Not long ago, many UK fintechs and accounting platforms depended on screen scraping to fetch customer bank data. It was a workaround that gave access when no standard APIs existed, but it came with a price: broken connections, login failures, and mounting compliance risks.
By 2025, that era is ending. With nearly one in five UK consumers and small businesses now using consent-based Open Banking APIs, and a large proportion of older systems still relying on screen scraping, the shift to secure, compliant data access has entered a decisive phase.
Driven by PSD2 enforcement and industry-wide adoption, UK businesses are replacing outdated scraping methods with regulated, consent-driven APIs. The move isn’t just about compliance — it’s about trust, stability, and dependable access to financial data that doesn’t break overnight.
Open Banking now offers what screen scraping never could: secure authentication, structured transaction feeds, and consistent uptime across UK banks. For modern finance, it’s no longer a choice between the two — it’s a question of how quickly you can make the switch.
What Is Screen Scraping and Why It Became Popular
Before Open Banking existed, screen scraping was the go-to method for fintech and accounting apps to access bank data. It worked like this: a customer entered their bank login credentials into a third-party app, which then signed into the bank’s website on their behalf and copied account information — balances, transactions, and payments straight from the webpage.
This approach became common because banks didn’t yet provide APIs or official ways to share financial data securely. Developers needed access to live banking data to build dashboards, budgeting tools, and payment apps, so screen scraping filled that gap quickly.
However, it came with clear limitations. The process depended on copying what appeared on a user’s screen, which often broke whenever a bank updated its website. And since it required storing customers’ passwords, it raised serious security and privacy risks.
As the UK’s financial system matured and PSD2 introduced consent-based data sharing, screen scraping started to look less like innovation and more like a liability. Today, it’s considered an outdated shortcut — one that modern UK businesses are replacing with secure, regulated Open Banking APIs.
What Is Screen Scraping and Why It Became Popular
Screen scraping was one of the earliest ways fintechs and software platforms collected bank data before Open Banking APIs existed.
Here’s how it worked:
When a customer wanted to connect their bank account, they had to share their online banking username and password with a third-party app. The app then logged into the bank’s website on their behalf, copied the account information from the page (balances, transactions, payments, etc.), and displayed it in the app’s dashboard.
Why It Became Popular
- Banks had no APIs: Before PSD2 and Open Banking, there were no standard ways to access banking data securely.
- Developers needed quick access: Fintechs used scraping to build budgeting tools, loan apps, and dashboards that depended on real-time bank data.
- It was fast to implement: Despite the risks, scraping allowed startups to launch products quickly and offer data-driven features to users.
The Catch
The process worked, but not reliably. Every time a bank changed its website layout or login process, connections broke. And because the method required storing customers’ login details, it raised major security and privacy concerns.
In short, screen scraping helped early fintechs get started, but it was always a temporary fix. As soon as secure and regulated Open Banking APIs arrived, the industry began moving away from scraping for good.
The Risks of Screen Scraping
Screen scraping may have been useful in the early days of fintech, but it quickly became known for its security flaws and operational instability. As banks and regulators raised standards for data protection, the drawbacks became too serious to ignore.
1. Security Concerns
When customers share their online banking credentials with a third party, they’re effectively giving up full access to their accounts.
If that third-party app is hacked, those details can be stolen or misused.
This practice directly conflicts with the PSD2 principle of consent-based access, which requires customers to share only specific data, not entire login credentials.
2. Data Accuracy Problems
Screen scraping relies on reading website code (HTML), but bank websites change often.
Each update can break the data connection, leading to missing or inaccurate transaction details.
For businesses relying on this data for reconciliation, affordability checks, or analytics, even small errors can cause major downstream issues.
3. Regulatory Non-Compliance
Under FCA and PSD2 rules, screen scraping is not recognised as a secure or approved data-access method.
Firms that continue using it risk violating data protection and customer consent laws, which can result in penalties and reputational damage.
4. Poor User Experience
Scraping often requires customers to re-enter passwords or 2FA codes every few days.
Connections drop frequently, and users lose trust in the service.
By contrast, Open Banking APIs allow longer consent windows and stable data feeds that refresh automatically.
How Open Banking Replaced Screen Scraping
The introduction of PSD2 changed how financial data could be accessed across the UK. For the first time, banks were required to provide secure, standardised APIs that allowed third-party platforms to connect with customer accounts, but only when the customer gave clear consent. This shift turned data access from a risky workaround into a regulated, transparent process.
Unlike screen scraping, Open Banking doesn’t involve sharing passwords or logging in on someone’s behalf. Instead, users authenticate directly with their bank, and a temporary access token is issued to the approved application. That token defines what data can be viewed and for how long.
The result is simple: stronger security, cleaner data, and full compliance with FCA rules. For UK businesses, this has made Open Banking the new default for everything from accounting software to credit platforms. Transaction feeds stay accurate, connections don’t break when a website changes, and customer trust is easier to maintain. What began as a compliance requirement has now become a competitive advantage — giving companies real-time financial visibility without compromising privacy.
Screen Scraping vs Open Banking: A Direct Comparison
The difference between screen scraping and Open Banking isn’t just technical — it’s about trust, security, and long-term reliability.
Where scraping imitates user actions to pull data, Open Banking connects directly to the bank through official, encrypted channels regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
| Aspect | Screen Scraping | Open Banking |
|---|---|---|
| How It Works | Logs into the bank’s website using shared credentials and copies data from the screen. | Connects securely through regulated APIs with customer consent. |
| Security | Credentials stored by third parties; high risk if breached. | Token-based access; no password sharing. |
| Regulation | Not compliant under PSD2 and discouraged by FCA. | Fully compliant with PSD2 and FCA requirements. |
| Data Accuracy | Prone to errors when banks change their web interface. | Provides structured, verified, and standardised data. |
| User Experience | Frequent re-logins, broken connections. | Smooth consent flow with automatic data updates. |
| Reliability | Fragile; breaks easily during maintenance or UI changes. | Stable and consistent across all connected banks. |
Finexer: Leading the API-First Transition
As more UK businesses leave behind screen scraping, Finexer stands out as the platform helping them make that shift quickly and securely. Designed for UK-regulated environments, it brings together Account Information (AIS) and Payment Initiation (PIS) APIs in one compliant stack — built for accuracy, stability, and speed.
Built for UK Businesses
Finexer is focused entirely on the UK market, connecting to 99% of UK banks and supporting both business and personal accounts.
It allows firms to access up to seven years of transaction history per account, giving accountants, lenders, and compliance teams the depth they need for audits, affordability checks, and reconciliation — all through verified, consent-based data.
Full-Stack API Capabilities
- Real-Time Data Access: Retrieve live balances and transactions instantly through FCA-authorised AIS.
- Instant Payments: Move funds between accounts in seconds using regulated PIS endpoints.
- No Fetch Limits: Unlike some providers, Finexer removes transaction caps and provides continuous data access.
Faster, Guided Deployment
Finexer’s onboarding process is guided from start to finish, with 3-5 weeks of hands-on support.
Its implementation specialists help teams test connections, validate compliance, and go live smoothly — typically 2–3x faster than the industry average.
Why Businesses Choose Finexer
- Combines data aggregation and payments in one compliant API stack
- Ensures consistent uptime and clean data across all UK banks
- Reduces risk with consent-based, PSD2-aligned connections
- Supports developers and compliance teams through every integration stage
With Finexer, UK firms can leave scraping behind for good — gaining real-time visibility, secure payment processing, and complete regulatory confidence through one dependable Open Banking platform.
What makes Open Banking safer than screen scraping?
Open Banking uses encrypted, consent-based APIs — so no passwords are shared. Screen scraping stores login details, creating major security risks.
Is screen scraping still legal in the UK?
Not banned outright, but it’s non-compliant with PSD2 and FCA rules. Businesses using it risk breaching data-protection and consent laws.
How long does it take to migrate from screen scraping to Open Banking?
With Finexer’s guided onboarding, most UK firms complete the switch in just a few weeks — ensuring a smooth and compliant transition.
Finexer’s API-first platform helps UK businesses replace outdated scraping with secure, compliant connectivity — in just weeks.