YNAB

About YNAB

The YNAB API is a REST-based, HTTPS-secured interface using JSON that allows developers to interact programmatically with You Need A Budget accounts. It supports retrieving and managing budget plan data, and can be used either to build a personal application for a developer's own account or a third-party application that other YNAB users can authorize.

Authentication is handled through two methods: Personal Access Tokens, generated from account Developer Settings for individual use against one's own account, and OAuth for applications requiring delegated access to other users' accounts. OAuth applications start in Restricted Mode, limited to 25 access tokens for non-owner users, until a review process (2-4 weeks) removes that limit. The API supports two OAuth grant types: Implicit Grant, for client-side or insecure environments where the application secret cannot be protected and access tokens expire after 2 hours without refresh support, and Authorization Code Grant, for server-side applications that can keep the secret private and supports refresh tokens.

The API is intended for developers, including individuals building personal tools and third-party developers building applications for other YNAB users. Client libraries are available for JavaScript, Ruby, and Python, and a Starter Kit web application is provided as a reference implementation. Support is offered via email, with responses taking up to a week due to team size, and detailed coding assistance is not provided.

Key features

• REST API over HTTPS using JSON for accessing YNAB budget/plan data
• Personal Access Tokens for individual developers to access their own account
• OAuth 2.0 with Implicit Grant and Authorization Code Grant flows for third-party applications
• Delta requests for efficient incremental data syncing
• JavaScript, Ruby, and Python client libraries

Frequently asked questions