The Build Log

Real-world notes for founders navigating the messy road from idea to launched product.

Jun 10, 20252 min read

MX vs Finicity vs Akoya: Choosing a Financial Data Aggregator

Plaid dominates financial data aggregation conversations, but MX offers superior data enrichment, Finicity excels at lending workflows, and Akoya provides the cleanest regulatory story.

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Plaid Alternatives for Startups: SnapTrade, Flinks, TrueLayer

Fintech

Jun 2, 20253 min read

Plaid Alternatives for Startups: SnapTrade, Flinks, TrueLayer

Plaid dominates fintech infrastructure, but alternatives solve specific problems better. SnapTrade for brokerage trading, Flinks for Canadian markets, TrueLayer for European open banking.

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Fintech

May 17, 20253 min read

Plaid vs. Yodlee: Choosing a Bank Connection API for Your Fintech Startup

Every fintech product that connects to bank accounts faces the Plaid vs. Yodlee decision. Both let users link their bank accounts to your app, but they serve different use cases. This comparison helps you choose the right provider.

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Open Banking APIs: Real Integration Complexity

Fintech

May 1, 20253 min read

Open Banking APIs: Real Integration Complexity

Open banking sounds simple, but API reliability varies by institution, data formats differ wildly, and transaction categorization is accurate 73-92% of the time. This is what integration actually looks like.

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Fintech

Feb 11, 20258 min read

Building Fintech Apps with Convex: SOC 2 and HIPAA Compliance

Learn how to build compliant fintech applications using Convex. SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA compliance capabilities for startups building financial products.

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Fintech

Feb 10, 202510 min read

SOC 2 for Fintech Startups: When You Actually Need It

Understand when SOC 2 certification is necessary for fintech startups, the costs involved, and when it can be deferred.

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Fintech

Feb 9, 202511 min read

Building a Fintech MVP: The Compliance-First Approach

Learn why fintech startups should build compliance into their MVP from day one, not retrofit it later. Practical architecture patterns and cost breakdowns.

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Fintech

Feb 8, 20258 min read

The Real Cost of Building a Fintech MVP

Honest cost breakdown for fintech MVP development. Real numbers for compliance, integrations, and development across different product types.

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Chargeback and Fraud Management: Building Defenses Before Your First Attack

Fintech

Jan 9, 2025

Chargeback and Fraud Management: Building Defenses Before Your First Attack

Chargebacks and fraud can kill fintech margins before you reach profitability. Learn how to build defenses into your product architecture from day one.

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