The Tax1099 Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Tax1099 in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Tax1099
The Insider’s Guide
E-filing for 1099s, W-2s and other IRS information returns
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among payroll services, read from Tax1099’s own pages.
Made by Zenwork, Inc. · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Tax1099’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Tax1099’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
1.8
GPA, above 0 of the 20 other payroll services we grade
Tax1099 is an IRS-authorized e-filing service for information returns and payroll tax forms: 1099s, W-2s, quarterly 94x returns, 1042-S, 1095 and more. It files with the IRS, the SSA and states, collects W-9s, checks taxpayer ID numbers and sends copies to recipients. Signing up costs nothing and each form is charged, with yearly plans for teams and high-volume filers.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Tax1099, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You'll bring in payee names, tax IDs and amounts from a spreadsheet or QuickBooks, Xero or BILL, then choose how the copies go out.
- 1
Best for filing 1099s without a payroll service
But it doesn't run payroll or pay anyone, and copies to your recipients cost extra.
- 2
Paid plans start at $20.75 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $249 per year (Teams); Essential has no yearly fee and charges per form.
- 3
There is a free plan
Essential plan: no subscription or card needed, but each form filed is charged, from $2.99 for the first 20 1099s or W-2s down to $0.72 each at 501 to 1,000.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Federal and state e-filing
Files 1099, 1098, W-2, 94x, 1042-S, 1095 and 990 forms with the IRS and SSA, and state copies through the combined federal and state program or directly.
- 6
Corrections and scheduling
Files corrected and void forms, schedules filings ahead, resubmits forms the IRS rejected and produces 1096 and W-3 summaries for reference.
- 7
W-9 and W-8 collection
Requests W-9 or W-8 forms from payees online, priced from $1 for one request to $95 for 1,000, and imports W-9s from PDF.
- 8
A 1.8 GPA, above 0 of 20
That is against the other payroll services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing Tax1099 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
Tax1099 at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $249 per year (Teams); Essential has no yearly fee and charges per form
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Zenwork, Inc., since 2010
- Category
- Payroll
- Our grade
- 1.8 GPA, weak
The report card
Best for filing 1099s without a payroll service
Tax1099 files your 1099s, W-2s and other IRS forms, collects W-9s and checks tax IDs, and you pay per form with no yearly fee. If January means 1099s for a handful of contractors, that's cheap. But it doesn't run payroll or pay anyone, and copies to your recipients cost extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Graded against its own alternatives, as it files forms rather than running payroll. Essential has no yearly fee: 1099s and W-2s are $2.99 each for the first 20, falling to $0.72, plus $0.50 a copy by eDelivery. Teams is $249 a year. Payroll services like Gusto start at $49 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | F | Nothing free. Signing up for Essential needs no card or subscription, but every form you file is charged, and there's no trial. That's paying as you go, not trying it out. |
| Features | D | Next to its alternatives it does one slice of the job, and does it fully: federal, state and SSA filing, corrections, W-9 collection, TIN checks and recipient copies. But it runs no payroll and pays nobody, so it sits beside your payroll or your books. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You'll bring in payee names, tax IDs and amounts from a spreadsheet or QuickBooks, Xero or BILL, then choose how the copies go out. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web only, with QuickBooks Online and Desktop, Xero, BILL, FreshBooks, Sage Intacct, NetSuite and Zapier, and an API on Scale at $349 a year. No phone or desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Tax1099 is for
- Great if you pay a few contractors and dread filing their 1099s each January
- Handy when you need W-9s collected and tax IDs checked before you file
- Good for accountants filing forms for lots of clients from one login
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need payroll run, as it only files the forms
- Pricey if you mail every copy, at $1.95 a form in the US and $4.99 abroad
- Not for you if you file outside the US, as it only reaches the IRS, the SSA and US states
Good to know
Good for
- Small businesses filing 1099s for contractors and vendors
- Accountants and CPAs filing for many clients from one login
- Companies that collect W-9s and check tax IDs before filing
Worth knowing
- It files information returns and payroll tax forms but does not run payroll or pay anyone, so it is narrower than the payroll services here.
- Each form is charged: $2.99 apiece for the first 20 1099, 1098 or W-2 forms, falling to $0.72 at 501 to 1,000. Over 1,000 forms is quoted.
- Recipient copies cost extra: $0.50 a form by eDelivery, $1.95 printed and mailed in the US, $4.99 abroad. Mail in the season's last 5 days adds $1 each.
- It files only with the IRS, the SSA and US states, runs in a browser with no mobile app, and API access needs Scale at $349 a year.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$20.75
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Tax1099 has a free plan. Paid plans start at $249 per year (Teams); Essential has no yearly fee and charges per form.
Graded against its own alternatives, as it files forms rather than running payroll.
Essential
$0
No yearly fee; pay per form from $2.99 each. Federal, state and SSA filing, corrections, scheduling, USPS address checks and accounting imports.
Teams
$249
per year
Formerly eFile Plus. Everything in Essential plus several users, team creation and 250 free TIN matches.
Scale
$349
per year
Formerly Enterprise. Adds API filing, workflow and user management, action tracking, IRS notice management and a free first bulk TIN match.
The free plan
Essential plan: no subscription or card needed, but each form filed is charged, from $2.99 for the first 20 1099s or W-2s down to $0.72 each at 501 to 1,000.
Read from tax1099.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
E-filing for 1099s, W-2s and other IRS information returns. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features.
But it runs no payroll and pays nobody, so it sits beside your payroll or your books.
- Federal and state e-filing
- Files 1099, 1098, W-2, 94x, 1042-S, 1095 and 990 forms with the IRS and SSA, and state copies through the combined federal and state program or directly.
- Corrections and scheduling
- Files corrected and void forms, schedules filings ahead, resubmits forms the IRS rejected and produces 1096 and W-3 summaries for reference.
- W-9 and W-8 collection
- Requests W-9 or W-8 forms from payees online, priced from $1 for one request to $95 for 1,000, and imports W-9s from PDF.
- TIN matching and address checks
- Checks payee name and tax ID pairs in real time for $1 each or within 24 hours for $0.37, and validates US addresses against USPS records.
- Imports and integrations
- Pulls payee data from CSV or Excel and 12+ no-code integrations such as QuickBooks, Xero, BILL and NetSuite; Scale adds an API for automated filing.
- Recipient copies
- Sends copies to recipients by eDelivery for $0.50 a form, or prints and mails them for $1.95 in the US and $4.99 abroad.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- QuickBooks Online
- QuickBooks Desktop
- Xero
- BILL
- FreshBooks
- Sage Intacct
- Oracle NetSuite
- Zapier
Tax1099 is made by Zenwork, Inc., and has been around since 2010.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
0/20
Other payroll services it is graded above
Tax1099's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 20 other payroll services we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 13 of 20) and worst on free plan and trial (F, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $20.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 4 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 21 payroll services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Tax1099’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 13 of 20
- FFree plan and trialAbove 0 of 20
- DFeaturesAbove 0 of 20
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 20
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 20
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 16 payroll services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Tax1099 is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing Tax1099 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 19 of the 20 other payroll services grade higher. It costs $249 a year.
What you could not
- It plugs into other products, QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop and Xero among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Tax1099’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Accounting, Gusto and OnPay
The 4 tools Tax1099 is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
QuickBooks Workforce
Free trial · from $50/mo
Intuit's payroll and HR service, sold alone or with QuickBooks.
- Tax1099 has a free plan. QuickBooks Workforce does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only QuickBooks Workforce lists iOS and Android apps.
- QuickBooks Workforce also covers time tracking and payroll.
- 2.0GPA
Patriot Accounting
Free trial · from $20/mo
Low-cost US small business accounting that pairs with Patriot Payroll.
- Tax1099 has a free plan. Patriot Accounting does not, though it has a free trial.
- Patriot Accounting also covers invoicing, reports, bookkeeping, expense tracking and payroll.
- 2.4GPA
Gusto
From $49/mo
Payroll and HR for small businesses, with apps for owners and staff.
- Tax1099 has a free plan. Gusto does not.
- Only Gusto lists iOS and Android apps.
- Gusto also covers time tracking, expense tracking and payroll.
- 2.6GPA
OnPay
Free trial · from $49/mo
US payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons.
- Tax1099 has a free plan. OnPay does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only OnPay lists iOS and Android apps.
- OnPay also covers time tracking, reports and payroll.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Tax1099 free?
Tax1099 has a free plan. Essential plan: no subscription or card needed, but each form filed is charged, from $2.99 for the first 20 1099s or W-2s down to $0.72 each at 501 to 1,000.
How much does Tax1099 cost?
Tax1099 lists 3 plans. Essential: $0.
What platforms does Tax1099 work on?
Tax1099 is available on Web.
Does Tax1099 have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Tax1099 is listed for Web.
Does Tax1099 have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Tax1099 is listed for Web.
Is Tax1099 open source?
Tax1099 is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does Tax1099 have an API?
Yes. Tax1099 offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Tax1099 integrate with?
Tax1099's listing names QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Xero, BILL, FreshBooks, Sage Intacct, Oracle NetSuite and Zapier.
Who makes Tax1099?
Tax1099 is made by Zenwork, Inc. It dates from 2010.
What are the alternatives to Tax1099?
The closest alternatives to Tax1099 in our directory are QuickBooks Workforce, Patriot Accounting, Gusto and OnPay.
How does Tax1099 compare with other payroll services?
Tax1099's GPA of 1.8 is higher than 0 of the 20 other payroll services we grade, and level with 1.
Is Tax1099 good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Tax1099 B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $20.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $29 for the category: 4 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Tax1099?
Nothing Tax1099 does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 2 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Tax1099’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Tax1099's own pages on 18 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Zenwork, Inc. Prices change, so check tax1099.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,021
Tools graded, in 54 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,021
tools graded
54
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Tax1099, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tax1099
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Tax1099: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tax1099
Know someone choosing between payroll services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tax1099/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded payroll services after Tax1099, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Payroll Insider's GuideEvery one of the 21 payroll services we grade, compared
- Roll by ADP Insider's GuideChat-based payroll app for very small US businesses2.8 GPA
- OnPay Insider's GuideUS payroll with published prices, plus HR and time add-ons2.6 GPA
- Patriot Payroll Insider's GuideLow-cost online payroll for small US businesses2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Tax1099’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Tax1099 is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Zenwork, Inc. Prices and plans change: check tax1099.com before you buy.