AIPB Certified Bookkeeper Prep Course review

AIPB, the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers, has been the profession's national association since 1987 and certifies the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) designation. Its 99-hour online CB prep course mixes instructor-led online lessons, self-paced lessons, self-quizzes, a workbook and downloadable homework, with access to the instructor for questions. The six skill areas are adjusting entries, correction of accounting errors, payroll, depreciation, inventory, and internal controls and fraud prevention. The $1,495 fee includes certification registration, all 6 workbooks and Prometric test center fees, which AIPB says saves $300 over buying each skill separately. You get 6 months to finish, and workbooks ship after a 10-day trial period. The key limit is the audience: AIPB states the course does not teach basic bookkeeping, so you need to be a bookkeeper already or have 1 year of college accounting. For that reader, it is a direct route to the CB.

Who it is for

working bookkeepers seeking the CB designation

Price

CB Online Course fee $1,495, including certification registration, 6 workbooks and Prometric test center fees.

CB Online Course fee: $1,495.00
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• 99-hour course with instructor-led online lessons and self-paced lessons
• 6 workbooks: adjusting entries, error correction, payroll, depreciation, inventory, internal controls and fraud prevention
• Fee includes certification registration and Prometric test center fees
• 6 months to complete, with access to the instructor for questions
• Prepares for the Certified Bookkeeper (CB) national exam

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: AIPB has been the profession's national association since 1987
• Strength: Exam registration and test center fees are included
• Strength: Saves $300 against buying the 6 skill courses separately
• Weakness: Does not teach basic bookkeeping; expects work experience or 1 year of college accounting
• Weakness: $1,495 is the highest single upfront fee on this list
• Weakness: 6-month completion window, and an extension fee may be charged

Key facts

• Fee: $1,495
• Length: 99 hours
• Completion window: 6 months
• Trial: 10-day trial before workbooks ship
• Credential: Certified Bookkeeper (CB)

Where it ranks

AIPB Certified Bookkeeper Prep Course is No. 7 in our Best Online Bookkeeping Courses verdict.