diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 16db6c0..98c11c8 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ NODE_ENV=production
 #
 # How many days back to fetch transactions on first sync (default: 90).
 # SIMPLEFIN_SYNC_DAYS=90
+#
+# How often the background auto-sync worker runs (default: 4 hours, minimum: 0.5).
+# SIMPLEFIN_SYNC_INTERVAL_HOURS=4
 
 # ── First-run admin account ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # Set BOTH on first start to create the admin account automatically.
diff --git a/client/components/admin/BankSyncAdminCard.jsx b/client/components/admin/BankSyncAdminCard.jsx
index 56c2fa4..fafd0be 100644
--- a/client/components/admin/BankSyncAdminCard.jsx
+++ b/client/components/admin/BankSyncAdminCard.jsx
@@ -5,6 +5,24 @@ import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Card, CardHeader, CardTitle, CardContent } from '@/components/ui/card';
 import { Toggle } from './adminShared';
 
+function timeAgo(iso) {
+  if (!iso) return null;
+  const secs = Math.floor((Date.now() - new Date(iso).getTime()) / 1000);
+  if (secs < 60)  return 'just now';
+  if (secs < 3600) return `${Math.floor(secs / 60)}m ago`;
+  if (secs < 86400) return `${Math.floor(secs / 3600)}h ago`;
+  return `${Math.floor(secs / 86400)}d ago`;
+}
+
+function timeUntil(iso) {
+  if (!iso) return null;
+  const secs = Math.floor((new Date(iso).getTime() - Date.now()) / 1000);
+  if (secs <= 0) return 'soon';
+  if (secs < 60) return `${secs}s`;
+  if (secs < 3600) return `${Math.floor(secs / 60)}m`;
+  return `${Math.floor(secs / 3600)}h`;
+}
+
 export default function BankSyncAdminCard() {
   const [config, setConfig]   = useState(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);
@@ -46,6 +64,7 @@ export default function BankSyncAdminCard() {
   }
 
   const changed = enabled !== !!config?.enabled;
+  const worker = config?.worker;
 
   return (
     <Card>
@@ -74,6 +93,33 @@ export default function BankSyncAdminCard() {
           />
         </div>
 
+        {/* Auto-sync worker status */}
+        {config?.enabled && worker && (
+          <div className="rounded-lg border border-border/60 bg-muted/20 px-4 py-3 space-y-2">
+            <p className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-widest text-muted-foreground">Auto-sync worker</p>
+            <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-x-6 gap-y-1 text-sm sm:grid-cols-3">
+              <div>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Status</p>
+                <p className="font-medium flex items-center gap-1.5">
+                  <span className={`h-1.5 w-1.5 rounded-full ${worker.running ? 'bg-amber-500 animate-pulse' : 'bg-emerald-500'}`} />
+                  {worker.running ? 'Running' : 'Idle'}
+                </p>
+              </div>
+              <div>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Last run</p>
+                <p className="font-medium">{worker.last_run_at ? timeAgo(worker.last_run_at) : '—'}</p>
+              </div>
+              <div>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">Next run</p>
+                <p className="font-medium">{worker.next_run_at ? `in ${timeUntil(worker.next_run_at)}` : '—'}</p>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+            <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+              Syncs every {worker.interval_hours}h. Set <code className="font-mono">SIMPLEFIN_SYNC_INTERVAL_HOURS</code> to adjust.
+            </p>
+          </div>
+        )}
+
         <div className="flex justify-end pt-2">
           <Button onClick={handleSave} disabled={saving || !changed}>
             {saving ? 'Saving…' : 'Save'}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7fa2423..6e8ee73 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "bill-tracker",
-  "version": "0.29.2",
+  "version": "0.29.3",
   "description": "Monthly bill tracking system",
   "main": "server.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/routes/admin.js b/routes/admin.js
index 047197f..18267a3 100644
--- a/routes/admin.js
+++ b/routes/admin.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const express = require('express');
 const router  = express.Router();
 const { getDb, rollbackMigration } = require('../db/database');
 const { getBankSyncConfig, setBankSyncEnabled } = require('../services/bankSyncConfigService');
+const { getStatus: getBankSyncWorkerStatus } = require('../services/bankSyncWorker');
 const { hashPassword } = require('../services/authService');
 const { logAudit } = require('../services/auditService');
 const {
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ router.put('/auth-mode', (req, res) => {
 
 // GET /api/admin/bank-sync-config
 router.get('/bank-sync-config', (req, res) => {
-  res.json(getBankSyncConfig());
+  res.json({ ...getBankSyncConfig(), worker: getBankSyncWorkerStatus() });
 });
 
 // PUT /api/admin/bank-sync-config
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 5ce643e..c5f0fe2 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -230,6 +230,13 @@ async function main() {
     }, CLEANUP_INTERVAL_MS);
     
     console.log(`[cleanup] Scheduled periodic cleanup every ${CLEANUP_INTERVAL_MS}ms`);
+
+    // Start SimpleFIN auto-sync worker (no-op when bank sync is disabled)
+    try {
+      require('./services/bankSyncWorker').start();
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error('[bankSync] Failed to start auto-sync worker:', err.message);
+    }
   });
 }
 
diff --git a/services/bankSyncWorker.js b/services/bankSyncWorker.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e530245
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/bankSyncWorker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,128 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const { getDb } = require('../db/database');
+const { getBankSyncConfig } = require('./bankSyncConfigService');
+const { syncDataSource } = require('./bankSyncService');
+
+const DEFAULT_INTERVAL_HOURS = 4;
+// Skip a source if it was synced less than this long ago (catches recent manual syncs)
+const MIN_SYNC_AGE_MS = 60 * 60 * 1000; // 1 hour
+// Pause between each source to avoid hammering SimpleFIN
+const STAGGER_DELAY_MS = 3000;
+
+let timer = null;
+let running = false;
+let lastRunAt = null;
+let nextRunAt = null;
+
+function intervalMs() {
+  const hours = parseFloat(process.env.SIMPLEFIN_SYNC_INTERVAL_HOURS);
+  return Number.isFinite(hours) && hours >= 0.5
+    ? Math.round(hours * 3600000)
+    : DEFAULT_INTERVAL_HOURS * 3600000;
+}
+
+function needsSync(source) {
+  if (!source.last_sync_at) return true;
+  const age = Date.now() - new Date(source.last_sync_at).getTime();
+  return age >= MIN_SYNC_AGE_MS;
+}
+
+function sleep(ms) {
+  return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
+}
+
+async function runCycle() {
+  if (running) return;
+
+  const { enabled } = getBankSyncConfig();
+  if (!enabled) return;
+
+  let db, sources;
+  try {
+    db = getDb();
+    sources = db.prepare(`
+      SELECT * FROM data_sources
+      WHERE type = 'provider_sync' AND provider = 'simplefin'
+      ORDER BY last_sync_at ASC
+    `).all();
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.error('[bankSync] Worker failed to load sources:', err.message);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (sources.length === 0) return;
+
+  running = true;
+  lastRunAt = new Date().toISOString();
+
+  let synced = 0;
+  let skipped = 0;
+  let failed = 0;
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < sources.length; i++) {
+    const source = sources[i];
+
+    if (!needsSync(source)) {
+      skipped++;
+      continue;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      await syncDataSource(db, source.user_id, source.id);
+      synced++;
+    } catch {
+      // syncDataSource already writes last_error to the data_sources row
+      failed++;
+    }
+
+    // Stagger requests — don't fire them all simultaneously
+    if (i < sources.length - 1) await sleep(STAGGER_DELAY_MS);
+  }
+
+  if (synced > 0 || failed > 0) {
+    console.log(`[bankSync] Auto-sync complete: ${synced} synced, ${failed} failed, ${skipped} skipped`);
+  }
+
+  running = false;
+}
+
+function scheduleNext() {
+  const ms = intervalMs();
+  nextRunAt = new Date(Date.now() + ms).toISOString();
+
+  timer = setTimeout(() => {
+    runCycle()
+      .catch(err => {
+        console.error('[bankSync] Worker cycle error:', err.message);
+        running = false;
+      })
+      .finally(scheduleNext);
+  }, ms);
+
+  // Don't hold the event loop open if the server is shutting down
+  if (timer.unref) timer.unref();
+}
+
+function start() {
+  if (timer) return;
+  scheduleNext();
+  const hours = intervalMs() / 3600000;
+  console.log(`[bankSync] Auto-sync worker started (interval: ${hours}h)`);
+}
+
+function stop() {
+  clearTimeout(timer);
+  timer = null;
+}
+
+function getStatus() {
+  return {
+    running,
+    interval_hours: intervalMs() / 3600000,
+    last_run_at: lastRunAt,
+    next_run_at: nextRunAt,
+  };
+}
+
+module.exports = { start, stop, getStatus };