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Integration · Accounting

Connect Claude & ChatGPT to Lunch Money

Ask your AI what you spent on groceries last month, how your budget is tracking, or which subscriptions renew soon, and get the answer from your Lunch Money account. It can categorize, tag, split and group transactions, add manual transactions and accounts, and set budget amounts per category. Tidying up your finances becomes a conversation instead of a click-through.

Connect Lunch Money free

Free plan, no credit card. Takes about a minute.

Try asking

  • “How much did I spend on restaurants last month?”

    The AI finds the category, lists the transactions for last month in it and adds them up.

  • “Show me unreviewed transactions from this week and categorize the obvious ones.”

    It lists this week's transactions with status unreviewed, suggests categories and updates the ones you confirm.

  • “How am I doing against my budget this month?”

    It reads the budget summary for the month and shows budgeted and actual amounts per category.

What your AI can do

Transactions

List, filter and read transactions, add new ones, change category, tags, notes or status, and split or group transactions.

Budgets and categories

Read the budget summary per category, set budget amounts, and create or update categories and tags.

Accounts and recurring items

See Plaid-connected bank accounts and manual accounts with balances and balance history, create and update manual accounts, and list recurring items.

  • “Split the 120 Costco purchase: 80 groceries and 40 household.”

    It finds the transaction and splits it into two parts with their own amounts and categories.

  • “Which subscriptions and regular bills do I have?”

    It lists your recurring items, such as subscriptions and bills, for the period you ask about.

  • “Set the Travel budget to 500 for next month.”

    It finds the Travel category and sets its budget amount for the period that starts next month.

27 tools for Lunch Money

These tools are switched on when you connect. You can switch any of them off, or require your approval before it runs.

  • create_categoryChanges dataCreate a new category with a name, and optionally a description, is_income, exclude_from_budget or group_id to place it in a group.
  • create_manual_accountChanges dataCreate a manually managed account with a name, type and starting balance, and optionally subtype, currency and institution_name.
  • create_tagChanges dataCreate a new tag with a name and optional description and colors.
  • create_transactionsChanges dataAdd one or more transactions. Each item in transactions needs a date and amount, and can include payee, category_id, tag_ids, notes and manual_account_id.
  • delete_transactionDeletesPermanently delete one transaction by payment_id. This cannot be undone.
  • get_budget_summaryGet the budget summary for a period from start_date to end_date, showing budgeted and actual amounts per category. Set include_totals for overall totals.
  • get_categoryGet one category or category group by category_id.
  • get_current_userGet the connected Lunch Money user and budget details, such as name, email, budget name and primary currency.
  • get_manual_accountGet one manually managed account by account_id, including its balance and type.
  • get_plaid_accountGet one Plaid-connected bank account by account_id.
  • get_recurring_itemGet one recurring item by product_id (the recurring item ID).
  • get_tagGet one tag by tag_id.
  • get_transactionGet one transaction by payment_id (the transaction ID), including date, payee, amount, category, tags and notes.
  • group_transactionsChanges dataCombine existing transactions (ids) into one grouped transaction with a date and payee, and optionally a category_id, tag_ids and notes.
  • list_balance_historyGet balance history for all accounts, optionally between start_month and end_month.
  • list_categoriesList all spending and income categories and category groups. Use this to find a category_id.
  • list_manual_accountsList all manually managed accounts (cash, loans, property and others) with their balances. Use this to find a manual_account_id.
  • list_plaid_accountsList all bank accounts connected through Plaid, with their balances and sync status.
  • list_recurring_itemsList recurring items (subscriptions and regular bills), optionally for a period from start_date to end_date.
  • list_tagsList all tags. Use this to find a tag_id.
  • list_transactionsList transactions, filtered by start_date and end_date, category_id, tag_id, status, manual_account_id or plaid_account_id. Use limit and offset to page through results.
  • set_budgetVisible to othersSet the budget amount for one category_id in the period that begins on start_date, with optional currency and notes.
  • split_transactionChanges dataSplit one transaction by payment_id into several parts, given as child_transactions with their own amounts and categories.
  • update_categoryChanges dataUpdate a category by category_id: rename it, change its description, group or budget settings, or archive it. Only the fields you pass change.
  • update_manual_accountChanges dataUpdate a manually managed account by account_id: change its name, balance, status or other details. Only the fields you pass change.
  • update_tagChanges dataUpdate a tag by tag_id: rename it, change its description or colors, or archive it.
  • update_transactionChanges dataUpdate one transaction by payment_id: change date, payee, amount, category_id, tag_ids, notes or status (reviewed or unreviewed). Only the fields you pass change.

Set up in three steps

  1. 1

    Pick the app

    Create a free PipMCP account and choose Lunch Money from the app list.

  2. 2

    Paste your key

    Paste your Lunch Money access token. In Lunch Money open Settings > Developers (my.lunchmoney.app/developers), request a new access token, give it a label and copy it.

  3. 3

    Add the link to your AI

    You get a personal MCP link. Add it to Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor:

    1. Click your name, then Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector.
    2. Paste your link as the Remote MCP server URL.
    3. Switch it on from the + menu in a chat.

Questions

What can the AI do in Lunch Money?

The AI can read transactions, categories, tags, budget summaries, recurring items, balance history, Plaid-connected bank accounts and manual accounts. It can add, update, split and group transactions, create and update categories, tags and manual accounts, and set budget amounts. It can also delete a transaction if you switch that tool on.

Does the AI see my Lunch Money credentials?

No. Your Lunch Money access token is encrypted at rest and never shown to the AI. After you save it, it is not shown again, not even to you. The AI only sees the results of the tools it calls.

Can I control what the AI is allowed to do?

Yes. You choose which tools are switched on, so you can start read-only. Deleting a transaction is permanent and setting a budget changes your plan, and both can require your approval before they run. Every tool call is logged.

Does it work with ChatGPT?

Yes. In ChatGPT go to Settings › Apps & Connectors › Advanced and turn on Developer mode, then add your PipMCP link. Developer mode needs a paid ChatGPT plan: Plus, Pro, Business or Enterprise. The same link also works in Claude (Settings › Connectors › Add custom connector), Cursor and other MCP clients.

What does it cost?

PipMCP has a free plan with no credit card required. Paid plans bill per completed task. You also need your own Lunch Money account.

Can the AI see my bank accounts?

It can list the bank accounts you have connected to Lunch Money through Plaid, with their balances and sync status, and read transactions from them. It works through your Lunch Money access token, not your bank login, so it cannot move money or change anything at your bank.

Let your AI work in Lunch Money today.

Start free. Your key stays encrypted, and you decide what the AI may do.

Connect Lunch Money free

PipMCP is not affiliated with Lunch Money. Product names are trademarks of their owners.