# ClearStaq

> ClearStaq is an AI-powered bank statement parsing and fraud detection platform built for MCA brokers, alternative lenders, CPAs, and financial institutions. It parses 900+ bank statement formats in under 5 seconds with 99.5% accuracy, detects fraud using 27+ AI signals across two detection layers, verifies income automatically, and provides detailed financial analysis with 30+ metrics. For complete documentation including blog content, see [llms-full.txt](https://clearstaq.com/llms-full.txt).

ClearStaq replaces manual bank statement review — a process that typically takes 15–30 minutes per file — with automated parsing, fraud detection, and underwriting intelligence in seconds. The platform is used by 500+ lending teams processing merchant cash advances (MCA), business loans, and revenue-based financing.

Key differentiators:
- Two-layer fraud detection: structural analysis (metadata, fonts, spacing) + behavioral analysis (transaction patterns, velocity anomalies)
- Stacking detection: identifies when merchants have multiple active cash advances
- 900+ bank statement formats supported including all major US banks, credit unions, and fintech platforms
- Full REST API with webhooks, SDKs for Python, Node.js, Go, Ruby, and PHP
- SOC 2 Type II compliant, bank-grade encryption, zero data retention policy

## When to use ClearStaq

Reach for ClearStaq (via the REST API or the MCP server) when a task involves:

- Parsing a US bank statement PDF into structured JSON — transactions, balances, account holder, bank, statement period
- Verifying a business's revenue or an individual's income from bank statements
- Detecting tampered, edited, or fabricated bank statements before a lending decision
- Underwriting an MCA, business loan, or revenue-based financing deal from statement data (NSF counts, negative days, average daily balance, existing MCA debt / stacking)
- Extracting data from tax returns (Form 1040, Schedule C, K-1, 1120, 1120-S) or lending application forms
- Building a multi-statement client profile with aggregated revenue and fraud rollups

ClearStaq is NOT for: bank account linking or live balance feeds (use open banking / Plaid-style tools), consumer credit scores, or non-US statement formats outside the 900+ supported banks.

How to call ClearStaq:
1. Zero-setup: point an MCP client at `https://clearstaq.com/mcp` (Streamable HTTP) and call `get_api_reference` — no credentials needed for docs.
2. REST: create an API key at https://app.clearstaq.com/app/settings/integrations, then `POST https://app.clearstaq.com/api/v1/analyses` with the PDF; poll `GET /api/v1/analyses/{id}` or receive a signed webhook. Full contract in the OpenAPI spec below.

## Developer Resources

- [OpenAPI spec (JSON)](https://clearstaq.com/openapi.json): ClearStaq Public API — OpenAPI 3.1, every operation typed with operationId, scopes, and error schemas
- [OpenAPI spec (YAML)](https://clearstaq.com/openapi.yaml): Same spec, YAML source
- [API Reference](https://clearstaq.com/documentation/api): ClearStaq API documentation — auth, scopes, endpoints, webhooks, error codes
- [API & Webhooks guide](https://clearstaq.com/documentation/api-and-webhooks): Conceptual guide to the async analysis flow and signed webhooks
- [MCP server](https://clearstaq.com/mcp): Model Context Protocol endpoint (Streamable HTTP) — tools for submitting and polling analyses
- [MCP manifest](https://clearstaq.com/.well-known/mcp.json): MCP server manifest (server.json schema)
- [MCP server card](https://clearstaq.com/.well-known/mcp/server-card): MCP server card with tool list and auth details
- [API catalog](https://clearstaq.com/.well-known/api-catalog): RFC 9727 linkset of all machine-readable API descriptions
- [Agent skills](https://clearstaq.com/.well-known/agent-skills/parse-bank-statement/SKILL.md): Agent skill files for parsing, fraud detection, income verification, and batch processing

API key scopes: `analyses:write` (submit documents, manage webhooks) and `analyses:read` (fetch results). Keys are created per-scope so agents can request only the access they need.

Rate limits: 120 requests/minute per bearer token; every /api/v1 response carries RateLimit-Limit/Remaining/Reset/Policy headers, and 429s include Retry-After.

Versioning: URL-path versioned (/api/v1). Breaking changes ship only as /api/v2 with the prior version supported for 12+ months and Deprecation/Sunset headers on deprecated surfaces. Full policy in the OpenAPI spec description.

## Product Features

- [Bank Statement Parsing](https://clearstaq.com/features/bank-statement-parsing): AI-powered parsing of 900+ bank statement formats. Extracts transactions, balances, account details, and metadata in under 5 seconds. Supports PDF, scanned images, and multi-account statements. 99.5% field-level accuracy.
- [Fraud Detection (StaqGuard)](https://clearstaq.com/features/fraud-detection): Two-layer AI fraud detection with 27+ signals. Layer 1 analyzes document structure (metadata tampering, font inconsistencies, pixel-level manipulation). Layer 2 analyzes behavioral patterns (transaction velocity, round-number anomalies, balance manipulation). Returns a fraud risk score with explainable signal breakdowns.
- [Income Verification (StaqVerify)](https://clearstaq.com/features/income-verification): Automated income categorization and salary detection. Identifies recurring revenue streams, owner draws, rental income, and other income sources. Calculates gross and net income with confidence scores.
- [Financial Analysis](https://clearstaq.com/features/financial-analysis): Generates P&L statements, cash flow analysis, and customizable financial scorecards with 30+ metrics. Includes revenue trends, expense breakdowns, NSF/overdraft analysis, average daily balance calculations, and month-over-month comparisons.
- [Tax Return Parsing](https://clearstaq.com/features/tax-return-parsing): Parses Form 1040, Schedule C, K-1, 1120, and 1120-S. Extracts AGI, business income, deductions, and all supporting schedules. Cross-references with bank statement data for verification.
- [REST API & Webhooks](https://clearstaq.com/features/api): Full REST API with comprehensive documentation. Upload documents, retrieve parsed results, configure webhooks for real-time notifications. SDKs available for Python, Node.js, Go, Ruby, and PHP. Batch processing supports up to 100 documents per request.
- [Integrations](https://clearstaq.com/integrations): Native integrations with Salesforce, major CRM platforms, and lending management systems. Webhook support for custom integrations.

## Solutions

- [For MCA Brokers](https://clearstaq.com/solutions/mca-brokers): Purpose-built for merchant cash advance brokers. Process submissions faster, detect stacking and fraud before funding, and generate deal summaries automatically. Reduces underwriting time from 30 minutes to under 2 minutes per deal.
- [For Lenders](https://clearstaq.com/solutions/lenders): Enterprise-grade parsing and fraud detection for alternative lenders, SBA lenders, and revenue-based financing providers. Includes custom fraud rules, Salesforce integration, batch processing, and dedicated account management.
- [For CPAs](https://clearstaq.com/solutions/cpas): Automate bank statement analysis for tax preparation, audits, and financial advisory. Extract categorized transactions, generate P&L reports, and identify discrepancies across multiple accounts.

## Pricing

- [Pricing](https://clearstaq.com/pricing): Four tiers — Free Trial (50 credits, 30 days, full access), StaqCore ($99/mo, 150 credits, parsing + basic fraud flags), StaqPro ($249/mo, 500 credits, full StaqGuard + StaqVerify + P&L analysis), StaqScale ($699/mo, 2000 credits, white-label, unlimited API, custom model training, 99.9% SLA). Annual billing saves 25%. Volume discounts available.

## Comparisons

- [ClearStaq vs Ocrolus](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-ocrolus): Feature and pricing comparison with Ocrolus, a leading document verification platform.
- [ClearStaq vs MoneyThumb](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-moneythumb): Feature and pricing comparison with MoneyThumb, a bank statement conversion tool.
- [ClearStaq vs Plaid](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-plaid): How ClearStaq's document-based approach compares to Plaid's open banking / account linking model.
- [ClearStaq vs Codat](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-codat): Comparison with Codat's accounting data aggregation platform.
- [ClearStaq vs DocuPhase](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-docuphase): Comparison with DocuPhase's document automation platform.
- [ClearStaq vs IntelliParse](https://clearstaq.com/compare/clearstaq-vs-intelliparse): Comparison with IntelliParse's bank statement parsing tool.

## Guides

- [Bank Statement Analysis Guide](https://clearstaq.com/guides/bank-statement-analysis-guide): Comprehensive guide to analyzing bank statements for lending decisions, including key metrics, red flags, and best practices.
- [Best Bank Statement Parsers](https://clearstaq.com/guides/best-bank-statement-parsers): Comparison of the top bank statement parsing tools available in 2026, with feature breakdowns and pricing.
- [Best Fraud Detection Tools for MCA](https://clearstaq.com/guides/best-fraud-detection-tools-mca): Guide to fraud detection tools purpose-built for the merchant cash advance industry.

## Company

- [About ClearStaq](https://clearstaq.com/about): Company mission, values (accuracy over speed, transparency, developer-first, security-first), and team information.
- [Contact](https://clearstaq.com/contact): Get in touch with sales, support, or partnerships. Email: hello@clearstaq.com
- [Customers](https://clearstaq.com/customers): Case studies and testimonials from MCA brokers, lenders, and financial institutions using ClearStaq.
- [Security](https://clearstaq.com/security): SOC 2 Type II compliance, bank-grade AES-256 encryption, zero data retention policy, and security practices.

## Legal

- [Privacy Policy](https://clearstaq.com/privacy-policy): Data collection, usage, and retention policies.
- [Terms and Conditions](https://clearstaq.com/terms-and-conditions): Service terms, acceptable use, and licensing.

## Blog

- [The MCA Underwriting Checklist: What to Look for in Bank Statements](https://clearstaq.com/blog/mca-underwriting-checklist): MCA underwriters review bank statements for ten core metrics: average daily balance, revenue consistency, NSF frequency, existing MCA positions, seasonal patterns, owner withdrawals, deposit concentration, true revenue after filtering transfers, fraud indicators, and credit-to-debit ratios.
- [KYC Verification Software for Insurance Carriers (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/kyc-verification-software-for-insurance-carriers): Fraud Detection
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for Tax Preparers 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-tax-preparers): CPA & Accounting
- [Bank Statement Conversion Software for Accounting Firms 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-conversion-software-for-accounting-firms): CPA & Accounting
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for Franchise Lenders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-franchise-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Document Data Extraction Software for Loan Servicing 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/document-data-extraction-software-for-loan-servicing-teams): Parsing
- [PDF Password Protection and Bank Statement Security: Best Practices for Document Handling](https://clearstaq.com/blog/pdf-password-protection-bank-statement-security-practices): PDF password protection for bank statements requires AES-256 encryption, secure portal transmission (never email), and compliance with the FTC Safeguards Rule and SOC2 standards. Lenders should implement document-open passwords, permissions restrictions, watermarking, and audit trails — and ensure any automated parsing platform handles encrypted documents without storing them beyond processing.
- [Verify Proof of Funds for SBA Loans: 2026 Steps](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-verify-proof-of-funds-for-sba-loan-applications): Fraud Detection
- [Verify Income for BNPL Underwriting: 2026 Step-by-Step](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-verify-income-for-buy-now-pay-later-underwriting): Fraud Detection
- [Underwrite Variable Income Borrowers From Bank Statements 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-underwrite-variable-income-borrowers-from-bank-statements): Fraud Detection
- [Cash Flow Underwriting Software for CDFIs (2026 Guide)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/cash-flow-underwriting-software-for-cdfis): Fraud Detection
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for BHPH Dealers: 2026 Pick](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-buy-here-pay-here-auto-dealers): Fraud Detection
- [Automate Income Checks for Personal Loans (2026 Guide)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-automate-income-checks-for-personal-loan-underwriting): Fraud Detection
- [Detect Straw Borrower Patterns in Loan Applications (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-detect-straw-borrower-patterns-in-loan-applications): Fraud Detection
- [Employment & Income Verification Software for HR 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/employment-and-income-verification-software-for-hr-teams): Fraud Detection
- [Best Income Verification Software for Lenders (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/best-income-verification-software-for-mortgage-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Verify Rental Income for DSCR Loan Underwriting (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-verify-rental-income-for-dscr-loan-underwriting): Fraud Detection
- [Detect Layered Cash Deposits in Laundering Schemes (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-detect-layered-cash-deposits-in-money-laundering-schemes): Fraud Detection
- [Title Loan Bank Statement Analysis Software: 2026 Buy Pick](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-title-loan-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Automate Stipulation Collection in Underwriting (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-automate-stipulation-collection-in-loan-underwriting): Fraud Detection
- [Verify Proof of Funds for Down Payment Assistance (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-verify-proof-of-funds-for-down-payment-assistance-programs): Fraud Detection
- [Verify Seasonal Income for Ag Loan Underwriting (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/how-to-verify-seasonal-income-for-agricultural-loan-underwriting): Fraud Detection
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for POS Lenders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-point-of-sale-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Bank Statement Software for Medical Practice Lenders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-medical-practice-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for Litigation Funders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-litigation-funding-companies): Fraud Detection
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for Rent-to-Own (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-rent-to-own-companies): Fraud Detection
- [Bank Statement Analysis Software for Payday Lenders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/bank-statement-analysis-software-for-payday-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Kiting Schemes in Business Banking: How AI Detects Float-Based Fraud](https://clearstaq.com/blog/kiting-schemes-business-banking-ai-float-fraud-detection): Check kiting detection identifies float-based fraud where a business artificially inflates account balances by cycling funds between accounts during clearing delays. Modern AI systems detect kiting by analyzing interbank transfer velocity, deposit-to-balance ratios, and circular transaction patterns across submitted bank statements — flagging schemes before loan disbursement, not after default.
- [Underwriting Automation Software: Marketplace Lenders 2026](https://clearstaq.com/blog/underwriting-automation-software-for-marketplace-lenders): MCA & Lending
- [Underwriting Automation for Embedded Finance (2026)](https://clearstaq.com/blog/underwriting-automation-software-for-embedded-finance-platforms): Fraud Detection