TurboTax continued to offer its “normal” experience, but continued to make its rates less transparent. As a result, many people are looking for TurboTax alternatives.
TurboTax has been around since the mid-1980s and is certainly one of the most popular tax preparation companies around today.
However, TurboTax reviews are sometimes less positive, and many users only use it once before looking elsewhere.
Plus, the price can be a shock, especially if you think you’re getting one tier, only to discover you need to upgrade to a more expensive pricing tier halfway through your taxes (or worse, at the end).
If this is where you are – Willing to look elsewhere -You have come to the right place. Let’s talk about some TurboTax alternatives.
This guide will introduce you to TurboTax’s core features and how this software stacks up against some of its competitors — and see the full list of the best tax software here >>
Compare TurboTax with other tax software products
Before you shop for new tax software, look at the chart below to learn about additional options, pricing, and more.
Free only for W2 and other basic forms of income. | Powerful free tier with W2, Social Security, unemployment, and more. | Includes W2 income, unemployment income, Social Security, and educational credits. | 100% free federal return for most tax situations | 100% free federal and state returns. | |
$0 – $159 or more Federal*; $0 – $49 | $0 – $125 Federal**; $0 – $49 | $0 – $52.99 Federal; $0 – $39.99 | |||
For some paid versions only |
* TurboTax Free Edition. ~37% of taxpayers qualify. Returns Simple Form 1040 only (no schedules, except for EITC, CTC, Student Loan Interest, and Schedule 1-A)
**Approximately 52% of applicants qualify for the free version of H&R Block Online. Minor tax situations only (Form 1040 and no schedules except for the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Student Loan Interest, and Retirement Plan Distributions).
Broken TurboTax software
TurboTax offers a free, abbreviated version that works well for employees with W-2 income who don’t itemize their deductions or plan to claim any specialty deductions or credits. The free version does not allow you to report freelance income, capital gains, or rental property income. Make sure you understand the limitations of free tax software.
For everyone else, TurboTax offers three paid versions of its online product – DIY, Expert Assisted, and Expert Full Service.
These products range in price from $0* to $159 or more for filing federal tax returns, and their prices vary depending on the level of assistance and oversight you want from your tax professionals. Additionally, if you have any state returns, you’ll pay between $0* to $49 per state filed.
TurboTax goes further to research industry-specific deductions and credits that many don’t know about, and you’ll find additional guidance on tough tax topics for self-employed people, like the mileage deduction, the home office credit, and more.
All versions of TurboTax Online software offer an Audit Support Guarantee, which means you won’t be left to fend for yourself if you’re audited for any reason.
However, if you want live, face-to-face support, you’ll have to spend some cash for one of the paid versions of this product. Those with a more complex tax situation — for example, you have foreign-earned income, sold stocks or cryptocurrency, or own a rental property — should consider paying $159 (starting price) for Expert Assisted Premium, where you’ll work with live tax experts who will help you file.
Or, if you don’t have time to file your returns yourself, TurboTax also offers full-service tax preparation, where you can share your tax forms with TurboTax and local tax experts file for you. Expert Full Service pricing starts at $129 for individuals with a simple tax situation (W-2 and 1040), but can be much higher for more complex tax situations, including the self-employed.
Read our full TurboTax review >>
TurboTax vs. H&R Block
Both H&R Block and TurboTax offer audit support guidance, expert tax support from trained tax professionals, and a free version ideal for easy return filers.
However, the free version of H&R Block is vastly superior, as it lets you file with a W-2, Social Security income, unemployment income, and a variety of other credits and deductions.
The paid versions of H&R Block flow similarly to that of TurboTax.
For those who want to file online; H&R Block offers:
- free Basic version
- $60 Deluxe version
- $100 Premium version, and
- $125 Self-employed version
Additionally, you can expect to pay $49 per government return.
The Self-Employed Edition has superior benefits that ease tax pressure on small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Both TurboTax and H&R Block offer live customer support that you can access online, but H&R Block has physical offices for people who want some help as they work through their unique tax situation. Pricing for an individual tax appointment with H&R Block starts at $89, but the company is unfortunately not transparent about its pricing for this level of service beyond this base price point.
Bottom line: H&R Block and TurboTax offer similar features, although H&R Block has a slight advantage in terms of pricing and customer support, in my opinion.
File your taxes with H&R Block >>
TurboTax vs. TaxSlayer
TaxSlayer offers several tiers of software targeting consumers with different tax situations.
that it classic and beloved The versions are geared toward filers who may have tax issues that are a little more complicated than the average person who only files a 1040.
The Self-Employed Edition of TaxSlayer offers special support for people who need help figuring out what they can and can’t deduct and other tax issues specific to small business owners.
TaxSlayer has the following pricing tiers:
- free version
- $22.99 Classic version
- $42.99 Premium version
- $52.99 Self-employed version
The free version lets you file one federal return and one state return for free. For paid versions, you can expect to pay $39.95 per state.
Overall, TaxSlayer is less expensive than TurboTax because it offers fewer perks and features. But, you get access to all tax forms at TaxSlayer’s classic price point. So for bloggers who know what they are doing, there is significant savings potential.
File your taxes with TaxSlayer >>
TurboTax vs. FreeTaxUSA
FreeTaxUSA is a solid alternative to TurboTax that many filers will find great value in.
FreeTaxUSA offers the simplest rates ever: free. Well almost. It offers free federal filings and a flat fee of $15.99 per state return. But unlike some of its competitors, FreeTaxUSA charges extra for live chat support ($7.99), personal tax advice ($44.99), and audit and defense assistance ($19.99).
The biggest drawback to FreeTaxUSA vs. TurboTax is ease of use. TurboTax is very easy to use and navigate, while FreeTaxUSA is “close, but not quite the same.” However, does this gap justify a price difference of $40 to $100 or more? It’s your call – but FreeTaxUSA is a competitive option to use instead of TurboTax.
File your taxes with FreeTaxUSA >>
TurboTax vs. Cash App Taxes
Cash App Taxes is a relatively new tax filing platform, and one of the few options that is truly free for both federal and state tax returns.
For a free service, Cash App Taxes supports an impressive range of tax filing situations. Freelance filers can use Cash App Taxes to itemize deductions and upload multiple 1099-NEC forms from different clients. Investors can download Form 8949 and use Schedule D to report their capital gains and losses. Those with a health savings account can report their contributions to the deductible account via Form 8889.
However, there are less common tax situations that Cash App Taxes does not support. For example, you are not allowed to file tax returns in multiple states, and you are not allowed to report income earned abroad. If you resided in multiple states during the previous tax year or earned income abroad, you may pay for TurboTax instead.
File your taxes with Cash App Taxes >>
Which TurboTax alternative is right for you?
Ultimately, no tax service is perfect for everyone. Each product has its pros and cons, and some offer features that are essential for certain types of files and unnecessary for others.
The best tax software for you is whichever option fits your budget and helps you file your taxes with the least amount of stress in the end! If you’re nervous about filing, I recommend working with a company that offers live support so you can ask questions as they arise.
Should you go with TurboTax or someone else? We hope this guide helps you decide.
