Instantly Connect

Connecting a bank account instantly creates a secure, read-only connection with your financial institution through our data partner, Plaid. Betterment does not store your login information and will never share, sell, rent, or trade your information without your approval.

To add a bank account instantly, log in on a web browser and select “Settings” from the menu and then select “Funding Accounts.” You will then see the option to add the bank accounts you want to fund with. Betterment only supports connections to bank accounts that are in the account owner's name.

If you’ve instantly connected your bank account in the past for tracking purposes, you’ll be able to choose that account and instantly connect it for funding purposes. If not, you will be able to search for your bank by name. If the option to connect your bank account instantly is available, you can create an instant connection by providing your username and password for that institution.

Your external bank might require you to complete additional two-step verification, which is an additional layer of security, before we can gain access to the account. If so, you will be prompted with verification questions or a code, which are generated after you provide your login credentials. This code is typically provided to you by your external bank via email, text, or telephone call.