The TurboTax Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about TurboTax 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.
TurboTax
The Insider’s Guide
US personal and business tax filing, self-serve or with an expert
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among accounting and invoicing tools, read from TurboTax’s own pages.
Made by Intuit · checked Nov 13, 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 TurboTax’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TurboTax’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 109 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade
TurboTax is Intuit's US tax filing product, sold as guided do-it-yourself software, as software with on-demand expert help, and as a service where an expert prepares and files the return. Online editions price by how complex the return is, while the downloadable Desktop editions have set prices. Federal e-file is included with the product.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about TurboTax, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Guided, but you gather forms and documents first.
- 1
Best for US tax returns filed yourself
Online prices aren't published, depend on your forms, and state filing, early deposit and Audit Defense cost extra.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $84 per tax year (TurboTax Desktop Deluxe, state e-file extra).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free Edition: $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file, for simple Form 1040 returns only (about 37% of filers qualify).
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
Web and iOS.
- 5
Three ways to file
Do It Yourself uses guided software, Expert Assist adds on-demand experts, and Expert Full Service has an expert prepare and file.
- 6
Free Edition
Simple Form 1040 returns file at $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file; the page says roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify.
- 7
Expert help
Experts answer by phone, chat or one-way video and can see a read-only copy of the return, with SSNs masked.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 109 of 127
That is against the other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of TurboTax you could make: calculator. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
TurboTax at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $84 per tax year (TurboTax Desktop Deluxe, state e-file extra)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, iOS
- Made by
- Intuit
- Category
- Accounting & Invoicing
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 937,850 ratings
The report card
Best for US tax returns filed yourself
TurboTax files US taxes as guided software or with an expert, and the Free Edition is $0 for simple Form 1040 returns. Online prices aren't published, depend on your forms, and state filing, early deposit and Audit Defense cost extra.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Desktop Deluxe is $84 a tax year, under a year of the $20 middle, but it's a yearly price and states cost extra. Online prices aren't published. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free Edition is $0 to file federal and state, and about 37% of filers qualify. Itemizing, 1099-NEC, stocks, crypto and rentals are out. |
| Features | B | Guided filing, document import, expert help and refund options. Nothing in the core job of filing is missing. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating read. Guided, but you gather forms and documents first. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web and iOS, plus downloadable desktop editions. No Android app listed. |
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 TurboTax is for
- Fits if your return is a simple Form 1040 and you don't want to pay
- Works for people who want an expert to check or file their return
Who it is not for
- Tight if you itemize or sell stock, as Free Edition excludes that
- Watch out: online prices aren't shown until you're filing
- Watch out: desktop state e-file is $25 a state, and each extra state download is $45
- Watch out: paying from your refund, early deposit and Audit Defense cost extra
- Not for you if you're outside the US, since it's US tax only
Good to know
Good for
- Filers with simple returns who want a free federal and state return
- Self-employed, investors and landlords who want guided software
- People who want an expert to do the whole return
Worth knowing
- Online prices are not published on the pages read; they depend on the forms and the service level, and are shown while filing.
- Free Edition excludes itemized deductions, 1099-NEC income, stock and crypto sales and rental income.
- Desktop state e-file costs $25 per personal state return, except New York and Washington, and Live Tax Advice is $60.
- Paying fees out of the refund, early deposit and Audit Defense ($45 to $60) cost extra.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
TurboTax has a free plan. Paid plans start at $84 per tax year (TurboTax Desktop Deluxe, state e-file extra).
Free Edition
$0
Simple Form 1040 returns only: W-2 income, standard deduction, EITC, child tax credit and student loan interest.
Desktop Deluxe
$84
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $84, marked down from $94; covers one state download, with each extra state at $45.
Desktop Premier
$119
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $119, marked down from $129; one state download included, each extra state $45.
Desktop Home & Business
$134
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $134, marked down from $144; one state download included, each extra state $45.
Desktop Business
$194
per tax year, downloaded software
Listed at $194, marked down from $204; state downloads are $55 each.
Online paid tiers
Custom
Do It Yourself, Expert Assist and Expert Full Service; the price depends on return complexity and is shown while filing.
The free plan
Free Edition: $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file, for simple Form 1040 returns only (about 37% of filers qualify).
Read from turbotax.intuit.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: Web and iOS
US personal and business tax filing, self-serve or with an expert. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, calculator.
Guided filing, document import, expert help and refund options.
- Three ways to file
- Do It Yourself uses guided software, Expert Assist adds on-demand experts, and Expert Full Service has an expert prepare and file.
- Free Edition
- Simple Form 1040 returns file at $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file; the page says roughly 37% of taxpayers qualify.
- Expert help
- Experts answer by phone, chat or one-way video and can see a read-only copy of the return, with SSNs masked.
- Document import
- Tax documents can be imported from employers and financial institutions, or photographed and uploaded.
- Guarantees
- The site lists a 100% accurate calculations guarantee, a maximum refund guarantee and audit support guidance.
- Refund options
- Refund Advance offers up to $4,000 as a loan at 0% APR and $0 loan fees, subject to approval; paid early deposit is also offered.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
What it works with
- Credit Karma
TurboTax is made by Intuit.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
109/127
Other accounting and invoicing tools it is graded above
TurboTax's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 109 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 8.
It stands best on free plan and trial (B, above 93 of 127) and worst on ease of use (C, above 6).
Its paid plans start at $7 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $18.09 for the category: 16 of the 90 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 128 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. TurboTax’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 89 of 127
- BFree plan and trialAbove 93 of 127
- BFeaturesAbove 86 of 127
- CEase of useAbove 6 of 127
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 28 of 127
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 101 accounting and invoicing tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. TurboTax 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
The plain part of TurboTax you could make: calculator. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 109 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade. It costs $84 a year.
What you could make
- Calculator: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. TurboTax’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
TaxAct and Cash App Taxes
The 2 tools TurboTax is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
TaxAct
Free plan · from $44.99/yr
Online and downloadable tax filing for individuals and businesses.
- Only TurboTax lists an iOS app.
- TaxAct also covers documents.
- 3.2GPA
Cash App Taxes
Free
Free federal and state tax filing inside Cash App.
- Only Cash App Taxes lists an Android app.
- Cash App Taxes also covers forms.
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 TurboTax free?
TurboTax has a free plan. Free Edition: $0 federal, $0 state and $0 to file, for simple Form 1040 returns only (about 37% of filers qualify).
How much does TurboTax cost?
TurboTax lists 6 plans. Free Edition: $0.
What platforms does TurboTax work on?
TurboTax is available on Web and iOS.
How is TurboTax rated?
TurboTax's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 937,850 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does TurboTax have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TurboTax is listed for Web and iOS.
Does TurboTax have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. TurboTax is listed for Web and iOS.
Is TurboTax open source?
TurboTax is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does TurboTax integrate with?
TurboTax's listing names Credit Karma. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes TurboTax?
TurboTax is made by Intuit.
What are the alternatives to TurboTax?
The closest alternatives to TurboTax in our directory are TaxAct and Cash App Taxes.
How does TurboTax compare with other accounting and invoicing tools?
TurboTax's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 109 of the 127 other accounting and invoicing tools we grade, and level with 8.
Is TurboTax good value for money?
ToolGPA grades TurboTax B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $18.09 for the category: 16 of the 90 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of TurboTax?
The plain part of TurboTax you could make: calculator. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TurboTax’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TurboTax's own pages on 13 November 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 Intuit. Prices change, so check turbotax.intuit.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- TurboTax, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/turbotax
- 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, "TurboTax: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/turbotax
Know someone choosing between accounting and invoicing tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/turbotax/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded accounting and invoicing tools after TurboTax, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Accounting & Invoicing Insider's GuideEvery one of the 129 accounting and invoicing tools we grade, compared
- Zoho Invoice Insider's GuideFree invoicing app from Zoho for freelancers and small businesses3.6 GPA
- Zoho Books Insider's GuideOnline accounting from Zoho, with a free plan and six paid tiers3.4 GPA
- Cash App Taxes Insider's GuideFree federal and state tax filing inside Cash App3.2 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 TurboTax’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. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. TurboTax is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Intuit. Prices and plans change: check turbotax.intuit.com before you buy.