This tax prep comparison review has been completely updated for 2026 tax return filing (for 2025 tax year returns). The tax season start date has arrived and the tax deadlines have been announced by the IRS. If you haven’t started filing your taxes already, you’re probably starting to look around for the best tax prep program online to e-file with in 2026.
If you’re locked in to a particular tax prep software that you love, this may be an easy decision for you: find the right version for your tax situation this year, pay the cheapest price you can (discounted offers are below to help with that goal), and e-file ASAP so that you can get it behind you and quickly get any refund that you may be owed. If you haven’t filed your own taxes, or are looking to switch programs, finding the best tax prep program online can get tricky.
For starters, the features in the paid versions of various programs often don’t align – even if they have the same name (e.g. “Free”, “Basic”, “Deluxe”, “Premium”, or “Self-Employed”). You’ll want to review what IRS forms are covered and meet your personal filing needs, based on how complex your filing is. And with “free” versions, the forms each program covers can be very limited, mostly focused just on simple 1040 return filing only, without coverage for many different forms and tax situations.
Additionally, no two tax software programs have all of the same features. Tax expert advice and support differs (or is not offered at all), audit protection differs, in-person support (if needed) differs, forms supported differs, data import capabilities differ, and so on.
So, what I’ve tried to do in this tax software comparison review is give you a quick and easy cost comparison breakdown of all federal and state e-filing costs, key feature comparison, limitations, and even a few special partner links with the largest available discounts (in the “Link to Best Promo Discount” row in the chart below and the “The Best Tax Prep Discount Promo Codes” section below that) for the most popular tax prep programs, so that you can get the cheapest prices (or even free offers) available.
Here’s my comparison of the best tax prep programs available online:
Comparison of the Best Tax Prep Filing Programs Online:
The Best Cheapest Tax Prep Filing Options:
If your goal is strictly to find the best cheapest tax software available, I recommend 5 above the others:
- TurboTax: get “early bird” TurboTax pricing and an additional 10% off TurboTax pricing with bonus partner discount at link. There is also a “any tax situation for free promo” when you switch to TurboTax and file by 2/28.
- H&R Block: save an additional 20% off H&R Block pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
- TaxSlayer: save an additional 20% off TaxSlayer pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
- Cash App Taxes: no fee federal/state e-file! (formerly ‘Credit Karma Tax’).
- TaxAct: save an additional 5% off TaxAct pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
Each of these tax programs have at least 1 “free” or “basic” version that offers free filing for both federal and state returns with 1 exception – TaxAct charges $39.99 per state filing for their “free” federal version. The scope of these free tax prep versions can be limited, however, as they usually only cover simple 1040 returns only and not all taxpayers will qualify. For TurboTax Free Edition, for example, ~37% of taxpayers qualify, with simple Form 1040 returns only (no schedules except EITC, CTC, Student Loan Interest, & Retirement Plan Distributions).
H&R Block, TurboTax, TaxSlayer, and TaxAct also allow you to start with a more basic version and upgrade later to a more robust version that covers additional forms/topics, if needed, without having to re-enter all of your information. Look at the product descriptions to take your best guess on where to start and go from there.
“Free” Tax Prep Often Isn’t Free
I really don’t recommend jumping at something just because it is labeled as “free” at first glance. Make sure you do your homework to find the best fit. Here’s just a sampling of what the “free” versions of tax software often do not cover:
- Child Tax Credit
- HSA contributions/withdrawals
- Itemized deductions
- Mortgage interest deductions
- Cryptocurrency taxes
- Real estate tax deductions
- Charitable contributions
- Investment income (e.g. sale of stocks)
- Unemployment income
- Landlord rental income and deductions
- Self-employment income and deductions
- IRA contributions
- Small business income, deductions, and asset depreciation
Those are commonly used forms by many tax filers. The IRS Free File Alliance (see more in my cheapest ways to e-file post) also connects to many of the free versions I highlight in this article, but they typically have strict state, age, tax form, and income restrictions and can also be very limited in the forms that they cover. Zero of the 8 programs involved offer free filing if your income is above $89,000 and 2 don’t offer free filing if your income is above $51,000. Further, the “free” only applies to federal returns – only 2 of the 8 programs advertise free state e-filing. Also, note that both H&R Block and TurboTax are not participating in the Free File Alliance anymore.
Another challenge with starting to file via the Free File route is that you may not be able to transfer to an upgraded paid plan (if needed), without re-entering all of your information. If you have a simple return, the free versions in this article are just as good, don’t come with the restrictions, and are easily transferred to upgraded versions, if needed. Of course, you could always try to go the Free Fillable Forms route too, but I would not advise it. It’s a ton of manual work, requires a lot of tax knowledge, and data is purged every year so nothing transfers from one year to the next.
And for those taxpayers who leveraged free tax filing with IRS Direct File – you’re going to have to look elsewhere moving forward, sadly. Unfortunately, the IRS killed the IRS Direct File pilot last year, so that will no longer be an option for filers.
Note to U.S. Military Members: A free option specifically for U.S. Military members to check out is MilTax. MilTax is the U.S. Department of Defense’s MilTax software, available through Military OneSource for no charge.
The Best Tax Prep Discount Promo Codes
If you’re looking to pay for whatever tax software is the best fit or you’ve used before, here are some discount coupon promo codes to utilize, in order to get the best price if you need to upgrade to a paid version later on in the filing process. I have affiliate partner relationships with every major tax software program, and each has provided me with special discounted pricing to offer readers that is the best pricing publicly available, automatically applied by using the links below (for a limited-time only).
- TurboTax: get “early bird” TurboTax pricing and an additional 10% off TurboTax pricing with bonus partner discount at link. There is also a “any tax situation for free promo” when you switch to TurboTax and file by 2/28.
- H&R Block: save an additional 20% off H&R Block pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
- TaxSlayer: save an additional 20% off TaxSlayer pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
- Cash App Taxes: no fee on federal and state e-filing at link (formerly “Credit Karma Tax”, now owned by Square/Cash App)
- TaxAct: save an additional 5% off TaxAct pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
- FreeTaxUSA: lowest FreeTaxUSA price at link on state e-file.
- Liberty Tax: save $10 off Liberty Tax online with bonus partner discount at link
- E-file.com: save an additional 20% off E-file.com pricing with bonus partner discount at link.
The Best Tax Prep Programs Overall:
Cheapest is not always best – particularly when it comes to something as essential as filing your taxes.
If you have a more complex return and want the most robust programs and support, the overall best tax software programs are:
The pros for these programs:
- the broadest feature sets of all tax programs
- they cover up to every possible form, with upgraded paid versions
- data imports
- amended returns
- prior year returns
- accuracy guarantees
- audit support (included or as an add-on feature)
- live chat support (included or as an add-on feature)
- the ability to have a tax expert personally assist you or even review and submit your return (at H&R Block and TurboTax, for an added charge)
And if things get real crazy, H&R Block and TurboTax (new this year) even have office locations for in-person reviews and support. You can also check out my free guide on how to do your taxes to get your basics squared away in preparation for filing your return.
The cons for these programs:
- Those with very complex returns may need to upgrade to a higher-tier plan and/or pay for dedicated tax pro support in preparing your return – but there is really no way around that, and at least you’ll have the option (H&R Block and TurboTax).
- TaxSlayer does not have the option to have a tax pro prepare your return.
Happy tax filing to all!
