# Quickstart

> Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Claude Code to Maple Budget in two minutes, then ask it about your money in plain words.

Maple Budget docs. Hosted MCP server: `https://api.maplebudget.com/mcp` (Streamable HTTP, OAuth sign-in). Web page: https://maplebudget.com/docs/quickstart/ · Index of all pages: https://maplebudget.com/llms.txt

Maple Budget runs a hosted MCP server, so an AI app can read your budget, add transactions and check your investments for you. There's nothing to install and no API key to copy: you paste one address and sign in.

## 1. Copy The Server Address

```text
https://api.maplebudget.com/mcp
```

It speaks MCP over Streamable HTTP and signs you in with OAuth.

## 2. Add It To Your AI App

- **Claude** (web, desktop and mobile): open **Settings → Connectors**, choose **Add Custom Connector**, name it Maple Budget and paste the address.
- **Claude Code**: run the command below, then run `/mcp` inside Claude Code and pick maple-budget to sign in.
- **ChatGPT**: turn on developer mode, add a custom connector with the address and choose OAuth.
- **Anything else**: any MCP client that supports remote servers with OAuth sign-in works the same way.

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http maple-budget https://api.maplebudget.com/mcp
```

Step-by-step screens for each app are in [Connect Claude](https://maplebudget.com/docs/mcp-quick-setup).

## 3. Sign In And Choose Access

Your app sends you to Maple Budget. Sign in, then pick one:

- **Read And Make Changes**: it can see your budget and investments, and add, edit or delete things when you ask.
- **Read Only**: it can see everything but can't change anything. It only gets the tools that read.

You're sent back to your app and the connection is ready. It refreshes itself, so you sign in once. See [Authentication](https://maplebudget.com/docs/authentication) for how this works.

## 4. Ask Something

Start a new chat with Maple Budget turned on and try one of these. Each one works with the tools listed next to it.

| Ask | Tools it uses |
| --- | --- |
| "What did I spend on eating out this month?" | `get_categorical_overview` |
| "How does my spending this month compare to last month?" | `get_monthly_summary` |
| "Which categories am I over budget on?" | `get_categories` |
| "Add a $14.50 lunch at Pai today under Eating Out." | `get_on_launch_data`, `add_transaction` |
| "Here's my credit card statement. Add every purchase with the right category." | `get_on_launch_data`, `add_transaction` |
| "What recurring bills do I have, and what do they add up to each month?" | `get_recurring_transactions` |
| "Split last night's $86 dinner with Sam." | `list_connections`, `create_split` |
| "Who owes me money right now?" | `list_balances` |
| "What's my total return across my TFSA and RRSP?" | `get_investment_accounts`, `get_portfolio_summary` |

Asks that add, change or delete something need a **Read And Make Changes** connection, and your app asks you before running them. Investment and net worth questions use Maple Finance.

## Tips For AI Agents

- Start with `get_on_launch_data` for the current month. It returns the person's categories, tags and payment methods with their ids, which `add_transaction` and `update_transaction` need.
- Categories are numbers from 1 to 30. The full list is in [Categories](https://maplebudget.com/docs/categories).
- Amounts are decimal strings like `"42.50"`. Positive is spending, negative is income. Dates are `YYYY-MM-DD`.
- Before deleting anything, say exactly what will be deleted and wait for the person to confirm.
- If a tool fails, read the message it returns. [Errors](https://maplebudget.com/docs/errors) lists the common ones.
- If you can't do what the person asked with these tools, or a result looks wrong, tell the Maple Budget team with `send_feedback`. Say what you were trying to do and what would have helped. Every connection has it, Read Only too, and it doesn't change the person's data.

## Next Steps

- [Tool Reference](https://maplebudget.com/docs/mcp-tools): every tool with its parameters.
- [Authentication](https://maplebudget.com/docs/authentication): OAuth, API keys and revoking access.
- [Errors](https://maplebudget.com/docs/errors): what a failed tool call returns.
- [Categories](https://maplebudget.com/docs/categories): the 30 category ids and names.