Propel EBT & SNAP Benefits — API integration & OpenData services

EBT balance sync

A single GET /balance endpoint that returns SNAP food, EBT cash, WIC food package balances and the next deposit date, normalized across state systems such as Quest, ebtEDGE and ConnectEBT. Used for in-store budgeting prompts, financial-coaching dashboards, and grocery-cart eligibility checks before checkout.

Transaction history API

Paginated /transactions stream with merchant name, MCC, amount, benefit type and posted timestamp. Supports date ranges, filtering by program (SNAP vs cash), and webhooks for new postings — useful for reconciliation, anomaly detection, and benefit-cliff analytics.

Card security controls

Bridge to state-level card-lock and out-of-state blocking endpoints (currently exposed by 40+ states) so fraud-prevention products can lock a card immediately after a suspicious purchase. Mirrors the EBT security stack Propel ships in 2024–2025 across roughly 45 states.

Benefit-program metadata

Reference data feed listing program rules per state (issuance day, replacement-card policy, card-lock availability, out-of-state blocking availability), sourced from official channels including www.fns.usda.gov and state EBT contractor sites.

Deals & offers ingest

Optional adapter to publish merchant-side EBT offers and grocery discounts back to your loyalty wallet, matching Propel's exclusive-offers section. Helpful for retailers who want to mirror the same promotional surface inside their own app.

Job & benefits-update feed

Structured stream of policy updates (SNAP COLA changes, Summer EBT issuance windows, state SNAP-Ed events) and local job listings — the same content categories Propel surfaces — so partner apps can keep their notifications relevant.

1. Authorization & link creation

// Server-side: create a single-use link token
POST /v1/ebt/link/create
Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer <PARTNER_API_KEY>

{
  "client_user_id": "u_8821",
  "state": "TX",
  "products": ["balance", "transactions", "card_status"],
  "callback_url": "https://app.example.com/ebt/done"
}

// Response
{
  "link_token": "ltk_a1b2c3...",
  "expires_at": "2026-04-29T18:00:00Z"
}

2. Balance & transactions read

// Get current balances (multi-program)
GET /v1/ebt/balance?account_id=acc_77F2
Authorization: Bearer <ACCESS_TOKEN>

200 OK
{
  "snap_food_cents": 17345,
  "ebt_cash_cents":  4200,
  "wic_packages": [
    {"category":"milk","remaining_qty":2,"unit":"gallon"},
    {"category":"cereal","remaining_qty":36,"unit":"oz"}
  ],
  "next_deposit": {"date":"2026-05-04","program":"SNAP","amount_cents":29100},
  "as_of": "2026-04-29T11:42:18Z"
}

// Page through transactions
GET /v1/ebt/transactions?account_id=acc_77F2
    &from=2026-04-01&to=2026-04-29&cursor=&limit=50

3. Webhook: card lock & suspicious activity

// Inbound webhook payload
POST https://app.example.com/webhooks/ebt
X-Signature: t=1714400000,v1=...

{
  "event":"security.suspicious_transaction",
  "account_id":"acc_77F2",
  "state":"NY",
  "transaction":{
     "merchant":"UNKNOWN ATM 4421",
     "amount_cents":24000,
     "channel":"out_of_state",
     "reason_code":"OOS_HIGH_AMOUNT"
  },
  "recommended_action":"lock_card"
}

// Response: lock the card
POST /v1/ebt/card/lock
{ "account_id":"acc_77F2", "reason":"auto_oos_lock" }

Compliance & privacy

Benefits data is governed by overlapping federal and state rules. Our integrations follow the same posture Propel publicly commits to: read-only access via permissioned links, no storage of full PAN or PIN, and explicit user consent records.

• Privacy Act of 1974 — applies to USDA/FNS-15 (the National SNAP Information Database) and frames how identifiable benefits data is handled.
• FNS / USDA guidance — sourced from www.fns.usda.gov for SNAP and WIC interface rules; ANSI standards for WIC EBT define interfaces between state agencies, retailers and processors.
• State EBT contractor terms — Quest network, ebtEDGE (FIS), ConnectEBT (Conduent) and state systems each have their own access rules; we honor whichever applies in the cardholder's state.
• FedRAMP-aligned hosting — when data is processed in the cloud we use FedRAMP-aligned environments, mirroring how the FNS hosts its own SNAP information database.
• State privacy laws — including CCPA/CPRA in California and emerging state benefits-data statutes; the integration emits an audit log per fetch for downstream review.

Data flow / architecture

The pipeline is intentionally short and observable, so data minimization and consent are easy to enforce.

1. Client app — captures user authorization through a Propel-style link flow; nothing leaves the device unencrypted.
2. Ingestion gateway — exchanges the link token for a session against the state EBT portal (Quest, ebtEDGE, ConnectEBT, etc.).
3. Normalization layer — maps state-specific responses into a unified SNAP / cash / WIC schema and drops fields you didn't request.
4. Storage & webhook bus — short-retention cache (configurable, default 24h) plus a signed webhook stream into your downstream analytics, CRM or fraud system.

About our studio

We are an independent technical studio focused on App interface integration and authorized API integration. Team members come from fintech, payments, identity, and protocol-analysis backgrounds, and have shipped production integrations against banking, EBT, e-commerce and travel back-ends in the U.S. and abroad. For benefits-tech specifically, we focus on read-only, permissioned integrations that respect the access posture state EBT contractors require.

• Authorized OpenData / OpenFinance / OpenBanking-style integrations
• App protocol analysis and API refactoring (Android & iOS)
• Reference server, SDKs, and OpenAPI documentation in Python, Node.js, and Go
• End-to-end pipeline: protocol capture → schema design → build → validation → compliance handoff
• Source-code delivery from $300 — receive runnable API source and full documentation; pay after delivery upon satisfaction.
• Pay-per-call API billing — call our hosted endpoints and pay only for the calls you make, no upfront fee.

Contact

To request a Propel EBT & SNAP Benefits integration scope or discuss multi-app benefits coverage, please open our contact page. We will reply with a written scope, timeline, and a sandbox plan within one business day.

Contact page

For RFPs and procurement teams: we can supply NDAs, security questionnaires, and references on request.

Engagement workflow

1. Scope confirmation — which programs (SNAP / WIC / TANF), which states, which security signals.
2. Protocol analysis & OpenAPI design (2–5 business days, depending on state coverage).
3. Reference build and internal validation against sandbox accounts (3–8 business days).
4. Documentation, sample apps, and Postman / pytest test cases (1–2 business days).
5. Typical first delivery is 5–15 business days; multi-state rollouts can extend timelines as state portals vary.

FAQ

What do you need from me to start?

How do you handle user consent?

Do you store the cardholder's PIN or full card number?

Can you cover all 52 territories from day one?