Hi,
I want to build some applications for personal use using the Monzo API. It looks like the Open Banking APIs are a lot more powerful than the old ones that Monzo have provided for a few years now.
Is there any chance that people will be able to use the Open Banking APIs for their own personal usage? Failing that, are you planning to improve the current APIs so that they are as powerful as the Open Banking APIs.
Cheers 
âOpenâ in government terms is âgive us a suitcase full of cashâ. Basically zero chance of an ordinary person getting access to it.
You need to be registered with the FCA in order to utilise the Open Banking APIs to build your own application
Such a shame 
That is a bit frustrating, but I guess there is little that can be done to change that.
I seems a bit crazy to me that third parties can access your data via these APIs, but individuals canât access their own data.
Are there any services out there that are regulated by the FCA that will act as a kind of âproxyâ so that you can access your data via open banking APIs.
Also, are there legal restrictions that stop Monzo from offering individuals from accessing their data via the open banking API? If thatâs the case, why do those same restrictions allow me access to my data via the existing APIs?
Cheers
EDIT It turns out that truelayer have a developer api that people are free to sign up to for creating their own personal applications.
I agree the lack of a mechanism for account holders to get read only API access to thier own accounts is a problem
I currently use Plaid, who Iâd actually like to be able to pay (same as a business would, thier pay as you go rates seem fair to me), but all they can do is allow a free developer account(which while it meets my needs, canât help but worry theyâd be justified in pulling plug whenever, when they realise they wonât ever make money from me)
Certainly if a read only plaid or true layer API for all my (open banking enabled) accounts was a paid feature or part of plus in Monzo, Iâd be up for paying for it or making Monzo my main current account
The issue Plaid had was that my usage of the APIs could be interpreted as me being an AISP (because I display the data). The fact I only display data about my accounts(and I donât have open banking access to accounts other than those in my sole name) to me, doesnât strictly matter regs wise
Plaid is now owned by Visa, so Iâm not sure that whether or not they offer paid accounts for individuals will make much difference. I have a feeling that their future direction will be influenced much more by Visaâs strategic considerations.
Note that I donât think there is any reason at all that Monzo canât offer personal access to the OpenAPI, and, frankly, it infuriates me that this isnât required by all providers. Starling does exactly this.
This is an OpenAPI for everyone except getting access to their own data - it can be shipped around from one provider to another authorised provider, but cannot be downloaded or used directly. It is for third parties only.
The old API from Monzo also has at least one bug I encountered that isnât being addressed - presumably the focus is on the Open API which is closed to first parties.
In the contest between Monzo and Starling this is one very big argument to switch for me. API access is huge.
Mark
What was the bug?
Anthony,
Details of the bug here â
Missing transaction - since= not working correctly - Developers - Monzo Community
It took me a few hours to nail down where the missing transaction was coming from and what was going on. I have a âsolutionâ that means working around the API specification by downloading duplicate transactions.
You can see my implementation here â
goledger/monzo.go at master ¡ mescanne/goledger ¡ GitHub
Iâm assuming that most of the effort within Monzo is focused on the Open Banking API â quite rightly â and it doesnât make sense to maintain two APIs.
Thanks,
Mark