Column Tax vs TaxAct (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TaxAct grades higher than Column Tax: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Column Tax grades higher on platforms. TaxAct grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TaxAct
Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses
Which one is for you
Pick Column Tax if
- Fits if you run a bank or app and want filing inside your product
- Makes sense if you need expert review and audit support for your users
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you are an individual, as filing is only available through a partner's account
- Tight if you want a price, as none is published and pricing is sold through a demo request
- Watch out: the company announced its acquisition by Aiwyn, so packaging may change
- Skip it if you file outside the US, as it covers US federal and state returns
Pick TaxAct if
- Fits if you have a simple return and want to file federal for free
- Works for self-employed filers who file once a year and want to pay by the return
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you have investment, rental or self-employment income and want to stay free, as the free edition excludes all three
- Tight if you file in a state, since returns cost $54.99 on Free and $64.99 on Self-Employed
- Watch out: Xpert Assist is $45 on the pricing cards but $60 in the FAQ
- Not for you if you want bookkeeping or invoicing, as it only prepares and e-files taxes
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAColumn TaxWeak | 2.4GPATaxActFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published; terms and any fee to the taxpayer depend on the partner. | BBasic download is $44.99 a tax year and online starts at $59.99, with Self-Employed at $109.99. State returns add $54.99 to $64.99 each. |
| Free plan and trial | FIndividuals cannot sign up directly, and no free plan or trial is listed. | BFree federal filing for simple Form 1040 returns, with the vendor saying about 40% of filers qualified. Investment income, itemised deductions, rental income and self-employment income are excluded. |
| Features | CEmbedded filing, expert review and an API cover US federal and state returns with Form 1040 income, but through a partner only. | CIt prepares and files taxes, with business returns and expert help on top. A smaller job than bookkeeping, and it is not bookkeeping or invoicing software. |
| Ease of use | CReached only through a partner's account, and no store rating is on record. | CNo store rating on record. A guided interview, but you still have to collect your own tax documents. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but it works through an API that partners connect to. | CWeb only on the listing, with no integrations on record. |
| Best for | banks and apps that want to embed tax filing | filing a simple US federal return for free |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Column Tax and TaxAct. How we grade
Where they differ
- Column Tax also covers forms.
- TaxAct also covers documents and calculator.
At a glance
| Column Tax | TaxAct | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra |
| Free plan | None | Free edition: $0 federal filing for simple Form 1040 returns (W-2, unemployment and retirement income, common credits, dependents). The vendor says about 40% of filers qualified. State returns extra. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Column Tax | TaxAct |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | taxact.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Column Tax
- Individuals cannot sign up directly: filing and support are available only through a partner organization's account.
- No prices are published; terms and any fee to the taxpayer depend on the partner, and pricing is sold through a demo request.
- Covers US federal and state returns for individuals and small-business income that flows into a Form 1040.
- The company has announced its acquisition by Aiwyn, so the product's future packaging may change.
TaxAct
- State returns are charged separately: $54.99 each on the Free edition and $64.99 each on Self-Employed.
- Free federal filing excludes investment income, itemized deductions, rental income and self-employment income.
- Xpert Assist is shown at $45 on the pricing cards but $60 in the page's FAQ.
- It prepares and e-files taxes only; it is not bookkeeping or invoicing software.
Key features
Column Tax
- Embedded DIY filing
- Federal and state do-it-yourself filing sits inside a partner's app or website, with details the partner already holds pre-filled.
- Expert Review
- An add-on product in which a tax professional reviews a return and leaves notes and suggestions before filing.
- API integration
- Partners connect through APIs, with public API documentation, and the vendor says it can get a partner to accepted returns in a week or less.
- Refund and accuracy guarantees
- The FAQ describes a Maximum Refund Guarantee and an Accuracy Guarantee that covers penalties from a calculation error, with terms in its Terms of Use.
- Audit support
- For a return filed through the service, the vendor says it gives guidance on an audit notice, including organizing documents and answering questions.
- Security posture
- The vendor lists SOC 2 certification, bank-grade encryption and IRS e-file authorization for its infrastructure.
TaxAct
- Guided federal and state filing
- The online editions walk through a return step by step, import W-2 or 1099 data, and e-file with direct deposit.
- Free federal edition
- Simple Form 1040 returns with no attached forms or schedules can be filed federally at no cost; investment, rental and self-employed income need a paid edition.
- Business returns
- Editions exist for partnerships, S-corporations, C-corporations, sole proprietors, and estates and trusts, with uploaded forms such as Schedule K-1 sorted into the return.
- Xpert Assist
- An add-on that gives unlimited calls or chats with credentialed tax experts while you file, available on the consumer 1040 editions.
- Xpert Full Service
- Experts prepare and file the return for you, from $99 plus $69 for all states. The page said the service was at full capacity when read.
- Tax calculators
- The tax resources section offers an income tax calculator and other estimators for working out a refund or credits.
Plans
Column Tax
Pricing could not be confirmed. See columntax.com.
TaxAct
Free (online)$0
Federal filing for simple returns with no forms or schedules attached. A state return is $54.99 each.
Basic (download)$44.99
per tax year, includes 5 federal e-files
Downloadable software; state returns are an additional charge. The download page does not state which operating systems it supports.
Deluxe (online)$59.99
per federal return
Adds home ownership, child and dependent care, and HSA contributions. State returns are extra.
Premier (online)$99.99
per federal return
Adds selling stocks or crypto, selling a home and rental income. State returns are extra.
Self-Employed (online)$109.99
per federal return
Adds contract, freelance, rideshare and sole-proprietor income. A state return is $64.99 each.
Business (online)$159.99
per return, Partnerships (Form 1065)
S-corporations (1120-S) and C-corporations (1120) are $169.99 each. State returns are extra.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Column Tax or TaxAct?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Column Tax has no price we could confirm, and TaxAct starts at $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra.
Which has a free plan, Column Tax or TaxAct?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only TaxAct has a free plan. Column Tax does not.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.