Connecting Your First Bank Account

Last updated: August 13, 2026

Before you start

Connecting a bank requires an active subscription or the 14-day free trial. The first time you tap “Connect Account,”if you're not already subscribed, the plan picker appears so you can start your trial or subscribe before the Plaid flow opens. For plan details and pricing, see Plans and pricing.

How to connect

  1. Enter Build mode using the View/Build toggle at the bottom-center of the canvas, then tap +.
  2. Select Connect Account, then tap Link account instantly.
  3. Search for your bank or financial institution in the Plaid search screen.
  4. Log in with your bank's credentials. You're logging in directly with your bank: Threshold never sees your username or password.
  5. Select which accounts you want to connect.
  6. Confirm the connection. Your accounts will appear in the Accounts section within a few seconds.

What happens after you connect

Once connected, Threshold pulls your account balances and up to 24 months of transaction history. The initial sync usually takes a few seconds. After that, each account appears as a card in the Accounts section, showing the account name, institution, and current balance.

Threshold shows cached balances immediately, then automatically refreshes stale account data when the canvas loads.

Connecting multiple banks

To connect another bank, repeat the same flow. In Build mode, tap + → Connect Account → Link account instantly, then search and log in. All accounts from all institutions appear on the same canvas. To hide an account, open its detail sheet, tap the three-dot menu, and select “Hide from canvas.”

Manual accounts

Create a manual account for assets or liabilities Plaid cannot connect, such as crypto wallets, employer stock, a car, or an informal loan. See Manual accounts for the full walkthrough.

  1. In Build mode, tap + → Connect Account → Link account manually.
  2. Name it and enter the current balance.
  3. Tag it as an asset or liability so it counts correctly in your calculations.

Manual account balances do not update automatically. Edit the balance when it changes.

Why Plaid?

Plaid is a third-party banking connector. Your credentials go directly to your bank. Threshold never receives or stores them.

Threshold only accesses the data you authorize.