hledger-balance

Show the balance change in all accounts from all postings over all time

$ hledger [[bal|balance]]

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] [expenses] [[-t|--tree]] [[-2|--depth 2]]

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] [expenses] [[-M|--monthly]] [[-T|--row-total]] [[-A|--average]] [[-S|--sort-amount]] --budget

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] type:[X] [[-MTAS|--monthly --row-total --average --sort-amount]] --budget [[-t|--tree]] [[-2|--depth 2]] --no-elide

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] [[-H|--historical]] [[-p|--period]] '[quarterly in 2024]' [assets] [liabilities]

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] [[-HQ|--historical --quarterly]] date:[2024] type:[AL] [[-ES|--empty --sort-amount]] [[-3|--depth 3]]

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] [[-HVQ|--historical --market --quarterly]] [assets:investments]

$ hledger [[bal|balance]] --gain [[-Q|--quarterly]] [assets:investments] not:[cryptocurrency]

hledger balance [OPTIONS] [PATTERN ...]

-f, --file FILE
    Use FILE(S) instead of default journal(s).

-A, --auto
    Include auto-generated (virtual) postings.

--average
    Show average balance rather than ending balance.

--budget
    Show balance with any open budget goal added.

--change
    Show change in balance (default is ending balance).

--cumulative
    Show cumulative balance at each period end.

--depth N
    Show accounts only to N levels deep.

--empty
    Show empty (zero balance) accounts.

--flat
    Show only accounts matching patterns, no subtotals.

--format FMT
    Use custom line format (see manual).

--historical
    Show historical ending balance (at period start).

--invert
    Reverse sign of balances.

--no-total
    Omit grand total.

--only
    Show only matched accounts, no others.

--period PERIOD
    Show balances in PERIOD (eg monthly).

--related
    Show accounts posting to matched accounts.

--row-total
    Show running total for matched accounts.

--sort ORDER
    Sort accounts by ORDER (eg amount).

--tree
    Use tree format (default).

--unrealized
    Include open unrealized lot gains/losses.

hledger balance generates balance reports from plain text journal files, showing running totals for accounts matching specified patterns. By default, it displays a tree of top-level accounts with subtotals, including cleared, uncleared, and pending postings. Use options to flatten the view (--flat), limit depth (--depth), show changes instead of balances (--change), or historical ending balances (--historical). It supports multi-currency, lot prices (--lot-prices), budgets (--budget), forecasts (--forecast), and custom formatting (--format). Filters by period (--period), account patterns, and status. Ideal for quick financial overviews, reconciliation, and reporting. Integrates with hledger ecosystem for workflows like importing, checking, and diffing ledgers. Handles virtual/inferred postings with --auto. Output can be CSV, HTML via pipes, or custom formats for scripting.

Default journal is ~/.hledger.journal or $LEDGER_FILE; specify with -f. Zero balances hidden by default unless --empty. Multi-commodity requires consistent pricing.

hledger balance
hledger balance assets:bank --tree --depth 2
hledger balance --period monthly --change

Use --format ' %(account) %balance ' for custom. Pipe to html or csv scripts.

Part of hledger, a Haskell reimplementation of ledger started in 2007 by Simon Michael. Balance command introduced early, evolved with Haskell efficiency, multicurrency (2010+), budgets/forecasts (v1.10+), lot support (v1.20+). Actively maintained with semantic versioning.

hledger(1), hledger-register(1), hledger-print(1), ledger(1)