Best Tax Preparation Software 2026
by Anonymous
Tax preparation software guides you through filing federal and state returns with interview-style questions and automatic calculations. Free options handle simple W-2 returns, while paid versions handle self-employment, investments, and rental income. The best software maximizes deductions through intelligent prompting and audit risk assessment. E-filing with direct deposit gets refunds fastest.
TurboTax
$0–$129
federal filing cost
$0–$64 per state
state filing cost
Yes ($89–$219)
live expert help
Yes (Self-Employed tier)
self-employment
Included (+ MAX defense)
audit support
Yes, photo + 1M+ employers
import w-2 / 1099
H&R Block
$0–$110
federal filing cost
$0–$49 per state
state filing cost
Yes ($55+)
live expert help
Yes (Premium tier)
self-employment
Included
audit support
Yes, photo + import
import w-2 / 1099
FreeTaxUSA
$0
federal filing cost
$14.99 per state
state filing cost
Yes ($49.99)
live expert help
Yes (free)
self-employment
Add-on ($6.99)
audit support
Yes, limited import
import w-2 / 1099
Cash App Taxes
$0
federal filing cost
$0
state filing cost
No
live expert help
Yes (free)
self-employment
Audit defense included
audit support
Yes, import supported
import w-2 / 1099
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