TurboTaxvs
QuickBooks
QuickBooks: Smart, simple online accounting software for small business
TurboTax
File yourself with clear, step-by-step tools, or hand it to an expert
As of 29 August 2026, TurboTax is free to use. Intuit's online tax filing software, sold as DIY, expert-assisted and full-service tiers with state filing priced separately. Softwr lists it under Accounting.
Overview
What TurboTax does
Intuit's online tax filing software, sold as DIY, expert-assisted and full-service tiers with state filing priced separately.
What people use it for
- Individual tax filing for US residents
- Complex tax scenarios requiring multiple schedules and forms
- Expert assistance or full tax preparation services
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about TurboTax.
- Pricing varies significantly based on tax complexity and filing date
- Final price determined at filing time, subject to change without notice
- Additional state return fees apply beyond federal pricing
Cross-shopped
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Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
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Pricing
What TurboTax costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Free Edition
Free
- Simple Form 1040 returns only (~37% of taxpayers eligible)
Deluxe
$59 /one-time
- Anticipated price, for more complex tax situations
Premium
$79 /one-time
- Anticipated price, for complex tax scenarios with additional schedules
Expert Full Service
On request
- Custom pricing based on tax situation, forms required, and filing date
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
How much does TurboTax cost?
TurboTax offers a free option for simple returns (~37% of filers), Deluxe at $59, Premium at $79, and Expert Full Service with custom pricing determined at filing time. Actual prices are subject to change and vary based on tax situation complexity.
SourceIs there a free version of TurboTax?
Yes, TurboTax Free Edition is available at no cost for simple Form 1040 returns. Eligibility is limited to approximately 37% of taxpayers with straightforward tax situations.
SourceWhat extra fees apply when using TurboTax?
State return preparation requires additional fees beyond federal pricing. Price adjustments also apply based on the version selected and the date you file or e-file, as stated in TurboTax terms.
SourceKeep looking
Where to go from TurboTax
- TurboTax alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- TurboTax pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- TurboTax badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Accounting softwareThe full category
- Best Accounting softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Accounting software for
Compare TurboTax with
- QuickBooks
- Ramp
- Airbase
- Melio
- Paychex
- sevdesk
- TaxAct
- SAP Concur
- Circula
- Invoicely
- Sage 50
- BlackLine
- Fiken
- Fortnox
- FreeAgent
- freee
- Happay
- insightsoftware
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Pricing on request12 researched notes
Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for TurboTax, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on TurboTax
TurboTax alternatives
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Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
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