## Introduction

Atto offers two powerful APIs for accessing and utilising banking data: **Data API** and **Stored Data API**. Each serves a distinct purpose, depending on whether data storage and ongoing data refreshes are required for your use case.

## Data API

The **Data API** provides direct access to a consumer’s banking data without storing it in Atto’s system. It is ideal when data storage is not required, but real-time access is needed. Additionally, this API supports enrichments such as [Categorisation, Classification, and Merchant Identification](/content/docs/guides/product-guides/categorisation-and-merchant-identification), provided these features are enabled.

## Stored Data API

The **Stored Data API** is designed for use cases where banking data needs to be stored within Atto. This API is essential when [data refreshes](/content/apis/bank-data-(stored)/paths/~1stored-data~1v1~1consents~1%7Bconsentid%7D~1refresh/post) are required, as Atto automatically retrieves incremental (delta) transactional data in case a refresh is initiated. Storing data in Atto also makes enrichments such as [Categorisation, Classification, and Merchant Identification](/content/docs/guides/product-guides/categorisation-and-merchant-identification) faster and more streamlined. Additionally, **Stored Data API is recommended for use cases that require other Atto products**, such as **Income Verification** and **Affordability assessments**.

You are always in control of your stored data. If needed, you can use the [Stored Data Delete API](/content/apis/bank-data-(stored)/paths/~1stored-data~1v1~1consents~1%7Bconsentid%7D/delete) to remove data from Atto storage at any time. By default, data can be retained for **up to 7 years** in compliance with **GDPR** regulations.

Choosing the right API depends on whether your use case requires data storage, ongoing data updates, or specific enrichments.