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Accounting · head to head

Spendbase vs TaxAct

Spendbase logo

Spendbase

Accounting

SaaS and cloud spend management that charges a share of the savings it finds rather than a licence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TaxAct logo

TaxAct

Accounting

Get your maximum refund, guaranteed

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Spendbase charging a share of savings gives the vendor an interest in defining savings generously, and the customer cannot verify a counterfactual price it never saw.; 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 Spendbase and TaxAct actually diverge.

Attributes where Spendbase and TaxAct differ
AttributeSpendbaseTaxAct
Pricing modelFree card tier, plus a share of savings on the managed planone-time

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Spendbase

  • Subscription visibility
  • Discount marketplace
  • Virtual cards
  • Cashback
  • Renewal management
  • Savings-share billing

Only in TaxAct

Nothing recorded that Spendbase does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Spendbase

  • A startup with no procurement function that wants renewal dates and subscription owners in one placenot TaxAct
  • A company with heavy Azure or cloud spend that can use pre-negotiated credit allocationsnot TaxAct
  • Issuing virtual cards per subscription so a forgotten trial cannot renew silentlynot TaxAct
  • A finance lead who wants software cost reduction without hiring anyone to do itnot TaxAct

TaxAct

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

Where each one falls short

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

Spendbase

  • Charging a share of savings gives the vendor an interest in defining savings generously, and the customer cannot verify a counterfactual price it never saw.
  • The savings share is reported at around 25 percent but is not published on the pricing page, so the actual commercial terms only appear in a contract.
  • Spendbase is both a banking provider and your software negotiator, so a company using both concentrates operating cash and vendor relationships in one small, young company.
  • Banking is delivered through partners rather than held directly, meaning deposit protection and service continuity depend on those partners rather than on Spendbase.
  • It is scoped for startups and small companies, so organisations needing approval workflows, purchase orders or ERP integration will find it thin against a real procurement platform.

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

Spendbase

Free
  • Digital bankingFree
    • No monthly fee per user
    • Up to 100 virtual cards
    • EUR and GBP account details
  • Spend management$undefined/year
    • Everything in the free tier
    • Reported share of roughly 25 percent of savings achieved
    • 200 percent return guarantee against a deposit

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 Spendbase if

  • You need subscription visibility.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want discount marketplace.
Spendbase review

Choose TaxAct if

  • You want to start without paying.
TaxAct review

Questions people ask

Is Spendbase or TaxAct better?
Neither clearly leads. Spendbase starts at Free and TaxAct at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Spendbase or TaxAct?
Spendbase starts at Free and TaxAct at Free.
Does Spendbase or TaxAct run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Spendbase for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Spendbase best used for?
Spendbase is most often used for a startup with no procurement function that wants renewal dates and subscription owners in one place, a company with heavy azure or cloud spend that can use pre-negotiated credit allocations, issuing virtual cards per subscription so a forgotten trial cannot renew silently, a finance lead who wants software cost reduction without hiring anyone to do it. Of those, a startup with no procurement function that wants renewal dates and subscription owners in one place and a company with heavy azure or cloud spend that can use pre-negotiated credit allocations are not what TaxAct is typically brought in for.
What can Spendbase do that TaxAct cannot?
Spendbase covers Subscription visibility, Discount marketplace, Virtual cards, Cashback.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Spendbase: Is Spendbase free?

The card and banking tier is genuinely free with no per-user fee. The spend management service is paid from a share of the savings it finds, reported at around 25 percent.

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
Spendbase: How is a saving calculated?

The methodology is not published. Agree the baseline, the measurement period and what counts as a saving in writing before signing.

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
Spendbase: Does Spendbase hold my money?

Banking is provided through regulated partners including Moorwand in the UK and EEA and Sutton Bank in the US, with Mastercard issuing the cards.

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
Spendbase: Is it suitable for an enterprise?

No. There are no purchase orders, approval hierarchies or ERP integration; it is built for startups.

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