How long is this migration going to take?

2-6 months if you're being realistic. Simple apps (just pulling transaction data) maybe 2-3 months. Complex shit with payments and verification? 4-6 months easy. Enterprise stuff like Yodlee or Akoya? Add another 2 months. **What actually happens:** - **Month 1:** Testing different APIs, figuring out what doesn't suck - **Months 2-3:** The actual migration work and getting data schemas to match - **Months 4-5:** Getting users to reconnect their accounts, fixing edge cases - **Month 6:** Optimizing performance, cleaning up the mess

What's this actually going to cost me?

**Way more than you think.** You'll be running dual APIs for months, so budget 40-60% higher costs during transition. **Hidden costs that'll bite you:** - Engineering time: A few hundred developer hours, maybe more if your integration is complicated - User re-auth: 15-25% of users won't reconnect without pestering them - Support tickets: 3x your normal volume during the transition - Churn: You'll lose 5-15% of users who can't be bothered to reconnect One startup I know spent around $150K total (mostly dev time plus lost customers) switching to MX. If you've hacked around Plaid's quirks for years, expect to spend even more time unfucking everything.

Can I just run both at the same time?

**Yeah, most people do.** It's more complex but reduces risk: - **By region:** Plaid for US, TrueLayer for Europe - **By bank tier:** Teller for major banks, Plaid for everything else - **Migration approach:** New users get the alternative, existing stay on Plaid - **Backup plan:** Use alternative as primary, Plaid as fallback Just remember you're paying for both and your code gets messier.

Which one's actually cheaper?

**Yapily and Teller** are cheapest at €200 and $200/month, but they have limits: - **Yapily:** Europe only, saves 40-60% if your users are there - **Teller:** Major US banks only, saves 50-70% but you lose the long tail - **MX:** About the same as Plaid, saves 10-20% with better data - **Flinks:** CAD $400/month, saves 20-30% if you care about Canada If you want real savings without losing coverage, **MX is probably your best bet**.

Do I have to rebuild everything from scratch?

**Mostly yes** for the data handling, but auth flows are pretty similar. Most providers use OAuth-ish patterns so your users won't notice much difference there. The pain is in data schema mapping - every provider categorizes transactions differently and has different error codes. **What you can probably reuse:** - 90%: Auth flows, user experience stuff - 60%: Account data, balance info - 30%: Transaction schemas, categorization - 10%: Error codes, webhooks (these always suck)

Do users have to reconnect their accounts?

**Yeah, unfortunately.** Auth tokens don't transfer between providers, so everyone has to reconnect. **How to not lose half your users:** - Email them before the switch explaining why it's better - In-app notifications with easy reconnection flow - Actually good support docs for when shit breaks - Maybe offer premium features temporarily to motivate them **Reality:** About 75-80% of users will reconnect if you don't fuck up the messaging. The other 20%? Gone forever. Plan for it.

What happens to all the old transaction data?

**You can't migrate the connections** but you can keep the data. Most teams: - Keep old Plaid data as read-only history - Start fresh with the new provider going forward - Run hybrid (old data from Plaid, new from alternative) - Migrate user-by-user as they reconnect Best approach is usually keeping the historical data and starting fresh with new connections.

What's going to break that I should expect?

**Shit that always breaks during migrations:** - **Webhooks:** Everyone has different formats and auth - **Error codes:** Completely different between providers - **Mobile Safari:** iOS auth flows break in new and exciting ways - **Bank coverage:** Some users' banks just won't work with alternatives - **Data refresh:** Different timing, different update schedules - **Rate limits:** Everyone throttles differently Test with real accounts across different banks and devices or you'll get surprised.

Is Yodlee worth the enterprise hell?

**If you're enterprise and have time/money, yeah.** You get: - 20,000+ global institutions vs Plaid's 12,000+ - Actual account managers who give a shit - Security docs that make compliance teams happy - International banks Plaid doesn't touch **Skip if:** You're a startup, need to move fast, or just serve US consumers.

Is TrueLayer actually better than Plaid in Europe?

**Way better.** Numbers I've seen: - **Connection rates:** TrueLayer 91% vs Plaid's sad 72% in Europe - **GDPR:** Built-in vs Plaid's retrofit hack job - **Payment initiation:** TrueLayer has it, Plaid barely supports it - **Open banking:** Built for EU regulations, not fighting them **Catch:** Europe only. US companies need dual integrations.

Does Flinks actually work for Canadian users?

**Yeah, better than Plaid.** - **OAuth:** Biggest API network in Canada - **Major banks:** RBC, TD, Scotia, BMO all work great - **Reliability:** 94% vs Plaid's 78% for Canadian banks - **Compliance:** Built for Canadian regulations **Problem:** Shit US coverage. Good for Canada-focused or dual setups.

Should I bother with Teller's tiny coverage?

**If your users bank at major institutions, yeah.** - 60-70% of fintech users (Chase, BofA, Wells, Capital One) - 95%+ connection reliability for what they support - APIs that don't make you want to quit coding - Pricing that makes sense **Good for:** Premium apps with affluent users, or use Teller + Plaid backup.

Do users freak out about switching providers?

**Most don't notice if you don't fuck it up:** - Frame it as an improvement (better security, faster, new features) - Keep the UX similar so it doesn't feel different - Email users before the switch, don't surprise them - Train your support team on new issues **What pisses users off:** Surprise auth requests, different error messages, unfamiliar screens.

What changes after I migrate?

**Every provider operates differently:** - **TrueLayer/Yapily:** Less maintenance thanks to open banking - **Yodlee:** More hand-holding but they actually help - **Teller:** Almost no maintenance (limited coverage helps) - **MX:** They communicate well about changes - **Flinks:** Good support but assumes you know Canadian banking **Expect:** Different webhook patterns, new error types, provider-specific quirks.

Can I go back to Plaid if this goes to shit?

**Yeah, but you won't want to.** Going back means: - Another 2-4 month migration hell - Making users reconnect their accounts again - More engineering time and doubled API costs - Losing more users from the disruption **Better plan:** Test thoroughly and roll out gradually. Try it with some users first before going all-in.

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Plaid Migration: Technical Decision Guide & Operational Intelligence

Migration Triggers & Cost Thresholds

Critical Price Escalation Pattern:

Initial: $500/month baseline
Growth inflection: $3,200/month (8-month scaling trajectory)
Breaking point: Companies migrate when scaling costs exceed 2-3x budgeted API expenses
Warning: Plaid pricing scales inversely to SaaS norms (higher per-user costs at scale)

Geographic Coverage Failures:

Europe: Plaid covers ~2,000 institutions vs TrueLayer's 5,000+
Connection rate degradation: 60-70% European coverage vs 90%+ local providers
Critical for expansion: Regional providers achieve 91% vs 72% connection rates

Provider Comparison Matrix

Provider	Monthly Cost	Coverage	Migration Time	Critical Limitations
Plaid	$500-$3,200+	12K US/EU	N/A	iOS OAuth failures, price scaling
Yodlee	$800+	20K+ global	6 months	10-week sales process, enterprise-only
MX	$400-$1,000	13K+ US	2-3 months	Zero international coverage
Finicity	$600-$1,800	16K US	4 months	Mastercard bureaucracy
TrueLayer	€300-€1,500	5K EU	2.5 months	Europe-only
Flinks	CAD $400-$1,200	250+ North America	1.5 months	Poor US coverage (30% of Plaid)
Teller	$200-$600	200 US majors	3 weeks	25% customer loss (smaller banks)
Akoya	Enterprise pricing	500 US premium	8+ months	Bank-owned politics
Yapily	€200-€800	2K EU	1.5 months	Europe-focused scope

Technical Implementation Reality

Migration Timeline (Realistic)

Months 1-2: Provider evaluation and testing

Connection rate testing across user bank distribution
API compatibility assessment
Cost modeling at current and projected scale

Months 3-4: Core migration work

Data schema mapping and transformation
User re-authentication flows
Dual-provider operation setup

Months 5-6: Edge case resolution

Mobile OAuth flow fixes
Bank-specific connection issues
Performance optimization

Critical Failure Points

iOS OAuth Instability:

Connection failure rates: 15-20% spike during iOS updates
Affects all providers using Safari-based auth
Mitigation: Monitor Apple Safari behavior changes, maintain fallback flows

User Reconnection Losses:

Expected reconnection rate: 75-80% with proper communication
20-25% permanent user loss during migration
Critical: Dual-provider operation required for 2-4 months

Hidden Cost Multipliers:

Engineering time: 200-400 developer hours
Dual API costs: 40-60% increase during transition
Support ticket volume: 3x normal during migration
Customer churn: 5-15% additional loss beyond reconnection issues

Provider-Specific Intelligence

Yodlee (Enterprise Grade)

Strengths:

20,000+ global institutions
98% transaction categorization accuracy
Decades-old bank relationships

Operational Costs:

10-week minimum sales cycle
6-month onboarding for enterprise features
Mid-six-figure annual commitment required

Use Case: Enterprise with time/budget for 6+ month implementation

TrueLayer (European Dominance)

Performance Metrics:

91% EU connection rates vs Plaid's 72%
Payment initiation capabilities
GDPR-native compliance

Economic Impact:

60-80% payment processing cost reduction (bank-to-bank vs cards)
€300-€1,500 monthly cost range

Limitation: Europe-only requires dual integration for US companies

Flinks (Canadian Optimization)

Performance Data:

94% Canadian bank connection rate vs Plaid's 78%
OAuth-native implementation
Major bank coverage: RBC, TD, Scotia, BMO

Geographic Constraint: US coverage at 30% of Plaid's reach

MX (Data Quality Focus)

Technical Advantages:

96% transaction categorization accuracy (vs 89% baseline)
Superior credit union coverage
White-label UI components

Cost-Benefit: 10-20% savings with significantly better data quality

Teller (Premium Bank Focus)

Reliability Metrics:

95%+ connection success for major US banks
Coverage: Chase, BofA, Wells Fargo, Capital One
Modern API design

Customer Impact: 25% user loss due to limited bank coverage

Migration Decision Framework

Cost-Driven Migrations

Trigger: Monthly costs exceed $2,000-$3,000
Best Options: MX (broader coverage) or Teller (premium banks only)
Time Investment: 2-4 months

Geographic Expansion

Europe: TrueLayer mandatory for competitive connection rates
Canada: Flinks provides 16-point connection rate improvement
Global: Yodlee only viable option for worldwide coverage

Enterprise Requirements

Security/Compliance: Yodlee or Akoya for bank partnerships
Time Constraint: 6-12 month implementation timeline
Budget Requirement: Mid-six to seven-figure annual costs

Critical Risk Factors

Technical Risks

Mobile OAuth: All providers vulnerable to iOS Safari changes
Bank Coverage Gaps: Regional bank support varies dramatically
Data Schema Differences: 70% of transaction handling code requires rewrite

Business Risks

User Churn: 20-30% total loss during migration (reconnection + friction)
Dual Operation Costs: 40-60% cost increase for 2-4 months
Support Burden: 3x ticket volume during transition period

Operational Dependencies

Developer Time: 200-400 hours minimum for basic migration
User Communication: Proactive notification reduces churn by 10-15%
Rollback Capability: Maintain Plaid integration for 6+ months post-migration

Success Metrics & Benchmarks

Connection Rate Targets:

US Markets: 85%+ (MX, Teller for major banks)
European Markets: 90%+ (TrueLayer, Yapily)
Canadian Markets: 90%+ (Flinks)

Cost Reduction Expectations:

US Migration: 10-30% savings (MX, Teller)
EU Payment Processing: 60-80% savings (TrueLayer)
Canadian Focus: 20-30% savings (Flinks)

Implementation Timeline Benchmarks:

Simple Apps: 2-3 months
Complex Payment Systems: 4-6 months
Enterprise Integration: 6-12 months

Warning Indicators

Abort Migration If:

Connection rate testing shows >20% degradation
Engineering estimate exceeds 400 developer hours
User base includes >40% regional/credit union banks (consider Teller limitations)
Sales process exceeds 12 weeks (Yodlee/Akoya red flag)

Dual-Provider Strategy Required When:

Serving multiple geographic regions
User base spans major banks + long tail institutions
Migration timeline exceeds 4 months
Business cannot tolerate 20%+ user loss

Useful Links for Further Investigation

Migration Resources: When Everything Goes to Shit

Link	Description
GitHub Issue #302 - React Native iOS OAuth	This thread saved me 3 days when iOS 16 fucked our auth flow. Read this before doing mobile integration or you'll hate your life.
TrueLayer API Documentation	The only banking API docs that don't lie to you. Their OAuth flow works on the first try, which is basically magic in fintech.
Stack Overflow Banking API Tag	Real solutions to problems the official docs pretend don't exist. Sort by votes, ignore anything from vendor accounts.
Plaid Pattern Sample App	The only Plaid example that actually fucking compiles. Study this first or waste a week fixing their broken quickstart guide.
HN Search: "plaid alternatives"	Engineers sharing actual war stories about migrations. Way more honest than the bullshit vendor case studies.
Plaid Service Status	Monitor this obsessively during migrations. Plaid goes down more than they admit, especially during their "maintenance" windows that somehow always break something new.
DownDetector for Banking APIs	Users report outages before the companies admit anything's wrong. More reliable than official status pages.

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