概要
What is YNAB MCP?
YNAB MCP is a Docker-based Model Context Protocol server that enables Claude Code to interact with You Need A Budget (YNAB) accounts. It implements OAuth authentication and provides budget management, transaction tracking, and financial insights through natural conversations with Claude.
How to use YNAB MCP?
Install the server via Docker, configure it with your YNAB API credentials, and register it with Claude Code CLI using claude mcp add-json. After registration, authenticate with your YNAB account when prompted by Claude. The server runs as a Docker container with mounted volumes for configuration and token storage.
Key features of YNAB MCP
- OAuth-based authentication with the YNAB API
- Complete budget and account management
- Transaction creation and categorization
- Advanced category management with bulk allocation and recommendations
- Support for multiple personal and family budgets
- Rate limit handling (200 requests/hour) and caching
Use cases of YNAB MCP
- View budgets and transactions through natural language queries
- Get financial insights and summaries from your YNAB data
- Manage budget allocations and categories via Claude conversation
- Assign funds to multiple categories and receive AI-powered allocation recommendations
- Maintain multiple budgets (personal and family) in a single interface
FAQ from YNAB MCP
What prerequisites are needed to use YNAB MCP?
Docker, Node.js v18+ (for development), Claude Code CLI, and a YNAB account are required.
How does authentication work with YNAB MCP?
It uses OAuth 2.0 standards. Tokens are stored securely in a mounted Docker volume, and no sensitive data is logged.
What YNAB API rate limit applies?
The YNAB API has a limit of 200 requests per hour, and the server includes built-in rate limit handling.
Does YNAB MCP support read-only mode?
Yes, it supports read-only mode for enhanced security.
What are the known issues with YNAB MCP?
The list_transactions endpoint fails with "invalid date" errors when using the sinceDate parameter, and several API tools defined in the source code are not available in the MCP integration.
