Connecting your bank is what makes Lefover work. The connection is read-only: information flows in, instructions never flow out. This article walks through what happens when you connect, what we see, and what to do if something doesn’t work.
What “connecting” actually does
When you tap Connect a bank in Lefover, we open a screen run by Plaid (the bank connectivity provider we use). You sign in with your bank’s normal sign-in screen and authorize Plaid to share your transaction data with us.
We never see your bank password. Plaid handles the sign-in on your device, and the password goes straight from you to your bank. We receive only the data your bank chooses to share through Plaid.
How long does it take
About 30 seconds for a well-known bank with a standard sign-in. If your bank requires multi-factor authentication, expect another 15 to 30 seconds for the verification step.
After the connection succeeds, Lefover takes another minute or two to fetch your last 90 days of transactions. You’ll see a brief loading state.
What we see
Once connected, your bank shares with us (via Plaid):
- Your transaction history (cleared and pending)
- Your running balance on the account
- The account type (checking, credit) and the last four digits
That’s all we need to do the math.
What we never see
- Your bank password. Never.
- Your full account number. We see only the last four digits in most cases.
- Authority to move money. The connection has no “transfer” or “pay bill” permission.
If your bank isn’t supported
Lefover works with thousands of banks and credit unions in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. If you can’t find yours in the search:
- Try searching by the bank’s local name (some banks have multiple brands).
- Check spelling carefully (some banks have unusual names).
- If you still can’t find it, write to us at [email protected] and we’ll add it to the priority list.
If the connection fails
The most common failure is a typo in your bank credentials. Try again, paying close attention to your password.
If the connection succeeds but Lefover doesn’t show any transactions after a minute, pull down to refresh. If transactions still don’t appear, the bank may be temporarily not responding to Plaid; try again in a few minutes.
If a connection succeeds and then breaks days later (which sometimes happens after a bank changes its sign-in flow), Lefover will show a notice in your inbox asking you to reconnect. Tap it and re-authorize. The whole thing takes 30 seconds.
Disconnecting
You can disconnect any account from Settings → Banks in the app. The connection is revoked within minutes. Your historical transactions stay in Lefover until you delete them or your account.