Jackson Hewitt 2026 online review: pros and cons

Jackson Hewitt Online – Can you file for free?

Jackson Hewitt Online does not offer a free tier or free trial, regardless of income or other status. All households pay a flat $25 for federal and state filing.

One benefit for anyone who has moved or worked and lived across state lines is that there are no additional fees for additional states. The $25 price doesn’t change, even if you need to apply in multiple states.

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What’s new for 2026?

We did not observe any significant changes to the Jackson Hewitt tax app for the 2026 tax season, aside from IRS tax filing changes, which include notable updates to tax brackets, credits, and deductions due to the Trump tax law.

For us to recommend Jackson Hewitt, there would need to be major updates to its user interface and a better system for finding answers to your tax questions within the app.

Like H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt has physical locations across the country, so it would be nice to see an option to convert online returns to in-person returns, and improved support for auditing. But for now, Jackson Hewitt Online is just a DIY app.

However, you will get many upsells in person, through new offers exclusive to customers. Also, if you want a no-fee tax refund advance, you must show up in person.

Tip: Jackson Hewitt Online is good value for $25, but you can file your taxes just as easily with Cash App Taxes for free in most cases.

Jackson Hewitt Online offers a straightforward filing solution for people with underlying tax situations. You can easily claim deductions and credits. It is well-suited for those who are filing in multiple states and do not have active cryptocurrency or stock trading accounts.

Filers cannot import forms into the software, including last year’s tax returns filed with competitors. But despite this inconvenience, entering W-2 income, basic self-employment income, retirement income, interest, dividends, and unemployment income is easy enough for most people with a few forms.

Active investors, including stock and cryptocurrency traders, must manually enter trades into forms that fill the entire screen for each transaction. Repeating this screen even a few dozen times is a recipe for human error. If you are an active trader and make hundreds or thousands of trades a year, this will likely be a deal breaker.

The software also makes it difficult to claim depreciation or depletion expenses, so landlords and self-employed business owners, including side hustlers, may have difficulty completing their tax returns using Jackson Hewitt Online.

Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t have many notable features. However, these are some of the more noteworthy aspects of the product:

Navigate the interview mode

Jackson Hewitt Online allows users to choose between menu and interview-style navigation. Our software interview questions are free of tax jargon and keep users focused on the parts of the software that relate to them.

Submit multi-state applications at no additional cost

The big advantage: There is no additional cost for state taxes

Bloggers who earn income in multiple states can submit their applications all for one price. All filers pay $25, regardless of how many state returns they file. Most companies charge around $20 to $50 per state added. This can save you money if you work or live across state lines or move interstate during the year.

Known name in tax preparation

Even if the online experience isn’t the best on the web, Jackson Hewitt remains one of the most popular tax preparation brands nationwide. Depending on your tax situation, you may prefer in-person tax preparation at Walmart stores or the Drop-and-Go program, which works as its name suggests.

Disadvantages of Jackson Hewitt Online

The downsides of Jackson Hewitt Online may make it unsuitable for several groups of tax filers.

It is difficult to claim consumption and depletion

Depreciation and depletion can be a legitimate business expense for landlords and some self-employed people. Jackson Hewitt Online supports these deductions, but knowing how to claim them is very complicated.

Users must locate the depreciation worksheets and enter the fields that must be calculated in advance. The final depreciation and depletion values ​​are never displayed to users, so there is no way to verify that the inputs are correct.

There are no section summaries

Jackson Hewitt Online does not have built-in section summaries. Filers must click on each income, deduction, or credit type to check the values. More robust programs display section summaries to help filers make sure they haven’t missed anything important.

Jackson hewitt online pricing

Cost: It’s a flat fee of $25 for all tax statuses and states

Jackson Hewitt Online charges all users $25 for federal filing and $0 for each state. Applicants who must file multiple government returns may decide that Jackson Hewitt Online offers a fair deal.

Jackson Hewitt 0% Tax Refund Loans are also not available to online customers. You must pay to apply in person to qualify for these loans.

How does Jackson Hewitt Online compare?

Jackson Hewitt Online appears to be using a white-label version of Drake Tax Software. This is the same software that 1040.com uses, so both products are almost identical.

We also compared Jackson Hewitt Online with Cash App Taxes and FreeTaxUSA. Among the competitors listed, Cash App Taxes offers the best overall user experience and is completely free.

However, filers who need to file multiple state returns cannot use Cash App Taxes. Jackson Hewitt can be a good option if you need to file in multiple states at the lowest possible cost.

Jackson Hewitt Online has helpful “Tax Tips and Topics” on its main website. Other resources include a checklist of tax documents and various tax calculators.

Within the filing program itself, resources are very limited. Users can find some knowledge articles for frequently asked questions. Additionally, “Tell Me More” buttons scattered throughout the software provide helpful translations for people who don’t understand tax terminology.

But Jackson Hewitt Online doesn’t offer many additional support options. Users can access customer service via live chat, but unlike other tax filing apps, there is no audit protection guarantee. There’s also no option to get advice from a tax expert if you use Jackson Hewitt Online.

If you want expert support, you’ll need to forego the online option and let a Jackson Hewitt Tax Pro in your local area prepare your return. Unlike some competitors, Jackson Hewitt keeps its online presence separate from its in-person offices and Walmart store locations.

Is it safe and secure?

Jackson Hewitt Online meets industry standards for protecting user information. The company encrypts user data, and lets you enable multi-factor authentication. No matter what tax software you use, your accounts are only secure if you use a unique, hard-to-guess password on each website.

Jackson Hewitt franchise locations have been accused of data breaches, but the online product has not been the target of any known hacks. However, no tax software is 100% safe from data breach events.

Is it worth it?

Jackson Hewitt Online is not on our list of top tax software picks for the 2026 tax filing season (2025 tax return). The user interface is suitable for filers with simple returns and only a few tax forms. However, most of these depositors can find alternatives at a lower price. A possible exception is multi-state files. People who have moved within the past year may find great value in Jackson Hewitt Online.

But single-state filers looking for a deal should consider Cash App Taxes or TaxHawk instead of Jackson Hewitt Online. Others may not pay a premium for high-end software like H&R Block or TurboTax. No matter your needs, we have a recommendation on the tax software that best suits your filing situation.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the most common questions we hear people ask about Jackson Hewitt Online:

Can Jackson Hewitt Online help me with my cryptocurrency investments?

Jackson Hewitt Online allows users to claim capital gains associated with cryptocurrency transactions. But it’s not easy. Filers must enter each transaction into a lengthy online form.

Most filers who handle cryptocurrencies should use TurboTax Premier instead of Jackson Hewitt Online. TurboTax Premier has built-in functionality designed to handle the complexity of cryptocurrency transactions.

Can Jackson Hewitt Online help me file government applications in multiple states?

Yes! Filers pay just $25, regardless of how many state returns they need to complete.

Does Jackson Hewitt Online offer cash back advance loans?

Jackson Hewitt Online does not offer advance cash back loans. However, people who apply from a Jackson Hewitt office (including inside Walmart) may be eligible for a no-fee cash back advance loan. This loan may be available immediately even before you start paying taxes, as long as you qualify.