---
title: "How to update balance in Wealtie when it doesn't match your bank"
description: "How to update balance in Wealtie: the three ways to correct an account, why a correction isn't counted as spending, and how to find what went missing."
author: "Wealtie Team"
published: 2026-11-10
updated: 2026-11-10
category: "Using Wealtie"
canonical: https://wealtie.com/blog/update-balance-in-wealtie
---

# How to update balance in Wealtie when it doesn't match your bank

To update balance in Wealtie, open the account and use Update Balance to set the exact figure, or add or take away the difference. It's recorded as a correction, so it doesn't count as spending or income.

## Key takeaways

- Update Balance has three modes: Set Balance, Add Money and Subtract Money.
- A correction is recorded as a correction, so it doesn't show up as spending or income.
- Look for missing transactions before correcting, since the gap is often spending you forgot to log.
- A weekly check against your bank or wallet keeps corrections small.

## How do you update balance in Wealtie?

Open the account and tap Update Balance. You'll see three ways to correct the number:

| Mode | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| Set Balance | Sets a new total balance |
| Add Money | Adds to the current balance |
| Subtract Money | Removes from the current balance |

Use Set Balance when you know the right figure, for example from your banking app. Use Add Money or Subtract Money when you know the size of the difference.

A correction is recorded as a correction. It doesn't show up as spending or income, so your budget and income goal aren't affected.

## Why doesn't the balance match your bank?

Usually because something wasn't logged. Timing's another common one: you log a card payment the moment you make it, while the bank might show it as pending for a few days. Compare against the balance that includes pending payments, or wait until they've cleared. The common causes:

- A purchase you forgot to log, often a small card payment or subscription
- Cash spent without logging it
- A bank fee or interest
- A refund that came back
- A purchase logged twice, or with a typo in the amount
- A foreign purchase logged at a different amount from what the bank charged

Check your bank statement against your transactions for the last week or two. If you find the missing items, log them, and the balance will usually line up on its own.

## Should you look for the gap before correcting?

Yes, if it's large or you're tracking spending closely. Say Wealtie shows 1,240 and your bank shows 1,212, in round numbers that work in any currency. That's 28 missing. If it turns out to be a lunch and a coffee, logging them puts them in your categories and your budget. A correction would fix the balance but leave the spending out of your numbers.

If you find the same kind of thing missing every week, like coffee or parking, log those as you go. The Add Transaction widget on your home screen takes you straight to the form, so it only takes a few seconds.

If it's small and you can't find it, a correction is fine. It's better to have the right balance than to spend half an hour looking for 3.

## When should you use Update Balance instead of a transfer?

Use a transfer when money moves between two of your own accounts, like moving savings or taking cash out at an ATM. A transfer changes both accounts and keeps the record of what moved. [How to transfer between accounts in Wealtie](https://wealtie.com/blog/transfer-between-accounts-in-wealtie) explains the difference.

Use Update Balance when one account is wrong and nothing moved. If you used it for a transfer, the other account would be left wrong.

## How do you handle a cash wallet?

Count the cash once a week and compare it with the wallet's balance. If the wallet shows 85 and you've got 60, the 25 is spending you forgot to log. Try to remember what it was, and log it if you can. If not, use Subtract Money. [Tracking cash the same way as your card](https://wealtie.com/blog/track-cash-spending) has the full system.

## What about interest and fees?

Log them as transactions if you want them in your numbers. Interest on savings is income, and a bank fee is an expense. If you'd rather not track them, a correction keeps the balance right without adding them to your categories.

## How often should you check?

Once a week works for most people. A Sunday-evening routine is easy to keep: open your banking app, check each account, log anything missing, then correct any small leftover. Five minutes with your banking app, comparing the balance on each account. Small gaps are easy to explain when they're a few days old, and much harder after a month.

Set Balance is also how you begin with a new account. Enter today's balance and start logging from there, with no history needed.

Starting fresh after a gap? Set Balance on each account to today's figure, and start logging from now. There's no need to go back and fill in weeks you missed. [Why budgets fail](https://wealtie.com/blog/why-budgets-fail) has more on getting back on track.

## How does this affect your net worth?

Your [net worth tracker](https://wealtie.com/features/accounts) adds up the balance of every account, so a correction changes the total by the amount you corrected. That's the point: the total should reflect what you have. Because corrections aren't counted as spending, your [budget tracker](https://wealtie.com/features/budgets) stays focused on what you chose to spend.

## Questions people ask

### How do I fix my balance in Wealtie?

Open the account and use Update Balance. Set Balance enters the exact figure, while Add Money and Subtract Money adjust by the difference.

### Does a balance correction count as spending?

No. It's recorded as a correction, so your budget and income goal aren't affected.

### Why doesn't my Wealtie balance match my bank?

Usually because a purchase, fee or refund wasn't logged, or cash was spent without logging it. Check your statement for the last week or two.

### Should I use Update Balance or a transfer?

Use a transfer when money moves between two of your accounts, and Update Balance when one account is wrong and nothing moved.

*This article is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Your situation is your own; check the numbers that apply to you before you act on them.*