SkillShare has some solid introductory classes for beginners. LinkedIn Learning and Udemy offer higher-level but still beginner-friendly online bookkeeping courses. Finally, edX and Coursera have university-level classes and even the option to get an online degree.
Course marketplace Udemy has over 100 bookkeeping classes online, with 100,000+ students growing their skills.
What Is Udemy?
Udemy is a massive learning community with hundreds of classes on all sorts of topics, from drawing to cloud hosting management. The Accounting & Bookkeeping category alone has over 800 courses, with 120+ classes on bookkeeping.
Since Udemy is a teaching marketplace, courses vary by content and price. Some are geared toward beginners, helping you build a new career from the ground up. Others will teach you specific skills like statistical analysis or financial reporting (there’s even a CFA prep course).
Udemy is an excellent place to start out or polish your skills to face new challenges at your job.
Course Content
Udemy has tons of bookkeeping and accounting classes online. How do you pick one?
If you’re new to bookkeeping, we recommend the bestselling “Bookkeeping Basics” series by Ron Tucks.
The instructor has been coaching small businesses and non-profits for over 20 years. He’s also worked as a Business Management adjunct instructor at Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO, for the past 15 years.
And you can see Tucks’ decades of practical experience in his teaching style. The course is to-the-point, no-fluff, and completely beginner-friendly.
“Bookkeeping Basics” is a three-part course that takes you from ground zero to Quickbooks master in 13 hours of lecture time.
The first part of this virtual bookkeeping training course covers:
- Revenue and income tracking
- Expense management
- Assets, liabilities, and equity
- Accounts receivables and accounts payables
- The fundamental accounting equation
- Reading financial statements (to actually understand them)
“Bookkeeping Basics” is an introductory course for beginner accountants, as well as business owners, interested in doing their own bookkeeping.
The final section includes common mistakes and hands-on tips for small business owners and good bookkeeping.
Pricing
Most Udemy courses cost around $10 for а lifetime access to all materials. “Bookkeeping Basics” is $12.99 and it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
This is supposedly a “New Year’s sale,” though we’ve rarely seen them at full price. Some more comprehensive or specialized courses are pricier.
Udemy User Reviews
Udemy has a very large learning community since they offer such a wide range of topics. Their top online bookkeeping courses have hundreds (some thousands) of positive reviews, praising the high-quality content and efficient, progress-at-your-own-pace teaching.
The good Redditors over at r/Accounting recommend Udemy as a great place to start. Whether you’re a business owner or an aspiring accountant, the Reddit community agrees Udemy has something for practically everyone.
Follow Up With
If you’re doing the “Bookkeeping Basics” course, make sure you do #2 and #3 after the first one. They’ll give you a rock-solid base and might even be the only virtual bookkeeping training you need for your business.
We Recommend Udemy For
Udemy is a great place for beginners—the courses are affordable, high-value, and information-rich. The platform is equally useful for intermediate and even professional bookkeepers who want to polish specific skills or brush up on their knowledge by learning at their own pace.