Best Tax Software of 2027
7 tax software, scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
FreeTaxUSA (Free federal, $14.99 state) - Every federal form free — Schedule C, rentals, stock sales, all of it — with the state at $14.99; matched the CPA on all three returns Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Freelancer and investor returns cost $14.99 — TurboTax charged $153 and $193
- All three refunds matched the CPA
- No upsell screens between sections
TurboTax (Deluxe / Premium) - The easiest interview and the best imports — brokerage, crypto, W-2 photo — at the highest price in the ranking Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Interview caught every deduction on all three returns
- Imported our brokerage 1099-B and crypto in seconds
- Live Assisted puts a tax pro on video
H&R Block Online (Deluxe / Premium / Self-Employed) - Nearly TurboTax's ease for a little less money, a more generous free tier, and 9,000 offices if you want to hand it over Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free tier covers more common forms than TurboTax's
- Every return matched the CPA
- Switch to an office appointment at any point
IRS Direct File (Free, 25 states) - The government's own filer: free, plain, and limited to common situations in the states that joined — it handled our W-2 family and nothing else Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free, no upsells, no account with a private company
- Live chat with IRS staff
- Matched the CPA on the W-2 family return
Cash App Taxes (Free federal and state) - Federal and state for nothing, including Schedule C and stock sales — the only completely free full-featured filer; requires the Cash App Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $0 for all three returns including the state
- Schedule C, rentals, capital gains all included
- Free audit defense
TaxAct (Deluxe / Premier / Self-Employed) - A capable middle option with a $100,000 accuracy guarantee and Xpert Assist included — priced close to H&R Block without the offices Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- $100,000 Accuracy Guarantee — the largest here
- Xpert Assist included with paid tiers
- Matched the CPA on all three
TaxSlayer (Classic / Self-Employed) - Every form on the $37.95 Classic tier — no forcing freelancers into a pricier edition — with the state being the expensive part Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Classic includes Schedule C, D and E for $37.95 federal
- Matched the CPA on all three
- Military file free
What separates the best tax software picks?
Accuracy and guidance carry the most weight in our scoring (30 points), then price (25), ease of use (20), support (15) and imports (10). Every filer here matched the CPA on all three test returns, so the split comes down to price, forms and how much hand-holding you want.
FreeTaxUSA scores 8.6 and costs $14.99 for the freelancer and investor returns, with the state at $14.99. TurboTax scores 8.2 at $89, and the freelancer or investor return with one state ran $193. H&R Block Online scores 8.1 at $55, with Self-Employed plus state at $164. TaxAct scores 7.5 at $54.99, TaxSlayer 7.4 at $37.95, and both free filers, IRS Direct File and Cash App Taxes, score 7.6.
What should I check before buying tax software?
Start with the forms your return needs. IRS Direct File handled our W-2 family and nothing else, with no Schedule C, D or E, and it covers 25 states. Cash App Taxes includes Schedule C, rentals and capital gains, but needs the Cash App and skips multi-state, foreign income and part-year residents.
Then look at imports and state fees:
- FreeTaxUSA: no brokerage import; stock sales typed or summarised.
- TurboTax: imported our brokerage 1099-B and crypto in seconds.
- H&R Block Online: brokerage import covers fewer institutions.
- TaxSlayer: weak brokerage import, and the $44.95 state is the most expensive here.
- TaxAct: free tier charges $39.99 for the state.
Support matters if you want a person. TurboTax Live Assisted puts a tax pro on video, H&R Block lets you switch to an office appointment at any point, TaxAct includes Xpert Assist with paid tiers, and IRS Direct File offers live chat with IRS staff. Cash App Taxes includes free audit defense.
Freelancers and investors
FreeTaxUSA is the pick if you want the lowest price on Schedule C, rentals and stock sales. Cash App Taxes is the free alternative when you can live with the Cash App requirement.
W-2 families
IRS Direct File is free and matched the CPA on the W-2 family return. H&R Block Online's free tier covers more common forms than TurboTax's.
Anyone who wants the easiest interview
TurboTax caught every deduction on all three returns and has the best imports, at the highest price in the ranking. H&R Block Online gets close for less.
Middle ground
TaxAct carries a $100,000 Accuracy Guarantee, the largest here. TaxSlayer's $37.95 Classic includes Schedule C, D and E, and military filers file free.
FreeTaxUSA suits freelancers and investors who want the lowest price on Schedule C, rentals and stock sales. TurboTax suits anyone who wants the easiest interview and the best imports and will pay $89 and up for it. IRS Direct File and Cash App Taxes cover the free end, and H&R Block Online, TaxAct and TaxSlayer sit in between.
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Questions about best tax software of 2027
*Scores: Accuracy & guidance 30 · Price 25 · Ease of use 20 · Support 15 · Import & features 10; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.