A method for cell balancing for a plurality of battery cells. Such a method involves the cell balancing being performed on the basis of a need that can be ascertained comparatively accurately. The method described above allows equalization of the states of charge, or cell balancing, based on the state of charge of the battery cells to be made possible, even without knowledge of the capacities of the in particular series-connected battery cells, such that the loss of charge as a result of the cell balancing is particularly low. Hence, a loss of charge as a result of unnecessary equalization of the charge can be prevented or at least significantly reduced.