What Bank Connection to Choose — Mastercard API, LedgerSync Premium, MX, or Mercury
Purpose
LedgerSync offers multiple bank connection options to ensure you can access the financial data your clients need. Choosing the correct connection type ensures reliable access to bank statements, transactions, and check images. This article explains when to use each option — Mastercard API, LedgerSync Premium, MX, or Mercury.
Where to Find Bank Connection Options
To add a bank connection:
- Log into the LedgerSync application
- Select the client you want to add a bank connection for
- In the top-right corner, click Add Bank Connection
- Choose the appropriate connection type based on the data you need
- In the search box, type the name of the bank and select it from the results
Option 1. Mastercard API Connection
The Mastercard API connection retrieves a client's bank statements and/or transactions directly through Mastercard's open finance network.
Mastercard supports two key services:
- TA (Transaction Aggregation) — syncs individual transactions in real time
- SA (Statement Aggregation) — downloads monthly bank statement PDFs
To verify whether your bank supports TA or SA, visit the Mastercard Open Finance Supported Institutions directory:
Search for your bank and look for a green checkmark under the TA (Transactions) or SA (Statements) column. If a checkmark is present, that data type can be aggregated into LedgerSync. If a checkmark is missing, the bank does not expose that data through Mastercard.
Examples:
- Chase Bank — supports both statements (SA) and transactions (TA)
- Rolling Hills Bank and Trust — supports transactions only (no SA checkmark)
If a bank supports only one service, the Mastercard API connection can still be used to retrieve whatever is available.
Option 2. Premium Bank Connections
Premium Bank Connections are recommended for:
- Retrieving check and deposit images — this is the primary use case for Premium connections
- Accessing supplementary statements for banks not supported by Mastercard or MX
These connections provide additional data coverage where standard API connections have limitations. Use Premium connections primarily for check images or supplementary statements where Mastercard does not support statement aggregation for the required bank.
Note: When using a Premium Bank Connection, it is recommended to use the LedgerSync Desktop Application (LSDA) for a more stable and secure connection. See: LedgerSync Desktop App — Download & Install GuideOption 3. MX Connection
MX is LedgerSync's second full bank aggregator, available alongside the Mastercard API. It is no longer in Beta — MX is fully deployed and actively used across the platform.
Use MX when:
- Your bank is not supported by the Mastercard API but is available through MX
- You want a secondary aggregator for banks where Mastercard has reliability issues
- You need both transactions and bank statement PDFs from a supported MX institution
What MX supports:
- Transaction aggregation (TA) — fully available
- Statement aggregation (SA) — available for supported institutions
- MFA / multi-factor authentication handling — fully supported, using the same prompts you see with Mastercard connections
- Broken connection fix notifications — the "Fix Bank Connection" button and text-client reconnect option work for MX the same way they do for Mastercard
To check whether your bank is supported through MX, visit the MX Supported Banks page inside LedgerSync or contact support@ledgersync.com.
Note: When LedgerSync connects to a bank through MX, it uses MX's Unified API — transactions and statements are requested together in a single session. This means you will only be prompted for MFA once, not twice, even if the bank requires it for both services.Option 4. Mercury
LedgerSync has a direct API connection with Mercury Bank, making it one of the most stable and reliable connections available on the platform.
With Mercury:
- Statements, balances, and transactions all flow directly and instantly into LedgerSync
- There are virtually no connection breakages
- Data is published smoothly and consistently
- No MFA prompts — data is accessed via a secure API token you generate in Mercury
For setup instructions, see: Mercury Bank — How to Connect to LedgerSyncQuick Reference — Which Connection to Use
| I need... | Use this connection |
|---|---|
| Bank statements and/or transactions (most banks) | Mastercard API |
| Check or deposit images | Premium Bank Connections |
| Statements/transactions for a bank not on Mastercard | MX Connection |
| Mercury Bank — statements, balances, transactions | Mercury (direct API) |
| Supplementary statements for a bank not on Mastercard or MX | Premium Bank Connections |
Need Help?
If you are unsure which connection type to use, or need help getting connected, contact LedgerSync Support:
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