Keeper vs TaxAct (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, TaxAct grades higher than Keeper: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Keeper 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.
Keeper
Expense tracking and tax filing for freelancers and contractors
TaxAct
Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses
Which one is for you
Pick Keeper if
- Fits if you are a US freelancer or contractor who wants someone else to file
- Works for people who would rather be told what they can deduct than learn it
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want it free, as there is no free plan and the trial needs a card
- Skip it if you track mileage, because that feature is marked coming soon
- Tight if you file in 3 or more states, since Standard covers federal plus 2 and more needs Premium
- Watch out: Bookkeeping Only is $20 a month, $240 a year, which costs more than the yearly Standard plan
- Watch out: S-Corp and partnership filing is only on the $1,199 Business plan
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
| 2.0GPAKeeperFair | 2.4GPATaxActFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStandard is $199 a year, about $16.58 a month, inside accounting's $14 to $52 middle band. Premium is $399 and Business $1,199. | 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 | D14-day trial on every plan, and you cancel before it ends to avoid being charged, which means a card goes in first. | 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 | CExpense tracking, receipt scanning, rules and filing with a pro. Mileage tracking and an LLC service are marked coming soon, and S-Corp and partnership filing sits on the $1,199 plan. | 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 | CNo store rating on record. Linking your bank and setting rules comes first. | CNo store rating on record. A guided interview, but you still have to collect your own tax documents. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iOS and Android; no integrations on record. | CWeb only on the listing, with no integrations on record. |
| Best for | a US freelancer who wants write-offs found and 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: Keeper and TaxAct. How we grade
Price against what you get
Keeper starts at $16.58 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TaxAct starts at $3.75 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.0.
Keeper scores higher, and starts $12.83 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other accounting and invoicing tools on the chart, 8 score higher than Keeper for less, and 3 score higher than TaxAct for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Keeper also covers bookkeeping and expense tracking.
- TaxAct also covers documents and calculator.
At a glance
| Keeper | TaxAct | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $199 per year ($16.58 a month, billed yearly) | $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 | 14-day free trial on every plan; cancel before it ends and you are not charged. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Keeper Tax, Inc. | TaxAct |
| Price read from | keepertax.com | taxact.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Keeper
- Bookkeeping Only does not include tax filing; the yearly Standard plan at $199 costs less than 12 months of it at $240.
- Mileage tracking and an LLC formation service are marked coming soon.
- Standard covers federal plus 2 state returns; 3 or more states, audit protection and quarterly taxes need Premium.
- S-Corp and partnership filing is only on the $1,199 Business plan.
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
Keeper
- Automatic expense tracking
- Connects unlimited bank and card accounts and tracks expenses and income, with AI that finds and categorizes deductions.
- Receipt scanning
- Snap a receipt to add an expense or match it to a transaction, and split mixed retail orders into business and personal items.
- Rules for merchants
- Tell Keeper once how to treat a merchant and it applies the rule to future expenses.
- Tax filing with a pro
- Federal and up to 2 state returns are included on yearly plans, and a tax pro checks and signs each return.
- Quarterly taxes and consultations
- Premium and Business schedule estimated payments and include one-on-one consultations with a tax pro.
- Business filings
- The Business plan files S-Corp (Form 1120-S) and partnership (Form 1065) returns and closes the books at year end.
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
Keeper
Standard$199
per year, billed yearly ($16.58 a month equivalent)
Year-round bookkeeping plus federal and up to 2 state returns, reviewed and signed by a tax pro.
Bookkeeping Only$20
per month, billed monthly
Expense tracking and deduction finding with unlimited connected accounts. Tax filing is not included.
Premium$399
per year, billed yearly ($33.25 a month equivalent)
Adds audit protection, returns for 3 or more states, rentals and K-1s, quarterly taxes, tax pro consultations, amended and late returns.
Business$1,199
per year, billed yearly ($99.92 a month equivalent)
Premium plus S-Corp and partnership tax filing and a year-end book review and close.
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, Keeper or TaxAct?
As of Nov 12, 2026, TaxAct is cheaper to start with: $3.75 a month when paid by the year, against $16.58 a month when paid by the year for Keeper. Keeper starts at $199 per year ($16.58 a month, billed yearly), and TaxAct starts at $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra.
Which has a free plan, Keeper or TaxAct?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only TaxAct has a free plan. Keeper does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Keeper and TaxAct run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Keeper lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.