Banking API/protocol [closed]

Question

Do any banks offer data feeds of personal accounts via any form of API? I'm essentially looking to check balances on accounts without logging into their website.

I remember reading about a universal banking protocol at some point... and maybe mint.com uses it to access accounts? Does mint.com have a special relationship with each bank, or can I leverage their method?

Edit: For my requirements, I'm only interested in accessing my own financial data.

Answer 1

For those not overtly concerned about paying a fiver for an OFX converter, designed to handle Nationwide FlexAccount, e-Savings and Creditcards try the Nationwide OFX Converter.

For other banks and creditcards try iCreateOFX Basic and for Investment files try iCreateOFX Investment.

Answer 2

API access

You will need to check with each institution if they provide an API for direct access. Some will provide access over a dial-up line, others have more modern IP based service. Each will likely require you to register and pay a fee.

Easier is to require the user to download their statement from the bank and import it into your application. Most online banking systems provide this functionality.

Formats

Either way, there are several formats supported by banks (taken from here).

• OFX (Open Financial Exchange)
• QIF (Quicken Interchange Format)
• CSV (Comma-Separated Value)

You might see OFX referred to as Quickbooks, Microsoft Money 2005 or Sage Line 50. QIF is sometimes called Quicken 98 or 2000, or Microsoft Money 2003.

CSV formats will be proprietary per institution and require parsing logic developed for each instance.

Who uses what format

The UK banks that support OFX or QIF formats are:

• Abbey (QIF, but not Abbey Business)
• Alliance and Leicester (OFX and QIF)
• Barclays (OFX)
• Clydesdale (QIF)
• Coutts & Co (OFX and QIF)
• First Direct (QIF)
• Halifax (OFX and QIF)
• HSBC (OFX)
• Lloyds (QIF)
• NatWest(OFX)
• Nationwide (OFX)
• Royal Bank of Scotland (OFX and QIF)
• Tesco (OFX and QIF)
• Yorkshire (QIF)