Tax Return Software Companies & Reviews


TurboTax | H&R Block At Home | TaxACT | CompleteTax

Pros

  • Excellent on-screen guidance
  • Easy to navigate between sections
  • Maximum refund guarantee
  • Audit support available
  • Checks your likelihood of being audited
  • Helpful technical support
  • Downloadable products

Cons

  • Expensive professional tax support (20 mintues for $29.95)
  • Products are on the expensive end

TurboTax is an excellent choice for online tax software. Their products are typically more expensive than those of their competitors, but TurboTax's tax software provides outstanding guidance on a user-friendly interface. They have helpful on-screen tax guidance, in case you have any questions while preparing your taxes. 

TurboTax offers technical support for all of their tax products via phone, live chat, email, and their knowledgebase. TurboTax has been in business for 26 years and offers a wide array of tax products, one of which is sure to fit your needs.

TurboTax Pricing
Price Range Free - $99.95
State Add-On $36.95
TurboTax Company Ratings
5
3
5
5
Overall Score: 18 / 20

Pros

  • Audit support available
  • Double checks your return for errors
  • Maximum refund guarantee
  • Helpful technical support (via phone)
  • Automatically saves your return
  • Includes live tax support (with Premium, Premium & Business and Best of Both
  • Downloadable products available

Cons

  • Somewhat difficult to navigate between sections
  • No audit meter
  • No email support

H&R Block is one of the most well-known brands of tax preparation services. They offer helpful and prompt customer support, as well as live tax advice for an affordable price. Although their online interface is a bit lacking in user-friendliness, they guarantee accurate calculations and a maximum refund. Overall, they offer reliable tax preparation products and superior support.  They have been in business for 46 years and have tax preparation offices in many U.S. cities.

H&R Block At Home Pricing
Price Range Free - $79.95
State Add-On $29.95
H&R Block At Home Company Ratings
4
3
2
5
Overall Score: 14 / 20

Pros

  • Excellent on-screen guidance
  • Easy to navigate between sections
  • Double checks your return for errors
  • Maximum refund pledge
  • Helpful technical support
  • Cheap state add-on
  • Automatically saves your return
  • Downloadable products available

Cons

  • Live tax support is only available if you prepay
  • Does not look up your employer's ID for you
  • The FAQ sections is difficult to navigate

TaxACT is a great option for tax preparation software. TaxACT's line of products are easy to use and offer a well-designed interface, intuitive navigation, and in-depth guidance. These features help you to file your tax return quickly and accurately. TaxACT offers helpful live support through phone & email. The user-friendly system and great customer support, combined with ten years of quality service, make TaxACT a trusted and reliable choice for a tax preparation service.

TaxACT Pricing
Price Range Free - $17.95
State Add-On $14.95
TaxACT Company Ratings
4
3
4
5
Overall Score: 16 / 20

Pros

  • Automatically saves your return
  • Very good on-screen guidance
  • Accuracy guarantee
  • Very thorough knowledgebase

Cons

  • Difficult to navigate between sections
  • No audit triggers meter
  • Lengthy filing process
  • Does no shows your estimated return until you have finished inputting all of you federal information
  • No live tax advice available

CompleteTax's products are genearlly less expensive than those of its competitors, but CompleteTax’s interface is somewhat lacking in user-friendliness. CompleteTax’s online tax software best suits you if you have previously filed your taxes and are somewhat familiar with tax forms. This is because CompleteTax asks your tax questions in a complex form.  Despite this drawback, CompleteTax has helpful on-screen tax guidance, in case you have any questions while preparing your taxes. 

CompleteTax offers technical support for all of their tax products via live chat, email, and their knowledgebase. CompleteTax has been in business for 10 years and is a good option for the seasoned tax filer.

CompleteTax Pricing
Price Range Free - $49.95
State Add-On $24.95
CompleteTax Company Ratings
3
1
3
4
Overall Score: 11 / 20