The Best Deals on Tax-Filing Services for 2024

Chances are, you probably use the same tax software each year to find out how much you owe Uncle Sam. That makes sense. Filing your taxes is easily one of the dreariest of adult-life tasks. It’s easy to rely on what works and power through. No one can blame you for that. But what if you could save money and add some financial protection while working on your taxes this year?

You might be surprised to find that there are now quite a few ways to get your refund ASAP. Some of these platforms work with other financial programs to help you keep an eye on your year-round finances, others offer live advisors to assist when necessary, and most have a free or almost-free tier for those who don’t have a ton of paperwork or deductions to worry about. 

Even if you’re perfectly happy jumping through the same familiar online hoops to get this annual obligation off your plate, it never hurts to know the landscape. One thing to note: It’s very common for online tax services to have discounts for people who file early in the tax season, and their rates go up as the filing deadline of April 15 approaches.

Intuit TurboTax

$64.99
$104.99 Save $40.00

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Intuit TurboTax has been in this game for 30+ years (reminder: not all games are fun). And while their software tends to run on the expensive side comparatively, they back up that higher price point with plenty of new add-ons to this year’s version; like Intuit Assist, an AI-powered tool used to improve the whole preparation process.

In our in-depth review of Intuit TurboTax 2024 (2023 tax year), we declared that its user experience, “feels like one long conversation, not just a collection of pages. It uses clear, understandable, and lively language.” But if you have any questions and want to have a final review of your return, for an additional price you can virtually speak to an actual human tax expert from Intuit via TurboTax Live Assisted. Although, it should be noted that we found, “some help responses come from community members, not Intuit.”

Other Upsides:

• Amazon Exclusive TurboTax software for saving money on filing both Federal and State.

• Outstanding mobile apps for Android, iPad, and iPhone.

• If your employer also partners with TurboTax, your W-2 info might already be available.

• A “Lifetime Guarantee” that covers your tax return with 100% accurate calculations and audit support for seven years as well as a Maximum Refund guarantee if you

• TurboTax’s products are now available in Spanish as well.

H&R Block

$24.99
$49.99 Save $25.00

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With somewhat lower prices than Intuit TurboTax, H&R Block offers more options for personal tax preparation than any of its competitors and even more than some in-person services. For this year’s version they’ve made one big addition (an AI-driven help assistant) and one big subtraction (there’s no longer a charge for chat help from tax professionals).

When we reviewed H&R Block’s 2024 edition, we noted its, “friendly interface, extensive coverage of tax issues, and context-sensitive help that make it an excellent online service for simple and complex tax returns.” There are plenty of bells and whistles, but, as always, they cost extra. We’re talking about virtual help from CPAs, EAs, and H&R Block agents, the latter of which will review, sign, and e-file your return. You can even bring you return to an H&R office to have it prepared in person. These add-on services range from an additional $89 to almost $500.

Other Upsides:

• Thorough and understandable explanations of tax topics.

• Lengthy but conversational wizard-like tool to “interview” you.

• You never see an IRS form or schedule.

• Federal Accuracy Reviews spot errors and omissions in your return and let you fix them.

• Excellent Android and iOS mobile apps.

TaxSlayer

$22.95
$34.94 Save $11.99

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TaxSlayer (such a metal name) has actually been slaying taxes, in one form or another, for over 50 years now. Last year’s tax law changes allowed TaxSlayer to overhaul their product to offer faster response time and to improve the “always-on error check”, among other upgrades. And the benefits of that are present again in this year’s version.

If you’re looking for a more cost-effective tax-filing option than Intuit TurboTax or H&R Block, then we say, “Slay!” In our review of Tax Slayer 2024 (2023 tax year), we called it an, “affordable online tax preparation service that gets better each year, though it still has some room for improvement.” In regards to the latter, we found some minor issues with too much reliance on IRS documents and the Q&A pages and help content needed more polish.

Other Upsides

• Fast and affordable.

• Clean interface with intuitive navigation.

• Supports all major IRS forms and schedules.

• Solid data import option

TaxAct

$24.99
$29.99 Save $5.00

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Featuring tax filing for individuals, businesses and the self-employed, TaxAct is another filing service that has been around since the late ‘90s. TaxAct offers both online and desktop options, plus both a Maximum Refund guarantee plus a $100,000 accuracy guarantee that covers your liability for an IRS or state penalty based on a TaxAct error. 

TaxAct’s pricing starts with a free tier for very basic returns, followed by a Deluxe, Premiere and Self-Employed tier for individuals–all of which is more affordable than competitors like TurboTax, especially if you file early in the year. If you’re filing for your business and a personal return, you can also bundle multiple services for partnerships, corporations, and other business structures. In our full review, we loved TaxAct’s simple user navigation and thorough, in-depth final review. 

Other Upsides 

• New enhancements include improved mobile browser access and flexible filing structures

• Can handle filings with investment income, rental property income and cryptocurrency sales

• Filing help includes online support like calculators, guides and checklists

• The Xpert Assist feature offers live tax expert advice by phone plus a quick pre-filing return review (for an additional fee)

Liberty Tax

$45.95
$55.95 Save $10.00

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Liberty Tax has thousands of in-person tax prep centers, as well as an online filing option for those who prefer the DIY route. They offer three tiers: Basic, Deluxe and Premium, all of which are currently discounted by $10 each. (State filings are a flat $36.95 on each tier.) There is no fully-free option, however. 

If you have any kids or dependents, investment or retirement income, itemized deductions or other tax breaks, you’ll probably fall into the Deluxe tier. Want a more hands-off approach? Liberty Tax can handle the filing for you–just send them your documents and they’ll take care of the rest. They also offer a free tax import if you’ve filed with a competitor previously, and if you hit a speedbump and need some help, you can stop where you’re at and send it to an in-person advisor who can help you finish the process face-to-face. 

Other upsides: 

• Offers services in both English and en Español

• Support options include chat, email, and even via social channels, in addition to in-person services

• Their mobile app allows you to file by phone, scan documents, make in-person appointments and more

Jackson Hewitt

$25.00

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If you are looking for a recognizable, brand-name tax filing service that offers a decent interface at a competitive price, Jackson Hewitt might be right in the Goldilocks zone for you: Just right. At just $25 for a filing that includes both federal and state taxes, Jackson Hewitt is one of the most affordable filing options around. If you’ve filed your taxes in person at one of their many Walmart-based or standalone outlets in the past and want to handle things yourself this year with their platform, you’ll be able to import your past info from prior years. 

Jackson Hewitt also covers self-employment income and investment income this year, though online support is minimal – if you want the help of a professional, you’ll have to do that in person. The Schedule C forms for self-employed include both income and expenses, and there’s a comprehensive final check that reviews your forms, finds fields you started but didn’t finish and checks for errors and anything you might have left out.

Other upsides: 

• Support representatives are available for technical questions via email and chat

• Available on desktop or via a mobile website

• Two-step identity verification is available

CashApp Taxes

$29.99

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Looking for a free option that offers more than the bare-bones fillings most other “free” services offer? CashApp Taxes delivers  a much more robust filing that’s free for both federal and state taxes, but you do have to do some more independent work to avoid the out-of-pocket expense. Still, all major and many minor tax forms and schedules are supported on free filings, and they’re very clear on the filings that they can’t help with. For example, if you have interest or investment income to report, you’ll have to spend a few bucks with another service. 

Many self-employment forms are also covered, which often incurs a much higher expense on paid tax filing sites. If you have a basic or even somewhat complex filing this year and you feel like you don’t need the online help and professional support that most other preparers will make available, CashApp Taxes could be your most economical choice. 

Other Upsides

• Good user interface and simple navigation

• Has an iOS and Android app available

• Imports returns from competitors

• Again, it’s free for most users!

FreeTaxUSA

$14.00

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Another great choice for simpler filings or the budget-focused tax filer. The “free” part of FreeTaxUSA refers to the many options available for federal taxes; a state filing still costs a few bucks. That being said, if you need a little more help and guidance than the bare-bones support that the totally-free CashApp Taxes provides, you’ll probably find yourself opening up your wallet just a little for this filing service. 

Of note for workers with a few side gigs: FreeTaxUSA is one of the few services that lets you file a Schedule C (the form for sole-proprietor businesses or single-member LLCs) for free–usually that’s a big upsell on other filing sites. Finally, we also love that you can now pay your taxes with a credit card – if you gotta pony up to Uncle Sam, you can at least get some reward points along with your filing. 

Other upsides: 

• Features a Refund Maximizer tool at the end of your filing

• The “Deluxe” tier with expert advisors available by live chat is just $7.99

• Add Pro Support for tax advice from a CPA via phone or screen share for $39.99

• Website is mobile-optimized; no need to download another app

IRS Free File

Finally, the IRS has its own system where you can file your taxes for free using its system or through a trusted partner website. Taxpayers whose AGI (annual gross income) in 2023 is less than $79,000 can use a guided tax prep system, while those whose AGI is higher can access Free File Fillable Forms for you to complete on your own. This is mainly for federal taxes, though free state tax filing services may also be available. 

If you need extra help, those who qualify can participate in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs, which use certified volunteers to help you prepare and submit your tax return. These services may be a little more time-intensive and can be tough to navigate, but they’re worth knowing about if you’re comfortable working within the IRS’s online platform or manually filling out forms yourself.