YNAB MCP

Name: YNAB MCP
Author: mattweg

@mattweg

Repository

About YNAB MCP

YNAB Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Claude Code integration

Basic information

Config

Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ynab-mcp-mattweg": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--rm",
        "-i",
        "-v",
        "/path/to/data:/app/data",
        "-v",
        "/path/to/config:/app/config",
        "-e",
        "NODE_ENV=production",
        "ynab-mcp:latest"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tools

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Overview

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.