Tax software reprices every January. Prices below were verified in July 2026 (off-season) and we re-verify them at season start — where a vendor doesn't publish current-season dollar figures yet, we link to their pricing page rather than guess.
Heads up: IRS Direct File is gone. The IRS informed states in November 2025 that its free Direct File program would not be available for the 2026 filing season, with no future launch planned. The main free routes now are IRS Free File (income-limited), Cash App Taxes, and FreeTaxUSA's free federal filing.
Pricing verified July 2026
Planning around taxes? Try our Roth vs Traditional, 401(k) Contribution, and Stock Return (CAGR) calculators.
$0 federal at ALL complexity levels — W-2, itemizing, Schedule C, rentals, investments, crypto. Genuinely, not a teaser.
$0 federal AND $0 state, no tiers, no upsells — covers self-employment and investments. Included on merit; no affiliate program.
Classic tier covers ALL forms and situations for a fraction of what TurboTax or H&R Block charge for equivalent coverage.
Free Online covers roughly 52% of filers per H&R Block — broader than TurboTax's free edition — and thousands of physical offices if DIY goes sideways.
The most polished guided experience and the best brokerage / document import — for the highest DIY price.
| Software | Federal price | State price | Free tier honestly covers | Live help | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeTaxUSA | $0 (all situations) | $15.99 | Everything on federal (all forms) | Deluxe $7.99; Pro Support $64.99 | Anyone with a moderately or highly complex return who doesn't want to pay for it. |
| Cash App Taxes | $0 | $0 | Federal + one state (broad situations) | Minimal | Filers who want a real free option that isn't gated behind a paywall halfway through. |
| TaxSlayer | Simply Free $0 · Classic $44.99 · Premium $64.99 · Self-Employed $74.99 | $47.99 | Simply Free is narrow (no dependents, income <$100K, wage income only; one state included) | Priority support on Premium; 1099/Schedule C guidance on Self-Employed | Complex filers who want all-forms coverage without the big-brand price tag. |
| H&R Block | See current pricing (announced each January) | See current pricing (extra on paid tiers) | Roughly 52% of filers per H&R Block (includes unemployment income) | AI chat + live help on paid tiers; nationwide physical offices | Filers who want a real free tier from a big brand — and the fallback of an in-person office if things get complicated. |
| TurboTax | Free Edition $0 (simple 1040 only) · Deluxe $0–$139 · Premium $0–$149 | Extra on paid tiers | ~37% of taxpayers qualify (Intuit's own disclosure) | Expert Assist and Full Service tiers | Filers who value a polished experience and heavy document import — and are willing to pay for it. |
$0 federal at ALL complexity levels — W-2, itemizing, Schedule C, rentals, investments, crypto. Genuinely, not a teaser.
Federal: $0 (all situations) · State: $15.99
Anyone with a moderately or highly complex return who doesn't want to pay for it.
$0 federal AND $0 state, no tiers, no upsells — covers self-employment and investments. Included on merit; no affiliate program.
Federal: $0 · State: $0
Filers who want a real free option that isn't gated behind a paywall halfway through.
Classic tier covers ALL forms and situations for a fraction of what TurboTax or H&R Block charge for equivalent coverage.
Federal: Simply Free $0 · Classic $44.99 · Premium $64.99 · Self-Employed $74.99 · State: $47.99
Complex filers who want all-forms coverage without the big-brand price tag.
Free Online covers roughly 52% of filers per H&R Block — broader than TurboTax's free edition — and thousands of physical offices if DIY goes sideways.
Federal: See current pricing (announced each January) · State: See current pricing (extra on paid tiers)
Filers who want a real free tier from a big brand — and the fallback of an in-person office if things get complicated.
The most polished guided experience and the best brokerage / document import — for the highest DIY price.
Federal: Free Edition $0 (simple 1040 only) · Deluxe $0–$139 · Premium $0–$149 · State: Extra on paid tiers
Filers who value a polished experience and heavy document import — and are willing to pay for it.
Total cost (federal + state), what the free tier honestly covers, form coverage at each paid tier, quality of live help, document import, and support surface if a return gets complicated.
H&R Block does not publish current-season prices off-season — they announce each January. Where a vendor's number isn't publicly available (or renders dynamically), we say so rather than post a figure that may not match checkout.
We have no active affiliate deals with any tax-software provider on this page as of this writing — CTAs link directly to each company's official site. Cash App Taxes has no affiliate program at all and is included purely on merit. If we add partner arrangements elsewhere, we'll disclose them clearly on this page.
