Tracking finance is one of the most important keys of success for any business owner, it makes the owner always updated towards the company performance, it can make the task of deciding and orienting the business a lot simpler, recording and registering the financial transactions of a firm is done through a process called Bookkeeping and accounting, there are a lot of bookkeeping classes that helps learning how to report financial performance of a business.
They exist a dozen of online course that you might consider taking if you’re an entrepreneur willing to get some more clearance and exactitude about your business’s financial performance
In this article we reviewed 6 of the best online courses that exits on the internet based on their prices, user’s feedbacks, the topic covered and more to help learn more about the choice you currently have to get the knowledge you need.
Table of contents
The 6 Best Online Bookkeeping Classes of 2021
- Best Overall: AccountingCoach, LLC
- Best for Certification: U.S. Career Institute
- Best for Discounts: Udemy
- Best for Fundamentals: LinkedIn Learning
- Best for a Career in Bookkeeping: Penn Foster College Inc.
- Best for Small Businesses: Coursera
AccountingCoach, LLC
AccountingCoach, LLC is our best overall choice because they provide students with the opportunity to learn the basics of bookkeeping for free. In addition, if you want to study further, you can choose to obtain additional study materials and obtain the achievement certification of the company’s paid courses at a relatively low cost (from $49 to $99).
Pros
- Free materials and courses
- Option to upgrade to paid classes that include video lessons, assessments, and an optional certificate of achievement
- A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Cons
- Certain features are only available with the company’s paid bookkeeping classes
AccountingCoach, LLC has received BBB A+ rating and is an online education platform founded by Harold Averkamp in 2003. 1 Averkamp is a certified public accountant (CPA), holds a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) and has more than 25 years of experience in the accounting field. The company offers a wide variety of accounting courses, covering basic accounting, bookkeeping, financial statements, etc.-all for free, which is why it ranks high on our list. You can even take practice quizzes for free and view the company’s database to learn the answers to the most common questions related to accounting fundamentals.
Students can choose to upgrade to two payment options. “PRO Access”, only 49 US dollars, and provides additional video courses, quick assessments, business forms, etc. PRO Access features include access to learning flashcards and tests with tutorials. The higher-level “PRO Plus” includes all the functions of PRO Access and certificates of achievement for debits and credits, adjustment entries, financial statements, balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, payrolls, etc., all for only 99 US dollars. Both $49 and $99 are one-time payments, and students can use all materials throughout their lives.
U.S. Career Institute
Accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) and offering personalized coaching and career support, the U.S. Career Institute is our top pick for getting a bookkeeping certification.
Pros
- A+ rating from the BBB
- Accredited by the DEAC
- Students receive a bookkeeping certificate upon completion
Cons
- Cost of course changes based on payment plan chosen
The American Vocational College was established in 1981 and is headquartered in Colorado. It provides vocational certificates in more than 25 different industries, from healthcare to business. Based on nearly 2,000 reviews, the agency received a score of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
The online bookkeeping course of the American Vocational College is designed to help interested professionals develop a bookkeeping career. It provides four modules that cover basic knowledge, from how to checkout, payroll and accounts payable to advanced accounting terminology and so on. The four-month course includes customized learning materials, e-books, one-to-one support provided by lecturers via email or phone, career guidance for graduates, and more. After completing the course, you can get a certificate of completion. If you are looking for credentials that can be added to your resume, the certificates and additional support provided by the program make it a good choice… If you pay the full amount immediately upon registration, the course price starts at $589. If you pay monthly, the total course fee is $639. If you decide to pay by mail, the course fee is US$689 plus an application fee of US$29.
Udemy
We chose Udemy’s “Bookkeeping Fundamentals” as the best option for discounts because it offers detailed courses taught by experienced lecturers at a low cost of US$74.99. With a limited-time discount available to new users of the platform, students may be able to purchase the class for as low as $14.99, or 80% off the full price.Pros
Pros
- Experienced instructor
- Mobile app available
- Affordable
- Certificate of completion provided
Cons
- Covers the basic concepts and foundations of bookkeeping, but not how to actually perform bookkeeping
Udemy is a global online learning market that helps connect various students with experts in their fields of interest. The company was founded in 2010 and they have provided more than 130,000 courses to date.
The “Bookkeeping Fundamentals” of the platform is taught by Ron Trucks, an experienced small business coach and university lecturer with more than 25 years of experience in the field. The course contains a total of 50 videos, divided into 11 parts, and a total of 48 lectures. Students can learn the basic foundations of bookkeeping from the concepts and tools used, tracking expenses, and reading financial reports.
This course has more than 11,000 students and is designed for clients of all backgrounds, whether you are a student, an entrepreneur, or just want to learn more about bookkeeping. You can easily buy courses online and start immediately.
The program’s low cost of US$74.99 may be obtained at a lower price, because new users of the platform can enjoy an additional 80% discount, bringing the total price to US$14.99. That’s why this one won the best discount. In addition, if you are not satisfied with the course, Udemy has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
LinkedIn Learning
We chosed LinkedIn “Accounting Fundamentals: Bookkeeping” course as the best way to get basic knowledge based on the short course time. Students can learn the basics of bookkeeping from accounting professors at top universities in about an hour and a half.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Accessible on mobile, tablet, and desktop
- Option to take more courses and earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits
Cons
- Need to sign up for a LinkedIn account
LinkedIn Learning is a branch of LinkedIn. This professional website was newly added in 2016 and now offers more than 16,000 different online courses in 7 different languages, with topics taught by professionals in their respective fields
LinkedIn Learning’s “Accounting Fundamentals: Bookkeeping” is our pick for basic knowledge, we chosed this platform because it contains a lot of expert advices in a basic bookkeeping course of about an hour and a half. You will quickly learn how bookkeeping works and you can access other quizzes. In addition, you will learn to identify balance sheets, define journal entries, and understand how financial statements work. This course is taught by Kay Stice and Jim Stice, professors of accounting at Brigham Young University (BYU). After taking this course, you can choose to enter the next level, the 15-hour “Becoming a Bookkeeper” course.
You can register for courses directly on LinkedIn Learning for a one-time fee of $34.99, or sign up for monthly LinkedIn Learning memberships, starting at $29.99 per month, with a one-month free trial, giving you access to thousands of other courses. Or, if you want, you can get an annual LinkedIn Learning membership, which reduces the cost to $19.99 per month. For any questions about courses and LinkedIn learning policies, you can contact the LinkedIn Learning Hotline.
Penn Foster College Inc.
Penn Foster College Inc. offers the best course we reviewed to get started in the accounting field, with a comprehensive program that includes an overview of the tools used in the industry, preparing you to start your career as a bookkeeper.
Pros
- Provides an understanding of QuickBooks Online Plus
- Get personalized coaching
- Get a bookkeeping diploma
Cons
- Monthly payment is more expensive than paying the full amount at once
Penn Foster College was founded by Thomas J. Foster in 1890. It has been offering online courses since 2006 and it is a DEAC accredited entity. In 2019, more than 58,000 students graduated from Foster College in Pennsylvania.
The topics covered by the plan include payroll, wholesale accounting, income, expenses, assets, liabilities, financial reports, tools used in the industry, etc. For those who are serious about starting a career in bookkeeping, the course is taught by certified bookkeepers and provides progress tracking tools to measure your knowledge and your position in the course.
To help you start your career, you can join other bookkeeping students through the college student community portal to get some pure support. At the end of the course, students should expect to have a full understanding of the main tasks of bookkeepers and be able to start applying for jobs in this field. The total cost of the program is $669 if you pay the full amount upon registration, $779 with monthly auto pay, and $875 if you choose to mail a monthly payment.
You only need to fill out the registration form and provide a payment method to register directly on their website. If you have any questions, you can call the school admissions hotline from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. ET.
Coursera
This Coursera course is provided by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and is taught by top-notch teachers, tailored specifically to help small businesses understand their financial status.
Pros
- Taught by a top educational institution
- Seven-day free trial
- Financial aid available
Cons
- While the class is free if completed within the seven-day free trial period, Coursera charges a $49 monthly fee beyond the trial period
Coursera is an education platform founded by Stanford University computer science professors Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller in 2012. All courses are taught by experienced professionals from top universities or companies. To date, more than 73 million people have registered for courses on the site, and More than 92,000 students have signed up in this specific bookkeeping course offered by the University of Virginia through the Darden School of Business.
We have chosen the “Finance Accounting Fundamentals” course that is most suitable for small businesses. It aims to help entrepreneurs and small business owners better understand how to track financial status, from bookkeeping to preparation of financial statements. This is a 14-hour video course that includes quizzes for each part to check your knowledge. You can complete everything according to your own time, no accounting experience is required. The course is taught by Luann J. Lynch, Professor of Business Administration at Darden School of Business, who holds an MBA and Ph.D, respectively from Duke University and the University of North Carolina.
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