We began our analysis by looking at nine popular online tax software providers: Cash App Taxes, eFile.com, FileYourTaxes.com, FreeTaxUSA, H&R Block, TaxSlayer, TaxAct and TurboTax.
To narrow our list, we chose to focus on the online tax software companies that provide free tax preparation for simple filings of both federal and state tax returns. That left us with Cash App Taxes, H&R Block, TaxSlayer and TurboTax.
To evaluate the five finalists, we created three generic tax filing profiles and ran each through the software to review for ease of use, quality of customer service and free filing options:
- A single filer with a basic W-2 and student loan deductions
- A married couple with wage income, a dependent and child care expenses
- A freelancer with business income and deductions
Our analysis used side-by-side comparisons of the providers’ features and costs to assess which offered the best online tax software in the following categories:
Best Free Online Tax Software. For the best free online tax software, we analyzed which provider offered the most impressive overall package of features with no fees for federal and state tax return filings, no income or filing status restrictions, and the broadest selection of tax filing forms.
Best Online Tax Software for Ease of Use. An easy-to-use platform is most important for many tax filers. For this category, we reviewed each platform to determine which provided the simplest process for completing users’ tax forms. We reviewed each company’s Q&A tax interview options, looked for the ability to upload W-2 forms and automate data entry, explored all navigation menus, and gauged the length of time required to complete a return.
Best Online Tax Software for the Self-Employed. Self-employed freelance workers generally have more complicated income tax filings than employees. Ensuring that online tax software caters to the special needs of freelancers and self-employed individuals is essential at tax time. We evaluated each platform’s offering in this category for pricing, support, state filing fees, deduction finder options and total costs.
Best Online Tax Software for Customer Support. Our analysis included a thorough review of each platform’s support options. We determined if the online tax software providers offered phone, live chat, email or help articles for users, and we evaluated each option. We contacted customer service departments by phone to assess their hold time and customer service quality.
Each category was weighted and scored feature by feature. The author, a certified public accountant (CPA) with more than 20 years of taxation experience, completed all tax software testing by opening accounts with each provider to perform hands-on evaluations.
To learn more about how Forbes Advisor rates tax products, and our editorial process, check out our Taxes Rating & Review Methodology.