To connect Claude to your accounting system, add LedgerMCP as a custom connector: in Claude go to Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector, and enter https://ledgermcp.com/mcp. Sign in with the 6-digit code emailed to you (a free account is created on the spot), then ask Claude to set up your books and hand it a statement. The whole thing takes about a minute, and from then on Claude can keep your books in every conversation.
What you need before you start
Almost nothing. LedgerMCP is a hosted remote MCP server, so there is no software to install and nothing to run locally. You need a Claude account (any plan that supports connectors) and, ideally, a bank statement or a CSV export you want to work through. You do not need to sign up for LedgerMCP first: the connector creates your account during sign-in. The books themselves are free, including unlimited businesses, CSV import, full CSV export, and every report. The single paid add-on is live bank feeds via Plaid, from $9/mo pooled across your books.
How do I add the LedgerMCP connector in Claude?
On claude.ai and the Claude mobile apps, connectors live in Settings. Open Settings, go to Connectors, and choose Add custom connector. Paste https://ledgermcp.com/mcp as the address and save it. Claude will prompt you to authorize the connection. You approve it by signing in: LedgerMCP emails a 6-digit code, you enter it, and if this is your first visit your account is created right then at no cost. There is no separate signup form and no card. Once approved, the connector exposes 60 bookkeeping tools (24 read, 36 write) that Claude can use in any chat.
How do I connect Claude Desktop or Claude Code?
Desktop and command-line clients use an API key instead of the OAuth sign-in flow. In LedgerMCP's web app, open Settings and create a key; it carries the lmcp_ prefix and is shown once. Give that key to Claude Desktop or Claude Code as the bearer token for the same server at https://ledgermcp.com/mcp. One key covers your whole account, and Claude can list or create businesses under it. If you want to start cautiously, generate a read-only key so the assistant can pull reports and inspect the books without writing anything. The two paths reach the same tools; the difference is only how you authenticate.
| Client | How you connect |
|---|---|
| claude.ai (web) | Settings, Connectors, Add custom connector, then sign in with the email code |
| Claude mobile apps | Same connector flow as the web app |
| Claude Desktop | Add the server URL with an lmcp_ API key from Settings |
| Claude Code | Same API-key path as Desktop |
What do I ask Claude once it is connected?
Start by telling Claude to open a set of books: something like "create a business for my consulting work and set up a chart of accounts." Claude calls create_business, which seeds a standard chart with no manual setup. Then hand it real work. Attach a statement and say "import this, categorize June, and reconcile the checking account." Claude imports the rows (deduplicated), posts each categorization as a balanced entry, flags anything genuinely ambiguous for you, and ties the account to your statement. You are the reviewer; Claude is the bookkeeper. For the fuller picture of what that looks like day to day, see Claude bookkeeping.
Why is it safe to give Claude write access?
Because the guardrails are in the database, not in the prompt. LedgerMCP is real double-entry accounting with four invariants enforced in Postgres: entries must balance at commit or the write is rejected, postings are immutable so a correction is a linked reversal rather than a silent edit, idempotency keys make retries safe so nothing double-posts, and balances are always computed from postings. On top of that, every write lands in an append-only audit log with one-click reverse, and you can set period lock dates. A misbehaving assistant simply cannot leave your books unbalanced or quietly change history. The tool list also has no delete tools to begin with. If you want the deeper argument, the accounting MCP server page walks through the design, and bank reconciliation shows how a tie-out is saved as durable proof.
What if I want to switch assistants later?
You are not locked in. Because LedgerMCP speaks the open Model Context Protocol, the same books work with any MCP client. Connect ChatGPT or another agent to the identical server and your data comes along untouched, since the ledger cannot tell which assistant is calling. Your books are also fully exportable to CSV at any time. The connector is a doorway, not a cage. If you are weighing which assistant to hand the work to, our comparison of Claude vs ChatGPT for bookkeeping lays out the trade-offs, and how AI agents find MCP servers explains why you always add a server yourself rather than the agent discovering it on its own.
Quick answers
Do I need to install anything to connect Claude?
No. LedgerMCP is a hosted remote MCP server, so you add it by URL as a custom connector. There is no software to download and nothing to run on your computer. On claude.ai and the mobile apps you add the connector in Settings; Claude Desktop and Claude Code can use the same server with an API key instead.
Do I have to sign up before connecting?
No. When you add the connector and sign in, LedgerMCP emails you a 6-digit code and creates your account free on the spot. There is no separate signup form and no card required. The software itself is free; the one paid feature is live bank feeds from $9/mo.
What is the difference between the connector and an API key?
The connector uses OAuth sign-in and is the path for claude.ai and the Claude mobile apps. An API key (an lmcp_ bearer token you create in Settings) is the path for Claude Desktop, Claude Code, and any other MCP client. Both reach the same 60 tools; keys can be made read-only if you want a cautious start.
Is it safe to let Claude write to my books?
Yes, because the limits are enforced in the database, not in the prompt. Entries must balance to post, postings are immutable so corrections are visible reversals, and every write lands in an append-only audit log with one-click reverse. Claude can only make changes you can see and undo.
