You don’t have to do your own taxes, but you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to file your income tax return either. If you have a relatively simple tax situation — for example, if you work for a single employer and don’t qualify for many itemized tax deductions — you can take advantage of more than a dozen free online tax preparation software programs for your federal tax return.
That’s great news if you don’t want to eat into your federal tax refund or fork over your credit card number before sending your tax return off to the IRS (though there are solid arguments to be made for paying taxes with a credit card).
Several services, including top players like H&R Block, also offer free state tax returns, raising the possibility of a completely fee-free tax season. These services are available to residents of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. nationals serving abroad.
Keep reading to find the best tax software for your budget and required services.
Top 8 Free Online Tax Software and Services
Here are the best options for filing your taxes for free online this year:
- H&R Block Online Free Edition
- TurboTax Federal Free Filing Option
- Cash App Taxes
- TaxSlayer.com Free File Federal
- TaxAct Free Edition
- FreeTaxUSA Free Edition
- IRS Free File and Fillable Forms
- Volunteer Tax Programs
1. H&R Block Online Free Edition
H&R Block is one of the United States’ best-known tax preparation firms. It has thousands of storefront tax prep outlets scattered about the United States, along with a powerful, user-friendly online tax prep option for at-home filers. If your tax situation isn’t particularly complex, you likely qualify for its free federal filing program, which includes unlimited free state returns.
H&R Block’s free filing plan is ideal for people with simple tax situations, including those who qualify for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. However, it’s not set up to support filers with capital gains or losses ,self-employment income, interest and ordinary dividend income, and real estate income. It also doesn’t allow you to store or access returns from previous tax years — you need to upgrade to a paid plan for that. There’s a stiff additional fee to pay your filing fees with your refund using H&R Block’s Refund Transfer service too.
On the other hand, H&R Block’s free edition has some nice perks. For starters, it’s available to residents of all 50 states and has no other restrictions. All filers automatically qualify for free, in-person audit support, which includes hands-on advice and assistance with audit preparation. And, if you ever get badly stuck, you can always walk into an H&R Block office near you, though you may have to pay extra for in-person assistance.
See our full H&R Block review for a complete analysis.
2. TurboTax Federal Free Filing Option
The Federal Free Filing option from TurboTax is ideal for simple tax situations. (For simple tax returns only. Not all taxpayers qualify.) It includes most of the features and functionality of TurboTax’s paid options, including a best/fastest refund guarantee, support via live chat, W-2 import, and your choice of e-filing or print-and-mail filing. And it lets you file your first state return for free. That’s a value of approximately $50.
TurboTax’s tax prep interface is incredibly intuitive, with simple, straightforward questions that guide you through every step of the filing process, reducing the likelihood of a preventable error. It’s available to residents of all 50 states, too. And there’s no maximum income limit. You can even use it if you have unemployment income from all or part of the year.
TurboTax’s free edition isn’t appropriate for complex tax situations. It’s the best fit for taxpayers who take the standard deduction. If you have significant interest or capital gains income, rental property income, or small business expenses/income, or qualify for certain common tax credits or deductions (such as the Student Loan Interest Deduction, Education Credits, Child Tax Credit, Mortgage Interest Deductions), you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
Moreover, customer support for anything but technical issues is more limited at this price point. If you want to pay your tax prep fees with your federal refund, you must pay a hefty refund payment processing fee.
The good news: Intuit TurboTax has several plans at multiple price points. If you feel like the free version is no longer suitable for your needs, it’s easy to upgrade to a paid plan at any time without losing any information.
See our full TurboTax review for a complete analysis.
3. Cash App Taxes
Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) has one plan, and it’s totally free for all filers. It doesn’t get better than that.
There are some devils in the details. Unlike larger competitors, Cash App Taxes has no expert support to speak of, so it’s not a great choice if the complexity of your tax situation exceeds your familiarity with tax law. The platform does have some functionality gaps that may impact filers with unusual tax situations (for instance, those who earned income from foreign sources). And you’ll need to download the Cash App if you haven’t already.
On the bright side, Cash App Taxes boasts free federal and state returns, plus 24/7 customer support. Like the rest of the Cash App, the tax prep interface is colorful and mobile-friendly. In fact, you can easily complete the entire tax prep process from your phone.
See our Cash App Taxes review for a full analysis.
4. TaxSlayer.com Free File Federal
TaxSlayer‘s free file option plan has no residency or citizenship restrictions, but it is income-restricted. The bottom line: Federal filing is free for low- and middle-income filers. One state return is included; additional state returns are available for about $39 per filing.
TaxSlayer’s Free File Federal plan has some key downsides, however. Once built to support tax situations across the complexity spectrum, the plan is now for the simplest situations only. It excludes common situations like:
- Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
- Itemized deductions
- Self-employment income (sole proprietor and S-Corporation)
- Stock sales
- Rental property income
Plus, you can’t take advantage of TaxSlayer’s audit assistance services or use the website’s live chat feature. And though phone support is available from TaxSlayer’s nonprofessional customer service team, TaxSlayer pushes higher-paying clients — those using the Premium and Self-Employed editions — to the front of the line when they call. So if you call at a busy time, plan to get comfortable.
See our full TaxSlayer review for a complete analysis.
5. TaxAct Free Edition
TaxAct‘s Free Edition is a user-friendly platform that’s appropriate for simple situations (Form 1040EZ and 1040A).
TaxAct offers free filing for people who don’t qualify for the Free File Alliance. This option was once quite expansive, and appropriate for virtually any tax situation. But that’s no longer the case. If you want to itemize deductions or report passive stock or rental income, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.
On the bright side, TaxAct’s free version waives filing fees on state returns, so it’s truly a nothing-out-of-pocket deal, though paying your federal filing fees with your refund will set you back a few bucks.
See our full TaxAct review for a complete analysis.
6. FreeTaxUSA Free Edition
Though it’s not as well-known, FreeTaxUSA offers free federal tax filing for tax situations of all complexity levels. Known as Totally Free, it supports all major forms and schedules, as well as useful features like prior-year return importing and storage.
FreeTaxUSA also offers free live support from customer service professionals, though its roster of tax professionals doesn’t measure up to bigger competitors like TurboTax and H&R Block. FreeTaxUSA is available to filers across the United States, although state returns cost $14.99 each.
FreeTaxUSA has some noteworthy drawbacks, including a lack of audit assistance (which, with the Deluxe version, includes help interpreting IRS notices, drafting responses, and preparing the documents necessary to navigate your audit). It’s also not very mobile-friendly, making it a poor choice for filers utilizing tablets or smartphones.
See our FreeTaxUSA review for more information.
7. IRS Free File and Fillable Forms
American taxpayers with $73,000 or less in Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) can use the IRS’ free file and fillable forms. These forms are electronic, so you can complete them anywhere you have internet access.
That said, with these forms, what you see is what you get. You won’t get any explainers, Q&A support, help with calculations, make any changes or amendments or file any state tax returns.
IRS Free File and Fillable Forms can be a great resource if you meet the income requirements and have above-average comfort with the American tax system, but they’re far from beginner-friendly.
The IRS has many educational resources to explain certain parts of the filing process, so it’s not impossible to do it yourself. It also gives you the peace of mind that you’re cutting out the middleman by filing directly with the IRS.
If your AGI is more than the free file cutoff and you don’t mind taking the DIY tax-filing route, you can still take advantage of an IRS-administered free electronic filing system. The IRS makes its entire database of tax forms and schedules available in PDF format at FreeFileFillableForms.com.
To complete your tax return, complete the appropriate forms online and submit them through the IRS’s e-filing system. You’ll receive your refund (if eligible) on the same schedule as you would with a branded online tax preparation service. With Free File Fillable Forms, your work is automatically saved as you go, so you don’t need to complete your entire return in one sitting. You can find all the forms and schedules necessary to complete your tax return, but the IRS outlines some limitations. No income, age, citizenship status or other eligibility restrictions exist for Free File Fillable Forms.
8. Volunteer Tax Programs
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) are IRS-funded programs for individuals who meet certain income requirements. VITA requires its participants to make $60,000 or less, have a documented disability, or have limited English-speaking capacity.
TCE is designed for taxpayers aged 60 and above. Compared to VITA, TCE support has more specialized guidance for Social Security, pensions, annuities, and retirement disbursements.
Because these programs are supported directly by the IRS, the service providers who participate must complete the required training before offering tax services. This training focuses on changes to code from previous tax years, data privacy and confidentiality guidelines, and tax law nuances.
All federal and state tax returns must be peer-reviewed by another volunteer before they are submitted. You can find a VITA or TCE office using the IRS’s locator tool. You may need an appointment and it may not be as convenient as other tax software that allows you to file free federal returns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do free software companies make money?
Free software companies make money by charging for additional features, like customer support, and offering more robust paid packages. The federal government subsidizes TurboTax and similar companies that offer free tax filing options for lower-income individuals and families.
Who qualifies for free tax filing software?
The income requirements for free tax filing software can depend on the specific resource you use. For example, the IRS Free File feature is available to anyone who makes $73,000 or less, but VITA raises this threshold to $60,000 gross income or less, which can make it harder to qualify.
What features do free tax software programs provide?
Free tax software programs simplify the tax filing process by breaking each section into simple step-by-step Q&A style prompts. They allow people to file their federal and state returns for free, but they may not offer as much hands-on guidance as paid resources.
Is there a disadvantage to filing taxes electronically?
There are a few disadvantages to filing electronically. Most notably, you can’t e-file if you need to attach additional forms to your return, if you’re filing on behalf of a deceased person, or if you need more space than the additional space section allows.
Electronic filing isn’t available for individuals or businesses who file before January 28th or after October 20th. E-filing also presents the risk of data loss or corruption.
Final Word
Filing taxes takes time and effort, and even the best software programs can’t totally protect you against mistakes. Filing for free can’t make up for the inconvenience, but at least it keeps more of your money where it belongs: in your wallet.
Still, free filing options aren’t for everyone. If you have a complicated tax situation — particularly if you’re self-employed, own a small business, or have investment income from multiple sources — it’s likely not worth the small upfront savings. A mistake could easily offset the money you saved on your return. And you might set yourself up for a stressful, potentially costly IRS audit.
So there’s no shame in opting for a paid plan or even hiring a certified public accountant who can provide hands-on attention. Better safe than sorry, we always say.
