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TurboTax Alternatives

Tax SoftwareFree tier available
Visit TurboTax
PlanMonthlyAnnual
Free EditionFree$0.00/yr
Deluxe$69.00/mo—
PremiumMost popular$129.00/mo—
Live Assisted$169.00/mo—
Live Full Service$209.00/mo—
See our full ranking: Best Tax Softwares of 2026

Verdict

TurboTax Self-Employed at $129 plus per-state fees is good software, but the same return often files identically on FreeTaxUSA at $0 federal plus $14.99 per state. For simple W-2 returns, Cash App Taxes is fully free including state. Save the savings, not the brand.

By Subrupt EditorialPublished Reviewed

TurboTax is the easiest tax software to use. The interview-style UX, the prior-year import, and the live tax-pro option (Live Assisted at $219) are real value for filers who hate tax season. Where TurboTax is honest pricing: complex returns with multiple Schedule Cs, K-1 imports from limited partnerships, or active-trader investment positions where the software's depth is worth the price.

Where TurboTax is overpriced for the actual return: a W-2 plus standard deduction takes 20 minutes regardless of which software you use. FreeTaxUSA covers the same federal return free, including Schedule C self-employed and Schedule D investments. Cash App Taxes covers federal AND state free with no income limits. The price difference between TurboTax Self-Employed at $129 and FreeTaxUSA at $0 plus $14.99 per state is roughly $115. The picks below are the right call when the savings outweigh TurboTax's ergonomic edge.

Pick by the return shape. Simple W-2 plus standard deduction equals Cash App Taxes (free, federal+state). Schedule C plus standard deductions equals FreeTaxUSA. Want the same depth as TurboTax at lower cost equals TaxAct or H&R Block. Want a real CPA looking at the return equals H&R Block in-store or TurboTax Live Assisted.

Affiliate disclosure: Subrupt earns a commission when you switch to a service through our recommendation links. This never changes the price you pay. We only recommend services where there's a real cost or feature advantage for you, and our picks are based on the data on this page, not on which programs pay the most.

Quick pick by use case

If you only have thirty seconds, find your situation below and skip to that pick.

If your return is simple W-2 plus standard deductionCash App TaxesCash App Taxes covers federal AND state free with no income limits and no upsells.If you have self-employment, investments, or rentals but want free federalFreeTaxUSAFreeTaxUSA covers all major schedules free federal and $14.99 per state, with the same depth as TurboTax.If you want a polished UX at a lower price than TurboTaxH&R BlockH&R Block Self-Employed at $85 is $44 cheaper than TurboTax with comparable interview-style UX and in-store fallback.If you have specialty schedules and want under-$100 softwareTaxActTaxAct Self-Employed at $99.99 covers Schedule C, depreciation, and industry deductions at $30 less than TurboTax.If you want budget software with phone support includedTaxSlayerTaxSlayer Self-Employed at $52.95 is the cheapest paid option with live chat plus tax-pro phone support.

At a glance: TurboTax alternatives

Quick comparison across pricing floor, best fit, and switching effort. Tap a row to jump to the full pick.

Our picks for TurboTax alternatives

#1

Cash App Taxes

Free tierMedium switching effort

Best for free federal AND state with no income limits

Try Cash App Taxes

Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) covers federal AND state returns free with no income limits, no schedule restrictions, and no upsells. Self-employed Schedule C, investments, crypto, rental property: all covered free. For filers who hate paying for tax software on principle, this is the only product that fully delivers free filing regardless of complexity. The trade-off is a less polished UX and no live tax-pro support.

Strengths

  • +100 percent free federal AND state
  • +No income limits
  • +Covers Schedule C, D, E, K-1, crypto
  • +No upsells during filing

Trade-offs

  • −UX less polished than TurboTax
  • −No live tax-pro support
  • −No prior-year import from TurboTax
  • −Mobile-first design feels cramped on desktop
Federal
Free
State
Free
Schedule C
Supported
Audit support
Limited
Migration steps
  1. Download last year's TurboTax return as PDF for reference.
  2. Sign up via the Cash App mobile app or cash.app/taxes on web.
  3. Re-enter your W-2 and 1099 data; no prior-year import is available.
  4. File federal AND state through Cash App Taxes; both are fully free.

Not for: Skip Cash App Taxes if you need live tax-pro review or have a return so complex one mistake outweighs hours of self-checking.

#2

FreeTaxUSA

Free tierMedium switching effort

Best when you have schedules but want $0 federal

Try FreeTaxUSA

FreeTaxUSA covers federal returns free including all major schedules (C, D, E, K-1) with no income limits, and charges $14.99 per state. The depth is the same as TurboTax for the vast majority of returns; the only thing missing is the interview-style polish and the prior-year TurboTax import. For self-employed filers, the savings vs TurboTax Self-Employed ($129 + state fees of around $50) is roughly $130 per year. The Deluxe tier at $7.99 adds priority support and audit assist, which is reasonable insurance.

Strengths

  • +$0 federal including Schedule C, D, E, K-1
  • +$14.99 per state
  • +Deluxe at $7.99 adds priority support
  • +No income limits

Trade-offs

  • −Interview UX less polished than TurboTax
  • −No tax-pro live review on the free tier
  • −Per-state fee adds up for multi-state filers
Federal
Free
State
$14.99 each
Deluxe
$7.99
Pro Support
$39.99
Migration steps
  1. Save last year's tax return as PDF for reference.
  2. Sign up at freetaxusa.com; manually enter W-2, 1099, and Schedule C data.
  3. Use the prior-year deductions and depreciation schedules from your saved return.
  4. Pay $14.99 per state; federal is free; e-file both.

Not for: Skip FreeTaxUSA if you have a multi-state filing across more than two states; per-state fees compound, and TaxAct or H&R Block can be cheaper for big returns.

Paid plans from $7.99/mo

#3

H&R Block

Free tierLow switching effort

Best for polished UX at lower price plus in-store fallback

Try H&R Block

H&R Block Self-Employed Online at $85 is $44 cheaper than TurboTax with comparable interview-style UX, prior-year import from TurboTax, and the option to escalate to an in-store H&R Block tax pro if the return gets complicated. For filers who want TurboTax-quality software at a lower price plus a backup plan if something goes sideways, H&R Block is covers the case. The Premium Online at $65 covers gig and rental income for filers who do not need full Schedule C handling.

Strengths

  • +Self-Employed at $85 is $44 cheaper than TurboTax
  • +Imports prior-year TurboTax data
  • +In-store fallback if needed
  • +Comparable interview UX

Trade-offs

  • −Per-state fees stack up similar to TurboTax
  • −Live tax-pro add-on extra
  • −Marketing pushes in-store upsell
Free Online
$0
Deluxe
$35
Premium
$65
Self-Employed
$85
Migration steps
  1. Download last year's TurboTax return as PDF (and .tax2024 file if available).
  2. Start a return at hrblock.com; use the TurboTax import to pull prior-year data.
  3. Confirm imports for Schedule C, depreciation, and rental property carryovers.
  4. File federal and state; consider in-store review at $50-100 if uncertain.

Not for: Skip H&R Block if you want fully free filing; the Free Online tier is narrower than Cash App Taxes.

Paid plans from $35.00/mo

#4

TaxAct

Free tierLow switching effort

Best for under-$100 software with depth on specialty schedules

Try TaxAct

TaxAct Self-Employed at $99.99 is $30 cheaper than TurboTax Self-Employed and covers Schedule C, depreciation, industry-specific deductions, and year-round tax planning. The interview UX is decent though less polished than TurboTax or H&R Block. For filers with schedule depth (rental, Schedule C, K-1) who want paid software at meaningful savings vs TurboTax, TaxAct wins on shape. The Premier tier at $79.99 covers investments and rental without full self-employed depth.

Strengths

  • +Self-Employed at $99.99 is $30 below TurboTax
  • +Year-round tax planning included
  • +Free Xpert Assist on Free tier
  • +Industry deduction guides

Trade-offs

  • −UX less polished than TurboTax or H&R Block
  • −Per-state fees similar to peers
  • −Marketing pushes upsells more aggressively than peers
Free
$0
Deluxe
$49.99
Premier
$79.99
Self-Employed
$99.99
Migration steps
  1. Save last year's return as PDF for reference.
  2. Sign up at taxact.com; the prior-year import is more limited than H&R Block's.
  3. Manually enter Schedule C, depreciation schedules, and carryovers.
  4. File federal and state; consider Xpert Assist if you hit a question.

Not for: Skip TaxAct if you want polished UX or a full-service Live Assisted tier; H&R Block or TurboTax Live cover those better.

Paid plans from $49.99/mo

#5

TaxSlayer

Free tierLow switching effort

Best for cheapest paid option with phone support included

Try TaxSlayer

TaxSlayer Self-Employed at $52.95 is the cheapest paid software for self-employed filers, with live chat plus tax-pro phone support included. The depth covers Schedule C, depreciation, and quarterly estimate worksheets. The Classic tier at $22.95 covers all forms and schedules without the self-employed enhancements; for filers who want one cheap paid product to handle a moderately complex return, Classic earns its place spend. The trade-off vs FreeTaxUSA: TaxSlayer charges federal where FreeTaxUSA does not.

Strengths

  • +Self-Employed at $52.95 is cheapest in the depth tier
  • +Phone tax-pro support included
  • +Classic at $22.95 covers all forms
  • +IRS Audit Assistance included on Premium

Trade-offs

  • −Federal is paid where FreeTaxUSA is free
  • −UX dated compared to TurboTax or H&R Block
  • −Depreciation guidance thinner than TurboTax
Simply Free
$0
Classic
$22.95
Premium
$42.95
Self-Employed
$52.95
Migration steps
  1. Save last year's return as PDF.
  2. Sign up at taxslayer.com; prior-year import is limited.
  3. Manually enter your data; depreciation schedules need careful re-entry.
  4. Use the included tax-pro phone support if you hit complexity.

Not for: Skip TaxSlayer if you can DIY federal free at FreeTaxUSA or Cash App Taxes; the federal charge is the main reason to choose elsewhere.

Paid plans from $22.95/mo

When to stay with TurboTax

Stay with TurboTax if you have a complex return where one mistake costs more than the price difference, you depend on TurboTax import from prior years, or you value the polished interview-style UX. The picks below favor cost-sensitive simple returns and users who want the same depth at a fraction of the price.

5 Alternatives to TurboTax

H&R BlockFree tier

H&R Block starts at $35.00/mo vs TurboTax Premium at $129.00/mo

From $35.00/mo

Save $94.00/mo ($1,128.00/yr)

Switch to H&R Block
FreeTaxUSAFree tier

FreeTaxUSA starts at $7.99/mo vs TurboTax Premium at $129.00/mo

From $7.99/mo

Save $121.01/mo ($1,452.12/yr)

Switch to FreeTaxUSA
TaxSlayerFree tier

TaxSlayer starts at $22.95/mo vs TurboTax Premium at $129.00/mo

From $22.95/mo

Save $106.05/mo ($1,272.60/yr)

Switch to TaxSlayer
Cash App TaxesFree tier

From $0/mo (free)

Switch to Cash App Taxes
TaxActFree tier

TaxAct starts at $49.99/mo vs TurboTax Premium at $129.00/mo

From $49.99/mo

Save $79.01/mo ($948.12/yr)

Switch to TaxAct

Price Comparison

Compared against TurboTax Premium ($129.00/mo)

Continue your research

H&R Block alternativesFreeTaxUSA alternativesTaxAct alternativesCash App Taxes alternatives

How we picked

TurboTax alternatives are scored on the actual return shape that drives switching: free federal+state, depth at zero federal cost, polished UX at lower price, depth at under $100, and budget paid with phone support. Each pick leads for one of those.

Pricing is taken from each vendor's site on the review date. Per-state fees are noted separately because they change the total noticeably. The page is reviewed annually before filing season.

Update history1 update
  • Initial published version with 5 picks.

Frequently asked questions about TurboTax alternatives

Is TurboTax worth $129 for self-employed?

If your return has multiple Schedule Cs, K-1 imports, or active investment activity where one error compounds, TurboTax's depth and audit risk handling can justify the price. For a single Schedule C plus standard deduction, FreeTaxUSA at $0 federal covers the same return.

What is the cheapest way to file taxes?

Cash App Taxes is the cheapest if your return qualifies (federal AND state free, all schedules supported). FreeTaxUSA is next ($0 federal, $14.99 per state). Both are legitimate IRS Free File equivalents.

Can I import prior-year TurboTax data into other software?

H&R Block has the broadest TurboTax import. TaxAct's import is partial. FreeTaxUSA and Cash App Taxes require manual re-entry. If prior-year import is critical, H&R Block is the smoothest switch.

What about live tax-pro support?

TurboTax Live Assisted at $219 includes a real CPA review. H&R Block offers similar add-ons or in-store appointments. Cheaper alternatives mostly do not include live tax-pro support, though TaxSlayer Self-Employed includes phone support at $52.95.

Is FreeTaxUSA actually trustworthy?

Yes. FreeTaxUSA is an IRS-authorized e-file provider with over 20 years of operation. The product is honest about what it does and does not include; the free federal pricing is real and not bait-and-switch.

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About the author: Subrupt Editorial

The team behind subrupt.com. We track subscriptions, surface cheaper alternatives, and publish comparisons where the score formula is on the page so you can recompute it yourself. We do not claim 30,000 hours of testing. What we claim is live pricing from our database, a transparent composite score, and honest savings math against a category baseline.

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