26 Best Tax Software and Filing Platforms in 2026

TurboTax is the best-selling US consumer tax software, with Intuit reporting it is used by tens of millions of filers annually. It covers everything from simple W-2 returns to complex investor, rental, and self-employment situations. In 2025-2026 Intuit reorganized its product line into three modes: Do It Yourself, Expert Assist (live CPA help added), and Expert Full Service (a pro does it all). The Free Edition covers simple Form 1040 returns but qualifies only about 37% of filers. Paid DIY tiers start at $39 federal for Deluxe and $69 for Premium; state filing adds $39 per state across paid plans.

H&R Block operates as both a digital tax platform and the largest retail tax preparation network in the US, with over 9,000 brick-and-mortar locations. Its online DIY product is consistently rated the most generous free tier among major brands, covering student loan interest, unemployment income, and retirement income without forcing an upgrade. All paid plans (Deluxe at $35 federal, Premium at $60, Self-Employed at $85-$100+) now include unlimited expert help via AI Tax Assist and live chat, a feature previously locked behind a higher-priced tier. In January 2026, H&R Block launched a free Tax Pro Review promotion for new clients through April 11, 2026. The FTC required H&R Block to pay $7 million and overhaul advertising practices following a 2024 ruling over deceptive 'free' claims.

TaxAct is one of the few consumer tax platforms supporting S-Corp returns (Form 1120-S) alongside TurboTax, making it a go-to for small-business owners filing a separate business entity. Its pricing undercuts the major incumbents across every tier: Deluxe at $29.99 federal and Premium at $49.99 federal as of early 2026. TaxAct charges for state filing at every tier including the free version ($39.99 per state), which is the one consistent criticism of the platform. Expert help is available as an on-demand add-on called Xpert Assist starting at $25, rather than being bundled into higher tiers. TaxAct's accuracy guarantee covers legal and audit fees up to $100,000 — a notably higher ceiling than most competitors.

FreeTaxUSA, operated by TaxHawk, Inc., files federal returns completely free for all taxpayers regardless of income level or tax complexity — including Schedule C self-employment, Schedule D investments, and rental income. The only cost for most filers is $15.99 per state return. Optional add-ons include Deluxe at $7.99 (live chat, priority support, unlimited amended returns) and Pro Support at $44.99 (one-on-one access to a tax professional via live screen-share). The platform added consolidated 1099 PDF import in 2025 and supports import of 1099-DA forms for crypto broker reporting. According to Kiplinger, FreeTaxUSA is the best overall tax prep software for value in 2026.

TaxSlayer differentiates itself by unlocking all tax forms at every paid tier; the difference between its tiers is the level of expert access, not which forms you can file. Simply Free covers single/MFJ filers under $100,000 with no dependents and includes one free federal and one free state return. Classic at $22.99 federal unlocks every form and credit. Premium at $42.99 adds live chat and phone access to a tax professional. Self-Employed at $52.99 adds expertise specifically for gig and freelance income including quarterly payment reminders. State returns cost $39.99-$45.99 per state on all paid tiers. TaxSlayer was named Best Tax Software for Side Hustlers and Small Business Owners by The College Investor in 2026.

Jackson Hewitt charges a flat $25 for online DIY filing covering one federal return and unlimited state returns, regardless of tax complexity. This flat-rate model is unique among major providers and is particularly valuable for filers who lived or worked in more than one state, since competitors charge $37-$49 per state. There is no free tier. Jackson Hewitt also operates over 5,500 in-person locations including roughly 3,000 inside Walmart stores; in-person pricing starts at $49 for simple returns but varies by franchise location. The company has handled over 65 million returns in its 40+ year history. In 2026, the online software was updated for IRS tax law changes but received no significant feature additions.

Cash App Taxes is the only major tax platform that offers completely free federal and state filing for all users with no paid tiers, upsells, or hidden fees. Acquired from Credit Karma (formerly Credit Karma Tax) by Block, Inc. (formerly Square) in 2020 as a condition of Intuit's Credit Karma acquisition, the service is subsidized by the broader Cash App ecosystem. It covers a broad range of tax situations including W-2, Schedule C self-employment, Schedule D investments, and rental income. Two significant limitations prevent it from being the universal recommendation: it does not support multi-state returns, and it requires creating a Cash App account to access the filing tool. Audit defense is included at no cost.

OLT (Online Taxes) is one of eight IRS Free File Alliance partners for 2026, meaning qualifying filers with an AGI of $89,000 or less can file federal returns for free via the IRS Free File program. Outside Free File, OLT charges $9.95 per state return under its standard pricing; federal filing is free. Its Premium Edition at $9.95 adds live customer support, audit assistance, and a small discount on state returns. The platform has a menu-driven interface with section summaries that let filers review inputs before advancing, and includes built-in depreciation calculators for Schedule E rental and self-employment situations. OLT does not support PDF import of investment statements or brokerage 1099s; all trades must be entered manually.

1040.com, operated by Drake Software, charges a single flat fee of $34.99 covering one federal return and unlimited state returns with no per-state surcharges. There is no free tier. The platform uses a clean layout familiar to anyone who has filed online before, with auto-progress saves and a mobile-friendly interface. It is a white-label version of the same Drake Software engine powering Liberty Tax Online and several other branded services. 1040.com does not support refund advance loans. An optional audit support add-on is available through a third-party partner for $34.95.

Liberty Tax is one of the largest tax preparation companies in the US with over 3,000 franchised office locations. Its online product is a white-label implementation of Drake Software's engine, the same underlying technology used by 1040.com and eSmart Tax. Basic online pricing starts at $47.95 federal plus $36.95 per state. The platform features a hybrid navigation model that lets users choose between interview-style guided questions or self-directed form entry, a useful option for experienced filers. A Virtual Tax Pro service allows users to file alongside a Liberty Tax expert remotely. The College Investor rates Liberty Tax Online poorly in 2026, citing high prices and little differentiation from cheaper alternatives.

TaxHawk is a consumer tax platform operated by TaxHawk, Inc. — the same company behind FreeTaxUSA. The two products are nearly identical in functionality and pricing: federal filing is free for all users regardless of complexity, and state returns cost $15.99 each. Optional Deluxe and Pro Support add-ons mirror FreeTaxUSA exactly. TaxHawk added W-2 photo import in 2024 and consolidated 1099 PDF import from major brokerages in 2025, expanding its capability for investment-income filers. The platform has filed over 82 million federal returns since its founding. TaxHawk is frequently listed as an IRS Free File partner and qualifies filers with AGI up to $89,000 for federally-free filing via the IRS portal.

PriorTax, operated by Rapid Filing Services LLC in New York City since 2006, specializes in filing both current-year and prior-year (late) tax returns. It is one of the few IRS-authorized e-file providers that supports electronically filing returns back to 2012 on the IRS NETFILE window, and provides paper-mail preparation for earlier years. Current-year federal returns are priced at $34.99; a federal plus state bundle is $49.99; additional state returns are $39.95 each. Late federal returns cost approximately $34.99 per year; prior-year state returns are priced separately. PriorTax also offers CPA review as an add-on, and provides tax resolution services (IRS debt negotiation) starting at $700 for cases under $10,000. Trustpilot reviews average around 4 stars with strong praise for resolving multi-year back-tax situations.

ezTaxReturn is an IRS Free File Alliance partner for 2026 and one of the eight approved providers offering free guided federal filing to taxpayers with AGI under $89,000 through the IRS Free File portal. It is also one of only two IRS Free File partners offering guided filing in Spanish, the other being 1040Now. Outside the Free File program, standard commercial pricing is $34.99 for federal and $39.99 for state; a federal and state bundle costs $74.98. The platform offers a 30-minute filing guarantee for simple returns and features mobile-friendly design. An optional Refund Transfer service at $29.95 allows fees to be deducted from the refund rather than paid upfront.

Wealthsimple Tax (formerly SimpleTax, acquired by Wealthsimple in 2019) is the most widely recommended free tax software in Canada. It is fully NETFILE-certified by the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec. The Basic plan operates on a pay-what-you-want model — users can file up to 2 returns for $0 with no feature restrictions, covering all income types from T4 employment to self-employment, investments, and crypto. More than 2 million Canadians use it annually. In 2026, the platform added video walkthroughs, a guided filing assistant, and the ability to pay the CRA directly via Wealthsimple Chequing. Paid Plus ($40 CAD + tax) and Pro ($80 CAD + tax) plans add audit protection and expert consultations respectively. Wealthsimple Premium clients (over $100,000 in Wealthsimple assets) receive Plus free.

QuickFile is a cloud-based accounting platform built for UK freelancers, sole traders, and small businesses that need invoicing, bank reconciliation, VAT returns, and Making Tax Digital (MTD) compliance. It is free for accounts with fewer than approximately 1,000 ledger entries per rolling year; larger accounts are classified as Power Users and pay £60 per year. QuickFile supports over 50 UK bank feeds for automated transaction imports and includes API access on all plans. It is HMRC-recognized for MTD VAT filing. The platform's Company Tax Return filing capability via Companies House and HMRC is being phased out as HMRC's own service closes, requiring users to transition to a third-party accountant for CT600 filing.

GoSimpleTax is a UK-based Self Assessment tax return platform designed specifically for individuals required to file an SA100 personal tax return with HMRC. It is HMRC-recognized and allows direct electronic submission. The platform covers employed income (P60, P45), sole trade and self-employment income, rental income, partnership income, and savings and investment income. Standard pricing is £69.99 per tax year (with a 20% promotional discount available through March 31, 2026, bringing it to approximately £56). A free trial allows users to enter all data and see their tax calculation before committing to payment. GoSimpleTax is available as a native iOS and Android app and as a browser-based tool.

Taxfiler was founded as a standalone cloud-based tax filing platform for UK accountants and was acquired by IRIS Software Group, one of the UK's largest accountancy software providers. It is HMRC-recognized for filing SA100 (personal), SA800 (partnership), SA900 (trust), CT600 (corporation tax), and full company accounts. Pricing is per-seat monthly with individual and small-practice plans starting around £12/month. Unlike consumer-facing tools like GoSimpleTax, Taxfiler is designed for preparers managing multiple client returns and includes client portal features and document sharing. Under IRIS, Taxfiler has been integrated with the broader IRIS Elements ecosystem for practice management.

Sage is one of the most widely used accounting software suites in the UK, with millions of small businesses running Sage 50 or Sage Accounting. Its tax capabilities span VAT return submission directly to HMRC via Making Tax Digital, payroll tax calculations, and Self Assessment support through Sage for Accountants. For US customers, Sage's tax capabilities are primarily delivered via its Sage Intacct and Sage 100 ERP platforms, which integrate with Avalara for sales tax. Standalone Sage tax products are more prevalent in the UK than the US market. Pricing varies significantly by product line; Sage Accounting in the UK starts at £15/month, while Sage 50 Accounts starts at £168/year.

Xero Tax is the embedded tax filing module within Xero's cloud accounting platform, available to UK users for Self Assessment (SA100), Corporation Tax (CT600), and VAT return submission direct to HMRC. It is built directly into the Xero subscription rather than sold as a standalone product, meaning there is no separate pricing for the tax filing component — it is included in Xero's Accountant and Bookkeeper editions. For businesses on standard Xero Accounting plans, VAT filing via Making Tax Digital is included; SA100 and CT600 filing requires the accountant edition or filing through a Xero-connected accountant. Xero Accounting for businesses starts at £16/month in the UK.

Avalara is the dominant enterprise sales tax automation platform, serving over 200,000 customers across more than 75 countries according to the company's 2026 filings. Taken private by Vista Equity Partners in 2022 after a public company run, Avalara filed for a second IPO in 2026. Its core product, AvaTax, calculates sales tax, VAT, and GST in real time at checkout across 12,000+ US tax jurisdictions and 100+ countries. Pricing is volume-based and not publicly listed; all contracts require a custom quote. Activation fees, per-transaction fees, and add-on module costs for exemption certificate management (CertCapture), nexus registration, and managed filing are each billed separately. Buyers report effective annual costs ranging from a few hundred dollars for small implementations to $50,000+ for enterprise-scale configurations.

Vertex is a 45-year-old enterprise tax technology company providing indirect tax calculation, compliance, and reporting for large corporations. Its core Vertex O Series engine is deeply integrated with SAP S/4HANA, Oracle EBS, and Microsoft Dynamics, making it the preferred choice for Fortune 500 companies already committed to those ERP platforms. Vertex covers US sales and use tax, VAT, GST, and excise tax across more than 19,000 US jurisdictions and global markets. Pricing is per-order and custom-quoted; per-transaction rates are estimated at $0.12-$0.15 per calculation for basic sales tax, scaling to complex global configurations. Implementation typically requires months and a dedicated technical team.

Sovos is an enterprise-grade tax compliance platform focused on global indirect tax, e-invoicing mandates, and information reporting (1099, W-2 filing). It serves companies operating across multiple countries where government-mandated real-time e-invoicing is required — covering over 70 countries including Brazil (NF-e), Mexico (CFDI), Italy (FatturaPA), and Saudi Arabia (ZATCA). Sovos is particularly strong for companies with complex VAT recovery and cross-border supply chain compliance. In the US, Sovos covers sales tax, 1099/W-2 tax information reporting, and ACA (healthcare) reporting. Pricing is custom and enterprise-only; industry estimates range from $300-$1,000/month for mid-market implementations to $50,000+/year for global enterprise deployments.

TaxJar is a US-focused sales tax automation platform acquired by Stripe in 2021 and deeply integrated into the Stripe payments ecosystem. It automates sales tax calculation, nexus monitoring, and return filing across all 50 US states. TaxJar does not support international VAT or GST. Pricing is per-plan with two tiers: Starter at $39/month covering up to 200 orders, and Professional starting at $99/month for higher volumes. AutoFile, the automated return submission service, is billed separately per state per filing period. A 30-day free trial is available. As of 2026, TaxJar has no published pricing for very high-volume or custom enterprise configurations beyond the Professional tier.

MyFreeTaxes is the only free, national online tax filing program operated by a nonprofit in the United States, provided by United Way Worldwide in partnership with the IRS. The software is powered by TaxSlayer's technology stack and is available as a guided online platform and in Spanish at myfreetaxes.com/es. As of 2026, the income threshold is households earning $89,000 or less. Since 2009, over 1.5 million tax returns have been filed through MyFreeTaxes, saving filers $318 million in preparation fees. The platform supports multi-state filing, self-employment (Schedule C), and investment income, covering more complexity than many commercial 'free' tiers.

VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) is an IRS program that has operated since 1971, providing free tax preparation services by trained and IRS-certified volunteers at community sites including libraries, schools, community centers, and social service agencies. The vitataxhelp.org domain is one of several VITA locator and resource sites; the canonical IRS VITA locator is available at irs.gov. VITA serves households with income of approximately $69,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and taxpayers with limited English proficiency. In 2026, VITA sites are typically open from late January through April 15. GetYourRefund.org, operated by Code for America, extends VITA access virtually nationwide through a document-upload model.

Aatrix, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, is a B2B payroll tax reporting and e-filing platform rather than a consumer tax preparation product. Over 340,000 US and Canadian businesses use Aatrix to file payroll tax reports including federal 941 quarterly returns, state unemployment and withholding reports, W-2s, 1099s, and ACA (1095) forms. Aatrix operates primarily as an OEM solution embedded within 50+ accounting and payroll software platforms including QuickBooks, Sage, and various regional payroll systems. End-user pricing starts at approximately $25/user/month. Aatrix holds US patents for its form-filling and e-filing technology and supports over 170 taxing agencies across the US and Canada.