Bookkeeper Launch cost: how the plans, payment options and extra costs add up

Bookkeeper Launch cost: how the price is built

The vendor's plans page shows three plans and, for two of them, two ways to pay. Amounts are read from the live page at the full rebuild of this site and are left out here, because the vendor lists time-limited bonuses and can change plans at any time. This guide shows the structure, so you can total the cost yourself from the vendor's current page, read from a U.S. view.

The three plans and two ways to pay

• Pro: the complete course, private community access, two weekly coaching calls and ongoing support. The page offers payment in full or 12 monthly payments.
• Premier: everything in Pro plus additional lessons and monthly accountability coaching with the vendor's owner. The page calls it the recommended experience and offers the same two payment options.
• Team: everything in Premier plus a marketing system, processes and people lessons, an entrepreneur community and skills access for two team members. The page shows payment in full only.
• Installment check: multiply the monthly payment by 12 and compare it with the pay-in-full amount shown beside it. The two totals can differ, and the difference is the cost of paying over time.

Costs that come on top of the plan

• Business start-up costs: the vendor's FAQ says these are in addition to the course cost.
• Software: the Premier bonus list includes one year of QuickBooks Online Plus. Plan for what you will use after that year.
• Your hours: the FAQ tells students to plan at least 10 hours per week. If you would otherwise earn money in those hours, count that too.
• State and local requirements: business registration, tax accounts and any licenses vary by state, so check your own state's agencies.

Refunds, payment plans and what you owe

The terms describe a 30 day satisfaction guarantee for Bookkeeper Launch. The refund list names the upgrade from Pro to Premier as not refundable, so choose your plan before you pay rather than upgrading later. On a payment plan, the terms say you agree to pay all installments when due, whatever your usage. Missed payments suspend access, and after repeated failed attempts the account is canceled and earlier payments do not carry over to a repurchase.

A five-line worksheet for your total

• Line 1: the plan amount, or 12 monthly payments added up.
• Line 2: software you will need after any bonus year ends.
• Line 3: business start-up and registration costs in your state.
• Line 4: insurance or other items you decide to carry, which you should price yourself.
• Line 5: the value of your weekly hours. Add the lines, then divide by the months you expect to spend before your first client, which only you can estimate.

Compare the total with the lower-cost route

The Coursera page for the Intuit Academy Bookkeeping Professional Certificate describes a 7-day free trial and then a monthly subscription in the United States and Canada, and says the total depends on how fast you finish. That route has no business-building or coaching component. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says certification is not usually required for bookkeeping clerks, which is a reason to price the low-cost path first. See the course comparison and the full review.