Accounting and invoicing for online course creators
Video courses, memberships, live cohorts and one-to-one coaching: whoever sells knowledge online has income from the course platform, from payment services and from companies. Saldiqo writes invoices for companies and groups, matches payouts and records tools and ads as expenses.
What comes up for online course creators
Several ways to sell
Direct sales through a platform, company bookings by invoice, discount campaigns and partners. Each way has different payments.
Company and group customers
Companies buy seats for teams and want an invoice with an invoice recipient and a payment term.
Ads and tools
Ads, email tool, course platform, payment processing and webinar software are running costs.
How Saldiqo helps
- Invoices for companies and groupsSeats and term as lines, with a payment term and reminders.
- Match platform payoutsUpload the bank statement and separate receipts by source.
- Cost centre per courseAssign income and expenses to a course and see which one pays off.
- Credit note on refundA refund stays linked to the original invoice.
Typical invoice lines
Examples that often appear on invoices in this industry. You set the prices yourself.
- Access to the video course, 12 months, 5 seats
- Live cohort, 6 weeks, one seat
- One-to-one coaching, 3 sessions
- Company licence for the course
- Credit note: refund after withdrawal
- Surcharge for certificate
Tax and invoicing in Ireland
What applies to invoices in Ireland, in short. As of October 2026.
- VAT
- Standard rate 23 %, reduced rates 13.5 % and 9 %, 4.8 % for livestock, and 0 %. Since 1 July 2026 a 9 % rate applies to restaurants, catering, hot takeaway food and hairdressing, excluding alcohol and soft drinks.
- VAT registration
- Registration is required above €42,500 a year for services and above €85,000 for goods, if at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices while you are below the threshold and shows how much room is left.
- What goes on an invoice
- Registered businesses show their VAT number. Sole traders and partnerships providing services show their tax reference number, or their full name and address, on invoices and receipts of €7 or more (section 885 TCA). Companies show their name, CRO number and registered office, and directors’ details on letters, order forms and the website.
- Invoice timing
- Issue a VAT invoice within 15 days after the end of the month in which the supply took place.
- E-invoicing
- From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. Issuing is phased in: first for suppliers to large corporates, from November 2029 for businesses trading B2B within the EU, and from 1 July 2030 under the EU VAT in the Digital Age rules. A PDF does not count as an e-invoice, and the technical specifications are not yet published.
- VAT returns
- VAT3 returns are filed every two months through ROS, by the 19th of the following month, or the 23rd when you file online through ROS. Saldiqo does not file returns, your accountant or ROS does.
- Record keeping
- Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open.
- Late payment
- Interest on late business payments is the ECB main refinancing rate (2.40 % in the second half of 2026) plus 8 points, so 10.40 %, plus fixed compensation of €40, €70 or €100 depending on the amount owed.
- Getting paid
- IBAN and BIC are on every invoice, plus a SEPA QR code (EPC) for banking apps that can read it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I write invoices for companies that book seats?
Yes. You create the company as a contact and write the invoice with seats and term.
How do I handle refunds?
You create a credit note for the invoice. It stays linked to it.
Do online course creators in Ireland have to charge VAT?
Once they are registered, yes. Registration is required from the sale that takes turnover over €42,500 a year for services or €85,000 for goods, where at least 90 % of turnover comes from goods. Below those limits Saldiqo leaves VAT off your invoices.
Do online course creators in Ireland need e-invoicing?
Not yet. From 1 November 2028 every business must be able to receive e-invoices. The duty to issue them phases in from the same date for suppliers to large corporates and later for more businesses. PDF invoices do not count as e-invoices.
How long should online course creators keep invoices?
Keep records for 6 years, longer while a review is open. You can store receipts digitally in Saldiqo. The legal duty to keep records stays with you.
Try Saldiqo for free
Write invoices, match payments, collect receipts and send reminders: free and without a trial period.
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As of October 2026. General information, not legal or tax advice, without guarantee. For your case ask your tax adviser.