Free CPD for accountants, organised in one place
Hit your annual CPD hours at no cost. We've gathered the best free CPD and CPE from the professional bodies, the Big 4 and dedicated platforms, with how to access each one, and confirm whether it counts with your body.
How CPD works, in brief
- Each body sets an annual requirement, and more than one route to meet it. ACCA's unit route, for instance, is 40 units a year of which 21 are verifiable, while other members follow the Approved Employer route or another IFAC body's scheme.
- Verifiable does not mean "a course with a certificate". The usual test has three parts: the activity is relevant to your current or future role, you can show what you learned and how you applied it, and you can produce evidence. A technical article you read can be verifiable if it meets all three, and a certificated course may not be if it is not relevant.
- Keep three things apart: credit awarded by a provider (US CPE hours, say), time you record yourself, and whether your body accepts either. A certificate is useful evidence, but it does not establish accreditation and does not oblige your body to accept the activity.
- Keep the evidence, a certificate or your own notes on what changed in your work, and record the activity in your body's CPD log.
Requirements differ by body, country and route, so always check your own body's rules. The links on this page were checked on 7 October 2026.
Plan your hours
Pick your body and track your progress toward the annual target.
Plan your CPD hours
Saved in your browser only, no account, no sign-up.
Your target: 40 hrs, Unit route: 40 units/year (21 verifiable)
0 of 40 hours logged, 40 to go
Earn the rest from the free sources below ↓
Free CPD sources
Disclaimer
CPD, CPE, certificates and learning hours vary by provider and professional body. We only describe CPD/CPE units, hours or certificates when the provider states them clearly; otherwise treat times as estimated learning time only. Verify eligibility with your own professional body before relying on it.
The badge on each resource is what the provider itself states. Always confirm eligibility with your professional body.
Free webinars and online courses on tax, reporting, audit, tech, ethics and leadership, plus a free CPD Conference and a free Code of Ethics course.
- Access
- Free for ICAEW members
- Credit stated
- Not stated per session; you record your own hours
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Open the CPD resources page on icaew.com and register free for sessions; keep the certificate as evidence.
Free webinars, on-demand learning, podcasts and technical articles that count toward your CPD.
- Access
- Free with a myACCA login
- Credit stated
- Not stated per item; ACCA's own CPD rules decide
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Sign in to myACCA and open the CPD / Learning section.
CPE webinars and webcasts on accounting, audit, tax and finance topics. Free options are mostly member/section-specific (e.g. the A&A Focus series), so check eligibility before assuming a session is free.
- Access
- Some sessions free for members or section members
- Credit stated
- CPE credit stated for eligible US sessions
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Open the CPE & Learning hub on aicpa-cima.com and filter for free/member sessions.
Free one-hour verifiable CPD courses that come with a completion certificate.
- Access
- Free, account needed
- Credit stated
- Provider states verifiable CPD, 1 hour per course
- Certificate
- Certificate on completion
How to start: Open the Free CPD page, take a course, download the certificate.
300+ courses and 1,300+ verifiable units, recognised by 20+ professional bodies (ACCA, CPA Canada, CA ANZ and more).
- Access
- Free to start, no card
- Credit stated
- Provider states verifiable units
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Free to start, no card required; log the verifiable units with your body.
Around 12 hours of free, on-demand, verifiable accountancy CPD.
- Access
- Free account
- Credit stated
- Provider states about 12 verifiable hours
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Create a free account and work through the modules.
Live webcasts on tax, audit, accounting and industry trends. Deloitte states CPE credit (US) for eligible sessions.
- Access
- Free registration
- Credit stated
- CPE credit stated for eligible US sessions
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Register free with your email; confirm whether it counts for your own body.
Free UK tax and accounting insights and webcasts; CPD eligibility depends on your professional body.
- Access
- Free
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Open the insights page; CPD/CPE is not always provider-stated, so confirm with your body.
Free EY insights and webcasts on tax, accounting and regulation.
- Access
- Free
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Browse insights / webcasts; check the provider statement and your body's rules.
Free KPMG technical insights and events on accounting, tax and regulation.
- Access
- Free
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Not stated
How to start: Browse insights / events; confirm any CPD/CPE with your body.
45+ free IFRS modules with a certificate: strong evidence for technical CPD, though each body sets its own rules.
- Access
- Free, no registration needed to study
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Certificate after the assessment
How to start: No registration to study; add your name before the assessment for the certificate.
Official free modules (including ISSB sustainability standards) with certificates.
- Access
- Free ifrs.org account
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Certificate per module
How to start: Create a free ifrs.org account; certificate per module.
Free QuickBooks Online training and ProAdvisor certification for accountants and bookkeepers.
- Access
- Free ProAdvisor account
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- ProAdvisor certification (vendor, not a body)
How to start: Open a free ProAdvisor account and enter the training portal.
Free Xero training, webinars and advisor certification through Xero Central and Xero U.
- Access
- Free Xero account; advisor certification needs a partner account
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Advisor certification (vendor, not a body)
How to start: Create a free Xero account; advisor certification needs a partner account.
Hundreds of free Sage University e-learning courses and certifications for Sage Accounting, Sage 50 and other Sage products.
- Access
- Free Sage University account
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Product certification (vendor, not a body)
How to start: Create a free Sage University login, pick your product, start learning.
University accounting and finance courses you can audit free; a verified certificate is optional.
- Access
- Audit free; the verified track is paid
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Paid verified certificate
How to start: Create a free account and choose the 'Audit' option.
Thousands of university finance/accounting courses; audit free or apply for financial aid for a certificate.
- Access
- Audit free; financial aid available
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Paid, or free through financial aid
How to start: Free account; click 'Audit', or apply for financial aid.
Free Open University courses in money and business, with a free statement of participation / digital badge.
- Access
- Free
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Free statement of participation or digital badge
How to start: No payment; create a free account to earn the badge.
Finance and accounting short courses. Many can be joined free for a limited time; others need a paid upgrade or subscription, and certificates are paid.
- Access
- Many courses free for a limited period; others paid or by subscription
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Paid upgrade
How to start: Check each course page for its free-access period before you start.
ACCA's own free introductory courses in bookkeeping and financial accounting.
- Access
- Free to audit
- Credit stated
- Not stated
- Certificate
- Paid certificate
How to start: Audit the courses free; a certificate is an optional paid extra.
Free templates to download
Ready to use straight away, log your hours and organise your CPD.
Accounting Software Skills Passport
Track your proficiency across Xero, Sage, QuickBooks and more.
General learning resource only. Confirm CPD/CPE, PER, qualification or compliance requirements with the relevant official body or adviser.
Coming soon: CPD-accredited courses from Fileminder
We're getting our US Tax course CPD-accredited, so you can earn CPD hours while learning a new, paid practical skill.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPD hours do I need a year?
It depends on your body and on the route you follow. ACCA's unit route, for example, is 40 units a year of which 21 are verifiable, where one unit is one hour, while other members use the Approved Employer route or another IFAC body's scheme. Check the requirement for your own route.
Does free CPD count?
Price is not the test. What matters is that the activity is relevant to your role, that you can show what you learned, and that you keep evidence. A free course that meets those counts; a paid course that is not relevant does not.
What's the difference between verifiable and non-verifiable?
Verifiable learning meets three conditions: it is relevant to your role, you can demonstrate what you learned and applied, and you can produce evidence. A technical article can be verifiable if it meets all three. Non-verifiable is learning you cannot evidence, such as general reading or an undocumented discussion. A certificate is evidence, not the definition.
Stay in the loop
A monthly update: key deadlines, figures and new free resources.
Resource links are to independent third parties not affiliated with Fileminder, and their terms and CPD eligibility may change. Always confirm details on their official sites and that your body accepts them. Last reviewed: June 2026.