# Plaid API

**Provider:** Plaid
**Category:** finance
**Base URL:** `https://production.plaid.com`
**Auth:** api-key — `{"client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", "secret": "YOUR_SECRET", "access_token": "..."}`
**Rate Limit:** 30 requests/min (development) · Higher in production
**Free Tier:** Yes — [object Object]
**Pricing:** Free tier available (freemium)
**Docs:** https://plaid.com/docs/api/

## Description

Plaid is the leading financial data network, powering connections to 12,000+ banks and financial institutions in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe. The API covers: bank account verification and instant auth, real-time transaction data and categorization, balance checks, identity verification, income verification, payroll data, liabilities (student loans, mortgages), and investment holdings. Used by Venmo, Robinhood, Coinbase, and thousands of fintech apps.

## Endpoints

| Method | Endpoint | Description |
|--------|----------|-------------|
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/link/token/create` | Create a Link token to initialize Plaid Link UI |
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/item/public_token/exchange` | Exchange a public token for an access token |
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/accounts/get` | Get account details (name, type, balance) |
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/transactions/get` | Get categorized transaction history |
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/auth/get` | Get bank account and routing numbers |
| POST | `https://production.plaid.com/identity/get` | Get verified account owner info |

## Authentication

Include your client_id and secret in the JSON request body (not a header). A user's access_token is obtained via the Link flow and must be included for user-specific endpoints.

```
{"client_id": "YOUR_CLIENT_ID", "secret": "YOUR_SECRET", "access_token": "..."}
```

## Sample Request

```bash
curl "https://sandbox.plaid.com/accounts/get" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "client_id": "$PLAID_CLIENT_ID",
    "secret": "$PLAID_SECRET",
    "access_token": "$PLAID_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  }'
```

## Sample Response

```json
{
  "accounts": [{
    "account_id": "BxBXxLj1m4HMXBm9WZZmCWVbPjX16EHwv99vp",
    "name": "Plaid Checking",
    "type": "depository",
    "subtype": "checking",
    "balances": {
      "available": 100.00,
      "current": 110.00,
      "iso_currency_code": "USD"
    }
  }]
}
```

## Pricing Details

Sandbox/Development: free. Production pricing: Auth $0.60/item/month, Transactions $0.75/item/month, Balance $0.10/call, Identity $1.00/item/month. Volume discounts apply. Contact Plaid for enterprise pricing.

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*Source: [API Map](https://apimap.dev/apis/plaid/) — CC BY 4.0*