Tax Services of 2026: TurboTax and H&R Block Tested

TurboTax is probably the most popular online self-filing tax service. It starts out with a helpful questionnaire so that it knows which sections are applicable to you, so you’re not slogging through things that aren’t relevant. It estimated the time it’d take to finish and asked how I filed last year—no other service I tested did either. There are three options for filers: DIY, where you file yourself with step-by-step instructions; Expert Assist, where you get help from tax experts throughout the process and have the expert review it before submitting; or you can also get your taxes done completely by a local tax expert with Expert Full Service. Prices vary for each tier (and when you file; the earlier, the cheaper).

You can upload your documents or take pictures on your phone by scanning a QR code (no app needed). Once I took a picture, all of the info was filled out for me on the desktop page. This tax service was the most automated of those I tested, pulling transaction history from my online bank accounts to find where I could write off expenses—an incredible feature that gave me peace of mind rather than having to guess how much in gas I spent while traveling for an interview in February of last year. The system continually did checks after each section to make sure I wasn't missing anything, having me fill in any boxes left empty. This interface was the most intuitive and user-friendly of all I tested, and was the one I ultimately used to file my taxes.

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I've been using H&R Block's clean and intuitive online service for more than a decade, which means it has all of my data ready to roll, and I'll continue to use it as long as I don't run into any major hassles. This year's filing was the smoothest yet, thanks to an improved document-upload system that seems to have gotten gradually better. This year it picked up all but one number after I uploaded my W2, 1098, 1095-C, and other assorted papers from the tax pile on my dresser. I did two states plus a federal return in less than two hours.

I ponied up a total of $100 for my federal return to have a “Tax Pro” review my filings and answer a question about local taxes. This was about as helpful as a Quora query—I wouldn't recommend it unless you really want the peace of mind. My returns were accepted within 48 hours, and I got my refunds within a month. —Martin Cizmar

WIRED offers H&R Block coupons to save money if you decide to go with this service.

I used this service for several years previously, and it’s very, ahem, similar to TurboTax with intuitive UX design and interface flow. It’s also pretty much the cheapest tax service (it was hundreds of dollars less than competitors). FreeTaxUSA offers free federal returns, with state returns starting at $16. There’s additional help, including Audit Defense ($20), which helps defend against an audit with the help of a tax expert; Deluxe Support ($8) with unlimited amended returns and live chat support; and Pro Support ($45), with all previous features, live help from tax experts for a year after filing, and a free printed copy of your tax return shipped to you.

You can upload a PDF or take pictures directly from your phone by scanning a QR code (like with TurboTax). However, it wouldn't automatically pull the info for me after 20-plus minutes of trying, so I had to fill it in manually, which was time-consuming (and annoying). There were also helpful pop-ups with more information, and the process was broken into sections that were checked off during the process. I’ve used this service for years and have no complaints. But I ultimately went with TurboTax because I felt it was more comprehensive, and FreeTaxUSA services gave me the largest amount of taxes due of all that I tested.

I've used Tax Act to handle my taxes for three years running. The service is simple, with some helpful extras, and I find it easier to use than TurboTax, though there is less hand-holding. Tax Act offers three plans: Free, Deluxe, and Premier/Self-Employed. My taxes are straightforward enough that Tax Act's free version would work for me, but my wife's business makes things more complicated, and I end up paying for the Premier tier, which you can get for $75 if you buy it early enough. I should also note that state returns cost $40, though I live in a state with no income tax, so I've never used this feature. Even if you do have to file a state return, and you don't get the early bird specials, Tax Act's price for a Premier tier with state return is just $149. Again, if you have simple taxes, like just some W-2s, the free tier will work. (It can handle most common things like dependents, earned income credits, child tax credits, etc.)

The most expensive and advanced option is the Premier/Self-Employed version that I use, which has all the available features, including all the forms you need for self-employment filers and small-business owners (including Schedule C forms for reporting your LLC income). TaxAct includes an audit risk assessment, which comes in the form of TaxAct Alerts, which searches for potential errors or uncommon reportings that might increase the risk of the IRS auditing your returns. If you do end up audited, TaxAct partners with ProtectionPlus to offer audit assistance. It does add $50 to the total cost of your return, but if you need it, it'll be well worth it.

I find the TaxAct website to be clean, well-designed, and simple to use. It does a nice job of walking you through questions and providing explanations of potentially confusing sections of IRS forms. If you don't want to do your taxes online (I don't blame you, though I did cave and start doing it a few years back), there is TaxAct desktop software available as well. It starts at $45 for the basic software and runs up to $165 for the self-employed version.
—Scott Gilbertson

Jackson Hewitt kept popping up during my tax services research, although I hadn't heard much about its online tax services. Now I know why. I would still recommend this DIY online tax service, but I think this particular provider is more known for its in-person services with live expert help. You can file at a local Jackson Hewitt (which has over 5,200 national locations) with a tax pro, or inside a Walmart with Jackson Hewitt services at more than 2,600 locations. For both in-person options, you can simply drop off the documents and e-sign from your home. I wouldn’t recommend this service for those who are self-employed. I was filing several 1099s, and the service didn’t seem to recognize or factor in the money I made and owed from my various freelance gigs. It autofilled most of my information from my uploaded W-2s, but the interface froze and I had to redo a lot of the information. It offers live assistance, but this wasn’t particularly helpful.

Like others on the list, it has helpful, detailed information and prompts you to answer a series of questions to determine which forms and services you may need. Nearly an hour in, it auto-signed me out, and I had to redo an entire section, which took an additional 30 minutes. There was no option to take pictures of documents, and auto-fill with uploaded tax documents was hit or miss, so this service took me the longest of all to complete. This service is basic and would work fine for someone with straightforward taxes, but it didn’t seem to work well with all of my 1099s.