Beancount.io MCP
Beancount.io gives an agent the books: BQL queries, file edits, entries, statement parsing and bank import.
- 336 ★ on the repository
- Last commit
- MIT
Extended access
Why this level
- The agent inserts entries and edits financial ledger files.
- Ledger and statement content goes into the model context.
Install
- Works in
Manual install
brew install bex-co/tap/beaThe `bea` command line for a local ledger and skills. MCP is connected separately with a deployment address.
Access and checks
How we reviewExtended accessThe tool runs code or makes network calls and only reads external data.
- The agent inserts entries and edits financial ledger files.
- Ledger and statement content goes into the model context.
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
Beancount.io is an open-source plain-text double-entry accounting platform: books live in `.bean` files with reports, mobile apps, a command line and agents on top. For agents there is a remote MCP server, listed in the MCP registry as `io.beancount/beancount` with OAuth sign-in, and sixteen `beancount-*` skills for Claude Code and Codex. MCP tools cover BQL queries, file reads and edits, entry and receipt insertion, statement parsing and bank import. URI-addressed resources and accounting prompts drive spending reports, month-end close, reconciliation and import categorization, for example `/mcp__beancount__close-month`. The skills scaffold a ledger, record entries, payroll, investment trades and property events, reconcile statements and import without duplicates. Every write is validated and reversible.
Who it is for. People who keep personal or small business books in Beancount and want an agent to handle entries, reconciliation and reports.
Good fit when
- A bank statement is imported without duplicates and sorted into accounts.
- A BQL query shows expenses by category for the quarter.
- The month is closed with a ready prompt and balances are reconciled with statements.
- A receipt becomes an entry and is inserted into the ledger with validation.
Not a fit when
- Accounting lives in a spreadsheet or an accounting program without Beancount: the server works with the `.bean` format.
- The agent must not edit financial files: the tools write entries.
- Tax or legal advice is needed: the server keeps books and does not advise.
Example request
Show expenses by category for last quarter with a BQL query and prepare the month-end close from the prompt.MCP
- Transport
- http
- Authentication
- OAuth
Environment variables
BEANCOUNT_MCP_TOKENsecret- Token for the Authorization header when connecting to your own deployment
Limitations
The MCP server connects to a platform deployment at `https://<deployment>/api-gateway/mcp`, and the hosted instance in the MCP registry signs in with OAuth. Local skills work with your ledger on disk through the `bea` command (`brew install bex-co/tap/bea` or `uv tool install beancount-io`, Python 3.12 or newer is required). The agent changes financial data, even though every write is validated and reversible, and ledger content goes into the model context. The platform can be hosted in the cloud, on your server or on a laptop.
How to disable. Remove the `beancount` entry from the client and revoke OAuth access in the account. Ledgers stay as text files and their history is stored separately.
FAQ
What does the MCP include?
BQL queries, file reads and edits, entry and receipt insertion, statement parsing and bank import, plus URI-addressed resources and accounting prompts.
How do I install the command line?
`brew install bex-co/tap/bea` on macOS and Linuxbrew or `uv tool install beancount-io` with Python 3.12 or newer.
How many agent skills are there?
Sixteen `beancount-*` skills for Claude Code and Codex: scaffolding, entries, payroll, import, reconciliation and migrations.
Can I keep data myself?
Yes: in the cloud, locally or on your own server. The `deploy/docker` and `deploy/docker-mac` directories cover servers.
Are agent writes safe?
Every write is validated and reversible per the project description. Ledgers are text files that can be compared in version control.
Discussion
No questions or reviews yet.
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README in short
The README covers the platform, three ways in, a command line quick start, the Agents and MCP section with connection, a comparison table and self-hosting options.