output structure looks like. 'Healthy' is not defined in terms of response content or status codes.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, concise sentence that front-loads the action ('Check') and clearly conveys the tool's purpose. Every word adds meaning, with no redundancy or filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a simple one-parameter tool, the description covers the basic purpose and parameter scope, but it lacks information about return values, the meaning of 'healthy' in response terms, and any potential errors or edge cases. Since no output schema exists, more detail on expected results would improve completeness.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The input schema provides only a bare 'item' string with no description and 0% coverage. The description partially compensates by clarifying that the parameter is optional and can target one specific item or all items, adding semantic meaning beyond the schema. However, it does not specify format, allowed values, or how to select 'all' precisely.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool's function: checking whether one or all linked Plaid items are healthy or need re-authentication. The verb 'check' is specific and the resource 'linked Plaid items' is distinct from sibling tools like list_items or get_balances, which focus on listing or retrieving other data.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The phrase 'one or all' implies the tool can be used for a single item or all items, giving some usage context. However, there are no explicit instructions on when to choose this tool over siblings like get_item or sync_transactions, nor any exclusions or prerequisites. Usage is only implied from the purpose.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

get_balancesB

Get current balances for one or all linked Plaid items.

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`all`	No
`item`	No

TDQS

B3.2/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description carries the full burden of behavioral disclosure, but it only states the high-level action. It does not reveal whether the operation is read-only, what errors might occur, how it handles partial failures, or any side effects.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single sentence that is front-loaded with the main purpose and contains no extraneous words. It is appropriately sized for the simple tool.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the lack of annotations, output schema, and detailed parameter semantics, the description is incomplete. The agent cannot infer return structure, error behavior, or how to handle the two optional parameters correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 0%, and the description partially compensates by indicating 'one or all' which maps loosely to the 'item' and 'all' parameters. However, it does not explain parameter interplay, default behavior, or value formats, leaving significant ambiguity.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb 'Get' and identifies the resource 'current balances' with a clear scope ('one or all linked Plaid items'). This clearly distinguishes it from sibling tools like list_transactions or get_item, which deal with different data.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description provides no guidance on when to use this tool versus alternatives. It does not mention any conditions, exclusions, or comparisons to sibling tools, leaving the agent without context for tool selection.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

get_itemB

Get one linked Plaid item and the accounts it contains.

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`item`	Yes

TDQS

B3.4/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations provided, the description must disclose behavioral traits. The description only states the purpose (fetching an item and its accounts) and provides no information about side effects, permissions, error cases, or read-only nature. This is minimal and insufficient for full transparency.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single sentence that immediately conveys the core purpose. It has no filler or redundant content, making it appropriately concise and front-loaded.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the low complexity (one parameter, no output schema), the description provides some return context by mentioning accounts, but it lacks explanation of the parameter format and any behavioral details. It is minimally viable but has gaps in completeness.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 0%; the description does not explain what the 'item' parameter represents (e.g., an ID or identifier). The phrase 'one linked Plaid item' suggests the parameter maps to the item to fetch, but this is ambiguous and adds little beyond the schema's bare 'type: string'.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool fetches a single linked Plaid item and its accounts, using a specific verb ('Get') and resource ('one linked Plaid item'). This distinguishes it from siblings like list_items (plural) and get_balances (which likely returns balances rather than accounts).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The phrase 'one linked Plaid item' implies a use case for retrieving a specific item rather than listing all items, but it does not explicitly state when to use this tool over alternatives or provide any exclusions. Usage context is implied rather than explicit.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

list_itemsA

List every Plaid item linked via the plaid CLI.

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
No parameters

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries the full transparency burden. It discloses the read-only nature (via 'List') and the scope ('every Plaid item'), which is a clear behavioral statement. However, it does not mention return format, pagination, or error conditions, but for a simple listing operation, the core behavior is adequately conveyed.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, front-loaded sentence with no filler. Every word contributes to the meaning, making it maximally concise and well-structured.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's simplicity (no parameters, no output schema, no annotations), the description sufficiently explains what is returned (a list of all Plaid items) and the source scope. It doesn't elaborate on return values, but that is not necessary given the tool's straightforward nature. It scores slightly below 5 because it leaves some implicit assumptions about the 'item' structure.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

The tool has zero parameters, so schema coverage is trivially 100%. The description doesn't need to elaborate on parameters since there are none. The baseline for zero-parameter tools is 4, and the description adds no misleading information.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb ('List') and resource ('every Plaid item'), clearly distinguishing it from siblings like get_item (singular item) and list_transactions (transactions). The scope 'every' and source 'via the plaid CLI' provide unambiguous intent.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description states what the tool does but gives no guidance on when to use it versus alternatives such as get_item or list_transactions. No exclusions, prerequisites, or context for choosing this tool over the siblings.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

list_transactionsC

List transactions for a date range (default: last 30 days).

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`all`	No
`item`	No
`count`	No
`offset`	No
`endDate`	No
`startDate`	No

TDQS

C2.6/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description must disclose behavioral traits, but it only mentions the default date range. It omits pagination behavior, filtering semantics (all, item), and whether the operation is read-only (though 'list' implies it). This leaves significant behavioral gaps.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is one sentence and front-loaded with no redundant words. However, given the tool's complexity (six parameters), it is too short to be 'appropriately sized' — it under-specifies rather than being merely concise.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

The tool has six optional parameters, no output schema, and no annotations. The description covers only the date-range aspect and default, leaving item/all filtering and pagination unexplained. This is insufficient for effective tool selection and invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description must compensate. It explains startDate and endDate via 'date range' and the default, but leaves all, item, count, and offset entirely undocumented. For six parameters, this is a major gap.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly identifies the action (list transactions) and the date-range scope, distinguishing it from sibling list_items and get_balances. However, it does not mention the optional filtering parameters (all, item) or pagination, so it lacks explicit differentiation from potential variants.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus alternatives like get_balances or sync_transactions. The description only notes the default date range but includes no exclusions, prerequisites, or alternative recommendations.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

sync_transactionsB

Incrementally sync transactions using Plaid's cursor-based sync.

ParametersJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`all`	No
`item`	No
`limit`	No
`pageSize`	No

TDQS

B3/5.0

Behavior2/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

With no annotations, the description carries full burden for behavioral disclosure. It mentions cursor-based sync but fails to specify side effects (e.g., database updates), input requirements (e.g., needing an item), return values, or authentication needs. This is insufficient for an agent to understand the tool's behavior.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single, concise sentence that efficiently conveys the core action. However, it lacks detail that would be valuable, though it does not waste words.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness2/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the tool's complexity (cursor-based sync with Plaid) and the lack of annotations and output schema, the description is far from complete. It does not explain the sync process, cursor management, or parameter roles, making it inadequate for effective use.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters1/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, and the description provides no parameter information. All four parameters (all, item, limit, pageSize) are left unexplained, forcing the agent to guess their semantics.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description clearly states the tool syncs transactions incrementally using Plaid's cursor-based sync, distinguishing it from list_transactions which likely performs a one-time retrieval. The verb 'sync' and resource 'transactions' provide a clear purpose.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description implies usage for incremental syncing but does not explicitly state when to use this tool over list_transactions or other siblings. No exclusions or alternative recommendations are provided, leaving the agent to infer the intended context.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

Tool Schema Changelog

Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

6 tool updatesv0.1.0Aug 6, 2026
- First observedcheck_item_health
- First observedget_balances
- First observedget_item
- First observedlist_items
- First observedlist_transactions
- First observedsync_transactions

Install Server

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TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Disambiguation5/5

Each tool targets a distinct resource and action: listing items, retrieving a single item, fetching balances, listing transactions, syncing transactions, and checking health. There is no overlap in their purposes, and the descriptions make the boundaries clear.

Naming Consistency5/5

All tool names follow a consistent verb_noun pattern: list_items, get_item, get_balances, list_transactions, sync_transactions, check_item_health. No mixed conventions or vague verbs.

Tool Count5/5

Six tools is a well-scoped set for a Plaid MCP server. Each tool covers a core operation needed to interact with linked items, balances, transactions, and health, without unnecessary redundancy.

Completeness4/5

The set covers listing, retrieving, and updating (via sync) core Plaid data, along with health checks. Minor gaps exist (e.g., no explicit unlink item or transaction detail tool), but the main workflows are fully supported.

Maintenance

ActivitySlowing

ResponsivenessSyncing

Resources

GitHub Repository

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MCP directory API

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plaid-mcp

Contents

New here? Start with this

Is this safe? / Who should (and shouldn't) use this

Glossary

Prerequisites

Setting up a Plaid account and the Plaid CLI

1. Install the Plaid CLI

2. Create a Plaid account

3. Log in via the CLI

4. Get approved for Production access (to use a real bank)

5. Link a real bank account

6. Confirm it worked

Quick start

Registering with Claude Code

Using this with OpenCode

Tool reference

list_items

get_item

get_balances

list_transactions

sync_transactions

check_item_health

Error handling model

Item health statuses

Project structure

Development

Frequently asked questions

Troubleshooting

Non-goals / scope

License

Available Tools

Tool Schema Changelog

Maintenance

Resources

Looking for Admin?

Related MCP Connectors

Related MCP Servers

Latest Blog Posts

MCP directory API

`list_items`

`get_item`

`get_balances`

`list_transactions`

`sync_transactions`

`check_item_health`