How to export your first direct statement to CSV

By The Income Tracker · Updated 8 September 2026

Export first direct transactions as CSV

1. Log on to Online Banking in a desktop browser. The download option does not show in the app and is often hidden on phones.
2. Select the account to open its transactions page.
3. Use the download option on the transactions page and set a date range of up to one year.
4. Choose CSV. QIF and JSON are also offered.
5. Download, then repeat for each earlier year you need. Current accounts go back up to six years.
6. Import each file into The Income Tracker.

first direct's own help pages only describe PDF statements, so the label on the download option may differ from what you expect. Look on the transactions page rather than under Statements. Credit card exports cover a shorter period, around six months.

Formats first direct offers: CSV, QIF (Quicken and Microsoft Money flavours), JSON and PDF. CSV is the cleanest import. OFX and QIF also import directly.

What happens after you import

Drop the file in and every transaction lands in a month-by-month ledger. Drag items into categories, flag the recurring ones, and watch your surplus update as you go. Money moved between your own accounts gets auto-skipped, so transfers never double-count. Duplicates are caught too, so importing overlapping date ranges is safe.

Only got a PDF? You can still import it. See how to import a PDF bank statement.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export first direct transactions to CSV for free?

Yes. first direct lets you download your own transactions as a file at no cost from first direct Online Banking in a desktop browser (the app only offers PDF statements). You then import that file into a budgeting tool such as The Income Tracker.

Do I need to connect or log in to my bank to use The Income Tracker?

No. There is no open-banking connection and you never enter bank credentials into The Income Tracker. You download the file from first direct yourself and drop it into the app, which runs entirely in your browser.

Is my first direct data kept private?

Yes. The Income Tracker is local-first. Your imported transactions stay in your own browser and are never uploaded to a server, unless you choose to sign in to sync across devices.

Does first direct still offer QIF?

Users report it disappeared in one redesign and came back later. CSV has been consistently available on the desktop site, which is the format the tracker prefers anyway.

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