Best Free CPE Webinar Providers for CPAs (2026)
40 CPE hours per year. That's the average requirement most states set for CPAs. The requirement matters because not only your license but your professional growth depends on it.
The compliance process can be challenging, and maintaining a license can sometimes be costly. The good news is that free options exist. Several of the best online CPE providers for CPAs, including CPAacademy.org, MYCPE ONE, and the Big Four firms, offer free live CPE opportunities that deliver eligible credits and career-relevant skills.
Ethics courses, technical updates, industry-specific training catalog of free live and on-demand NASBA-approved webinars are covered. But remember not every webinar qualify credit criteria. Here are the best free CPE webinar providers for CPAs in 2026.
Key Takeaways
CPAs looking to control training costs can explore these affordable CPA CPE options before building their annual education plan.
- Free CPE webinars can help CPAs earn credits without adding significant training costs.
- Not every free accounting webinar qualifies for state-board CPE credit.
- CPAs should verify NASBA sponsorship, credit eligibility, subject area, and attendance requirements.
- Provider policies may differ for live webinars, replays, and on-demand courses.
- Free webinars can cover tax, accounting, auditing, ethics, technology, and emerging industry topics.
- A strong free CPE strategy combines cost savings with relevant, high-quality professional learning.
What are Free CPE Webinars?
Educational sessions that allow CPAs and other accounting professionals to learn about relevant professional topics without paying a registration fee. The webinar is approved for CPE, and participants meet all completion requirements. But free does not automatically mean CPE-eligible.
What should CPAs look for in Free CPE Webinar Provider?
There are tons of easy options for free CPE webinars. But relevant subject-qualifying CPE requirements require research. A couple of things that every professional must consider while selecting or choosing a free CPE:
- CPE Provider Accreditation: Always double-check that the provider's specific course is active on the NASBA National Registry before attending to guarantee state board acceptance.
- Relevant Course Topics: Ensure your free courses match the specific tax, accounting, or ethics credit breakdowns mandated by your local state board. Choose webinars that match your pending CPE requirements.
- Live vs. On-Demand Availability: Some states demand a specific number of live hours. Also, live hours are highly engaging, with higher knowledge retention. On-demands in other hand, is more flexible and convenient.
- Completion and Attendance Requirements: Live webinars usually require answering periodic on-screen polling questions to validate active participation for credit issuance. Deloitte requires eligible participants to attend the original live Debriefs webcast and meet minimum viewing and polling requirements
- Certificate: Confirm the CPE documentation process. Keep these records according to your applicable state board's record-retention requirements.
- Instructor Expertise: The quality of the instructor matters just as much as the number of credits. Look for a professional subject matter expert. The goal is not simply to collect CPE credit but to maintain and develop professional competence.
| Comparison Aspect | CPAacademy.org | MYCPE ONE | Paychex | Illumeo | Big Four |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free CPE Availability | Large selection of free live CPE webinars | Select free NASBA-approved webinars | Free live CPE webinars + 5 free self-study courses annually | Selected free CPE webinars | Selected free live CPE webcasts from Deloitte, KPMG, EY & PwC |
| Content Library / Scale | Broad accounting and tax webinar catalog | 15,000+ hours across 500+ subject areas | 300+ self-study courses through Accountant Knowledge Center | Large paid CPE catalog; limited free CPE selection | Multiple firm-specific webcast libraries |
| Learning Formats | Live webinars and on-demand learning | Live, on-demand, audio, conferences, e-books | Live webinars and self-study | Live webinars and on-demand courses | Live webcasts; replay/on-demand availability varies |
| CPE Features | CPE hours, field of study, course level, prerequisites, NASBA approval details | Ethics courses, Compliance packages, Instant certification, AI compliance tracking | Polling-based attendance and CPE participation requirements | NASBA-approved CPE catalog and live participation requirements | Firm-specific polling, attendance, credit, and certificate requirements |
| Compliance / Tracking Tools | Course-level CPE information and certificates | AI compliance tracking, external certificate management, mobile access | CPE learning resources through Accountant Knowledge Center | CPE and professional learning resources | Certificate and participation processes vary by firm |
| Free vs. Paid Model | Free and paid programs | Free and subscription-based learning options | Free CPE offerings through accounting professional resources | Free webinars plus paid CPE catalog | Free CPE webcasts; no single subscription model |
| Key Limitation | Not every webinar is free or accepted for every state's requirements | Not every course is free; broader access requires subscription | On-demand webinars do not qualify for CPE or IRS CE | Free CPE availability varies by webinar | No centralized platform; CPE rules differ by firm |
Top Free CPE Webinar Platforms for CPAs in 2026
CPAacademy.org
CPAacademy is a dedicated online education platform for accounting and tax professionals, with a strong focus on free live CPE webinars. Live webinars run every single day. Tax updates, accounting standards, practice management, soft skills the catalog spans it all.
Instructors come from accounting firms, consulting practices, technology companies, and educational institutions, so the content reflects what's actually happening in the profession right now.
Pros
Cons
MYCPE ONE
MYCPE ONE primarily serves CPAs, accounting professionals, tax professionals, finance professionals, and other credentialed professionals seeking continuing education and professional development.
Provides access to select free NASBA-approved webinars and tracking tools for verified credit hours. Courses and webinars in different subject areas, including accounting, auditing, finance, taxes and technology.
Pros
Cons
Paychecks
Corporate & vendor provider Paychex provides free CPE webinars and self-study for accounting professionals covering areas such as tax, payroll, HR, client advisory services, and accounting technology. Most live accounting webinars qualify for CPE and most webinars provide one credit, while longer sessions can offer 1.5 or two credits.
Participants must answer polling questions to verify attendance. Its live webinars qualify for CPE, while its on-demand webinars do not qualify for CPE credit.
Pros
Cons
Illumeo
Illumeo offers free educational content and selected free CPE webinars. not all of Illumeo's free courses provide CPE. its free trial on-demand courses do not include CPE credit, while its free CPE webinars do provide CPE.
It offers you 20 CPE courses for free. They offer courses as a demo to check the course quality and even after you complete the course you must get an illumeo subscription to avail the free. So technically, it's not free at all.
Pros
Cons
Big Four
Major professional services firms provide free webcasts covering accounting, tax, financial reporting, regulatory developments, technology, and industry trends. Deloitte's Dbriefs free webcasts on current business and professional topics. EY specializes in free live webcasts in accounting, assurance, tax, and other business topics. Similarly, KPMG and PwC offer seminars and webcasts strongly focused on key subject areas in accounting and finance.
Live webinars from some of the largest CPA and consulting firms such as Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC. Live webinars covering important, real-world business issues, current issues, industry trends, regulatory updates, and technical topics.
Pros
Cons
Free Live CPE Directories: Aggregators like Free Live CPE index complimentary webcasts hosted by major global accounting and advisory firms.
Corporate & Vendor Providers: Companies like Paychex CPE host regular free educational webinars that qualify for professional credits.
Conclusion
Free CPE webinars can help CPAs reduce professional education costs. From CPA-focused platforms and professional organizations to Big Four firms and corporate providers free CPE. But the most important thing is CPE, not the Free CPE.
Before attending, verify the provider, individual course, field of study, credit hours, participation requirements, and state board of eligibility. Then maintain your certificate and other supporting documentation after completion. Strategically using free CPE webinars can become an effective part of a year-round CPE plan.
FAQ
Yes. Some free CPE providers offer ethics webinars, but availability varies. CPAs should confirm the webinar's ethics designation and whether it satisfies their applicable state board requirement.
Yes. Qualifying webinars can contribute to both mandatory CPE requirements and professional development when their subject matter aligns with the CPA's practice responsibilities and competency goals.
When a free webinar is properly approved and completed according to its requirements, its CPE credit can count toward applicable requirements just like qualifying paid CPE.
A centralized CPE tracker can help. Platforms like MYCPE ONE with a centralized LMS helps CPAs monitor completed hours, subject areas, certificates, and deadlines across multiple providers without relying on separate webinar registration records.
President, Dinesen Tax & Accounting, P.C. LinkedIn
Jason (LPA, EA) is a highly experienced tax professional, entrepreneur and educator with more than 18 years of expertise in accounting, tax preparation and business advisory services. As the founder of Dinesen Tax & Accounting, P.C., he is dedicated to helping professionals master complex tax topics with clarity and confidence. Jason has educated over 200,000 professionals on tax updates, ethics, and IRS regulations. Renowned for his practical insights and engaging teaching approach, he empowers CPAs, EAs and finance professionals to stay current and navigate today's rapidly changing tax landscape.
