# TaxAct review (2026): is the free plan enough?

> Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses

Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA.

TaxAct is tax filing software for individuals, self-employed people and small businesses. Federal returns are sold per edition (Free, Deluxe, Premier, Self-Employed), with each state return priced separately, and there are separate business editions plus an optional expert-help add-on. A downloadable version and a professional product for tax preparers are sold alongside the online editions.

- **Category:** Accounting & Invoicing
- **Made by:** TaxAct (since 1998)
- **Website:** https://www.taxact.com
- **Runs on:** Web
- **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you have investment, rental or self-employment income and want to stay free, as the free edition excludes all three.
- **Facts last checked:** Nov 12, 2026

## Pricing

As of Nov 12, 2026, TaxAct has a free plan, and paid plans start at $44.99 per tax year (download); online from $59.99, states extra.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** 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.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/file-your-own-taxes on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with TaxAct before buying.

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- Individuals with simple returns that qualify for free federal filing
- Freelancers and sole proprietors who file a Schedule C
- Small partnerships and S-corporations filing their own business return

## Worth knowing

- 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.

## ToolGPA grades

**GPA: 2.4 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. TaxAct files US federal and state returns online or by download, with a free edition for simple returns. State returns are charged separately, and the free edition leaves out investment, rental and self-employment income.

- **Value for money: B.** Basic 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: B.** Free 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: C.** It 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: C.** No store rating on record. A guided interview, but you still have to collect your own tax documents.
- **Platforms and integrations: C.** Web only on the listing, with no integrations on record.

These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TaxAct's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

## Where it stands among accounting and invoicing tools

- TaxAct's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 38 of the 65 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 10.
- It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 50 of 65) and worst on ease of use (C, above 1).
- Its paid plans start at $3.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $18.09 for the category: 2 of the 54 others that charge start lower.
- On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.

The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/accounting

## Keep it, or make your own?

**Keep it.** The plain part of TaxAct you could make: calculator and documents. What surrounds it you could not. The 0 things listed below take a company, not a weekend. It costs $44.99 a year.

- You could make: Calculator and documents: an app builder makes these well.

A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it.

**Tags:** Calculator, Documents

## Alternatives

- [Drake Tax](https://toolgpa.com/tools/drake-tax): Professional tax preparation software for tax firms, desktop and web. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/drake-tax-vs-taxact)
- [Keeper](https://toolgpa.com/tools/keeper-tax): Expense tracking and tax filing for freelancers and contractors. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/keeper-tax-vs-taxact)
- [Hurdlr](https://toolgpa.com/tools/hurdlr): Mileage, expense and tax tracking app for freelancers. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/hurdlr-vs-taxact)
- [QuickBooks Online](https://toolgpa.com/tools/quickbooks): Cloud accounting from Intuit, from a free plan to 25-user Advanced. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/quickbooks-vs-taxact)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026:

- https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/file-your-own-taxes
- https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/file-your-own-taxes/free-federal-tax-filing
- https://www.taxact.com/taxes-online/file-your-own-taxes/self-employed-tax-filing
- https://www.taxact.com/business-returns
- https://www.taxact.com/download-tax-software
- https://www.taxact.com/tax-xpert-assist/xpert-full-service
- https://www.taxact.com/company/about-us
- https://www.taxact.com/tax-resources

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/taxact
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).