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Accounting · head to head

freee vs TaxAct

freee logo

freee

Accounting

Japanese integrated cloud accounting software for sole proprietors and corporations

From
980/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TaxAct logo

TaxAct

Accounting

Get your maximum refund, guaranteed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TaxAct has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: freee pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers; TaxAct free edition available only to approximately 40% of filers
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which freee and TaxAct actually diverge.

Attributes where freee and TaxAct differ
AttributefreeeTaxAct
Starting price980/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionone-time
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

freee

  • Filing Japanese tax documents electronically each yearnot TaxAct
  • Calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automaticallynot TaxAct
  • Creating opening documents without visiting tax officenot TaxAct
  • Tracking company expenses across departments centrallynot TaxAct

TaxAct

  • Individual tax filingnot freee
  • Self-employed tax preparationnot freee

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

freee

  • Pricing varies significantly across multiple product categories and tiers
  • Some corporate tiers (Advance) reach ¥39,780+/month

TaxAct

  • Free edition available only to approximately 40% of filers
  • Pricing excludes separate state filing fees
  • Xpert Full Service pricing available on request only

Pricing, plan by plan

freee

980/month
  • freee會計 Starter$980/month
    • Individual business owner accounting tier
  • freee會計 Corporate Solo$2980/month
    • Corporate accounting tier
  • freee人事労務$400/month per employee
    • HR and payroll module per-employee pricing
  • freee勤怠管理$300/month per employee
    • Attendance tracking per-employee

TaxAct

Free
  • Free EditionFree
    • W-2 income
    • Unemployment
    • Basic credits and deductions
  • Deluxe$59.99/tax-year
    • All Free Edition features
    • Home ownership deductions
    • Childcare and dependent care
  • Premier$99.99/tax-year
    • All Deluxe features
    • Investment income and capital gains
    • Cryptocurrency reporting
  • Self-Employed$109.99/tax-year
    • Complete business support
    • For contractors, freelancers, and sole proprietors

Which should you pick?

Choose freee if

Nothing in the data separates freee from TaxAct on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

freee review

Choose TaxAct if

  • You want to start without paying.
TaxAct review

Questions people ask

Is freee or TaxAct better?
Neither clearly leads. freee starts at 980/month and TaxAct at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, freee or TaxAct?
TaxAct has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 980/month for freee and Free for TaxAct.
Does freee or TaxAct run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use TaxAct for free?
Yes. TaxAct has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. freee starts at 980/month.
What is freee best used for?
freee is most often used for filing japanese tax documents electronically each year, calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automatically, creating opening documents without visiting tax office, tracking company expenses across departments centrally. Of those, filing japanese tax documents electronically each year and calculating payroll and year-end adjustments automatically are not what TaxAct is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

freee: What is freee's accounting software pricing?

Individual business owners start at ¥980/month for Starter, while corporate accounting begins at ¥2,980/month for Solo Corp, with prices extending to ¥39,780+/month for Advance plans.

Source
TaxAct: How much does TaxAct cost?

TaxAct offers a free edition for approximately 40% of filers, Deluxe at $59.99, Premier at $99.99, and Self-Employed at $109.99 per tax year.

Source
freee: Does freee charge per employee for HR and payroll?

Yes, freee人事労務 (HR/Payroll) costs ¥400-¥1,100 per employee per month, and freee勤怠管理 (Attendance) costs ¥300 per employee per month.

Source
TaxAct: Is TaxAct truly free for eligible filers?

Yes, TaxAct's Free Edition is available at no cost for W-2 employees, students, and filers meeting basic income and deduction requirements.

Source
freee: Are there free freee products?

Several freee products are completely free, including freee開業 (Business Opening), freee請求書 (Invoicing), freeeカード (Card), and certain features like payroll rules creation.

Source
TaxAct: What is the difference between Premier and Deluxe plans?

Premier adds support for investment income, capital gains, cryptocurrency, rental properties, and home sale reporting compared to Deluxe.

Source
freee: Does freee offer a free trial?

Freee offers a 30-day free trial for its accounting software and provides annual payment discounts on most plans.

Source
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