TurboTax (Deluxe / Premium) review 2027
The easiest interview and the best imports — brokerage, crypto, W-2 photo — at the highest price in the ranking
Is the TurboTax Worth It?
Easiest to use. TurboTax is the most pleasant way to do your taxes and, for an investor with a fat brokerage statement, the fastest. You pay for that comfort at every tier, which is the whole reason the ranking has a top spot for FreeTaxUSA.
TurboTax Pros & Cons
- 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
- Refund tracker and mobile app are the best here
- $193 for the freelancer or investor return with one state
- Prices rise as April approaches; frequent upsells
- Free Edition excludes most 1099s and itemising
What problem does TurboTax solve, and who is it for?
TurboTax is the most pleasant way to do your taxes and, for an investor with a fat brokerage statement, the fastest. That is the problem it solves: a return with a lot of moving parts — brokerage sales, crypto, a business — that you want finished without guesswork. The interview caught every deduction on all three of our returns, and it imported our brokerage 1099-B and crypto in seconds. Live Assisted puts a tax pro on video, and the refund tracker and mobile app are the best in this ranking. It is built for investors with many trades, and anyone who wants their hand held. The trade-off is stated plainly in the verdict: you pay for that comfort at every tier, which is the whole reason the ranking has a top spot for FreeTaxUSA.
How did TurboTax score 8.2?
The score comes from five weighted criteria. Accuracy & guidance is worth 30 points and TurboTax earned 29: the software matched the CPA's refund on all three of our returns, and its questions caught deductions and credits well. Price is worth 25 points and TurboTax earned 8, measured as federal plus one state for each of the three returns at the tier the return actually required, in the last week of March. Ease of use is worth 20 points and it took all 20, based on time to complete each return, clarity of the interview, and upsell interruptions. Support is worth 15 points and it took all 15, covering help content, live chat, access to a tax professional, and audit assistance. Import & features is worth 10 points and it took all 10, covering W-2 and 1099 import, brokerage import, prior-year import from competitors, and refund options. The pattern is clear: TurboTax loses points in exactly one place, and it is the price.
Where does TurboTax stand out?
Accuracy is the headline. On our three test returns the software reached the CPA's refund every time — 3/3 — and the interview surfaced every deduction we expected it to catch. Import is the second strength: W-2 photo, more than 1,000 brokerages, crypto, and prior-year import from competitors. In practice that meant our brokerage 1099-B and crypto positions landed in seconds rather than being typed in by hand. Support is the third: Live Assisted and Full Service put a tax pro on video, and the Audit Support Guarantee is included, with a MAX add-on available. The refund tracker and mobile app round out the experience and are the best in this ranking.
What are the parts and build of TurboTax?
The tiers are the parts. Free federal covers simple returns only. A simple return with federal and one state costs 0 USD. The freelancer return is 193 USD, and the investor return is 193 USD. Schedule C sits in the Premium tier. Tax pro access comes through Live Assisted and Full Service. Audit support is the Audit Support Guarantee, with MAX as an add-on. Imports cover W-2 photo, more than 1,000 brokerages, crypto, and prior year. State returns are 64 USD each.
How does TurboTax compare with the competition?
FreeTaxUSA scored 8.6 at $14.99, with every federal form free including Schedule C, and the state at $14.99. It matched the CPA on all three returns, but it has no brokerage import — only prior-year PDF import from competitors — and pro support costs $39.99. H&R Block Online scored 8.1 at $55, with a more generous free tier that includes student loan interest and unemployment, a freelancer return at 164 USD and an investor return at 134 USD, W-2 photo and many-brokerage import, and 9,000 offices. TaxAct scored 7.5 at $54.99, with a $100,000 accuracy guarantee and Xpert Assist included on paid tiers, a freelancer return at 149.98 USD and an investor return at 129.98 USD, and state returns from $39.99 to $59.99. Against all three, TurboTax is ahead on ease of use, support and imports, and behind on price.
| TurboTax | FreeTaxUSA | H&R Block Online | TaxAct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.2 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 7.5 |
| Free federal | Simple only | Yes | Simple only | Simple only (state paid) |
| Simple return (fed + state) | 0 USD | 14.99 USD | 0 USD | 39.99 USD |
| Freelancer return | 193 $ | 14.99 $ | 164 $ | 149.98 $ |
| Investor return | 193 USD | 14.99 USD | 134 USD | 129.98 USD |
| Schedule C | Premium tier | Yes, free | Self-Employed tier | Self-Employed tier |
| Tax pro access | Live Assisted and Full Service | Pro Support $39.99 | Online Assist; in-office | Xpert Assist included on paid tiers |
| Audit support | Audit Support Guarantee; MAX add-on | Deluxe ($7.99) includes audit assist | Free audit support; Worry-Free Guarantee add-on | Add-on |
| Imports | W-2 photo, 1,000+ brokerages, crypto, prior year | Prior-year PDF from competitors; no brokerage import | W-2 photo, many brokerages, prior year | W-2, prior year, some brokerages |
Where does TurboTax fall short?
Price. The freelancer or investor return with one state runs $193, the highest in this ranking. Prices rise as April approaches, and the frequent upsells interrupt the interview. The Free Edition excludes most 1099s and itemising, so many filers cannot stay on it. Those are the concrete costs of the comfort described above.
Is TurboTax worth the price?
The price summary is $89, but the tier that most investors and freelancers actually need is 193 USD for the freelancer return or the investor return, plus 64 USD per state. FreeTaxUSA does the same three returns for $14.99 with the state at $14.99, and H&R Block Online and TaxAct both come in under TurboTax on the investor return. What you are buying is the interview, the imports and the support — all three scored full marks. If those matter more than the bill, the value is there; if not, the ranking has cheaper options above it.
Who should buy TurboTax?
Investors with many trades, and anyone who wants their hand held. If your return includes a brokerage statement, crypto, or a business, and you would rather answer clear questions than assemble forms, TurboTax is the most pleasant way to do your taxes and the fastest for that investor profile. If price is the deciding factor, look at the cheaper filers in this ranking instead.
TurboTax at a Glance
Rubric v1: Accuracy & guidance 30 · Price 25 · Ease of use 20 · Support 15 · Import & features 10. Score = Σ ÷ 10, locked Sep 11, 2026. How we rank.
Where to buy — prices checked Sep 11, 2026
TurboTax specifications
Where it loses
Price.
Still the right pick for
Investors with many trades, and anyone who wants their hand held.
What owners say
No reader ratings yet. This block fills in from real submissions only — we never write, buy or generate reader reviews, and none of them touch the editor score.
Every submission is read by a person before it appears. Reader opinion is published separately and never changes our score.
Changelog: Sep 11 — rank 4 → 5 · all changes