Best Tax Software 2025 [Awards And Comparisons]

[Vitalik_Dark]

When selecting the best tax app for your annual filing, there is no “one-size-fits-all” answer perfect for everyone. For the 2025 tax season (taxes for 2024), we’ve looked at the best and worst features of each online tax software program we cover, from price to ease of use and everything in between.

For the first time in several years, we have new winners in top categories. While we still like TurboTax for ease of use and Cash App Taxes for being free, we’ve reconsidered the apps we suggest for college students, investors, business owners, and beyond.

Remember, the tax filing deadline this year is April 15, 2025. Give yourself plenty of time to complete your tax return before the deadline. The sooner you file, the sooner you’ll get that refund!

Here's our picks for the best tax software:

Best Tax Software Overview​
Best For​	Tax Software​	Why We Like It​
Overall​	FreeTaxUSA​	Best value for typical tax filers​
Free Filing​	Cash App Taxes​	It's free for all users​
Student Loan Borrowers​	TaxSlayer​	The free version includes student loan interest as well as tuition and fees for students​
Investors​	TurboTax​	Easy imports of tax forms and data​
Cryptocurrency​	TurboTax​	Easy imports of crypto tax data from crypto-specific tax apps​
Landlords​	TaxSlayer​	Manage real estate investments with reasonable pricing​
Side Hustlers​	Cash App Taxes​	It's free and works for many part-time business owners​
Small Business Owners​	TaxSlayer​	Better pricing than competitors for similar features​
Best Support​	FreeTaxUSA​	Competitive cost for access to a human tax expert​
Best Virtual Tax Prep​	H&R Block​	Online tax prep backed by thousands of physical locations​
Tax Refund Anticipation Loans​	TurboTax​	Get up to $4,000 with no fees or interest​
Tax Liability Calculators For Crypto And NFT Traders​	Koinly​	Useful for crypto taxes and year-round crypto portfolio tracking​

Table of Contents
Best Overall Tax Software
Best Free Tax Filing Software
Best Tax Software For Student Loan Borrowers
Best Tax Software For Investors
Best Tax Software For Cryptocurrency
Best Tax Software For Landlords
Best Tax Software For Side Hustlers
Best Tax Software For Small Business Owners
Best Support From Tax Pros
Best Virtual Tax Preparation
Best For Tax Refund Loan
Best Tax Liability Calculators For Crypto And NFT Traders
Runner-Up: CoinTracker
Who Should Use Tax Software (And Who Shouldn't)?
Why Should You Trust Us?
Final Thoughts

Best Overall Tax Software​

The best overall tax software category represents the software that best meets the needs of a majority of filers. You may have to pay more for premium programs, but they make tax filing faster and more straightforward.

Winner: FreeTaxUSA​

After a long streak, TurboTax has lost its top ranking to FreeTaxUSA. While we still think TurboTax is one of the easiest way to do taxes, the high cost and lack of clear, upfront pricing made us reconsider the best option. For the average filer without too many investment accounts, we find the value and features at FreeTaxUSA too compelling to overlook.

All users get free federal filing, and states cost just $14.99 each. You can upgrade to get technical support with the app for $7.99, and support from a tax professional costs $39.99. You’d pay that multiple times over with most premium-priced competitors.

While it doesn’t include the option to import tax data from banks and brokerage firms and you must manually type in tax form details, it’s still easy to use and very good for the cost.

If someone from FreeTaxUSA is reading this, we’d like to see the ability to import all of our 1099 PDFs in the future.


Try FreeTaxUSA
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TurboTax​

TurboTax is the easiest tax software to use. It’s pricier than others but makes tax filing easier than most competitors. In many cases, TurboTax users can import PDF and spreadsheet files with tax data or connect directly to your employer, bank, or investment company to automatically download your tax data.

While we don’t love the high price (and the fact that they aren't very transparent about what you'll pay up front), TurboTax is the 900-pound gorilla of the industry. The ability to download financial data is a huge time saver for anyone with multiple bank and investment accounts.

If you’re looking to get your taxes done as quickly and easily as possible without typing in a lot of details and don’t mind paying more, TurboTax could be your best pick.


Try TurboTax
Read The Review

2nd Runner-Up: H&R Block​

We’re impressed by H&R Block’s high-quality tax filing experience and functionality. Filers can import most tax PDF forms, so adding W-2 and 1099 forms is fairly painless. H&R Block doesn’t have the same integration functionality as TurboTax. However, due to a huge network of physical H&R Block locations, it offers the best option to convert from DIY tax software to in-person human support.

The clean user interface and question-and-answer guidance make H&R Block online an excellent option for most people. H&R Block is a bit less expensive than TurboTax but still quite a bit more than our winner, FreeTaxUSA. The forms and features are excellent but fall short of the ease of TurboTax. Nonetheless, most people would have a positive overall experience with H&R Block Online.


Try H&R Block
Read The Review

Best Free Tax Filing Software​

Unlike in many other countries, free filing is almost unheard of in America. Only one company, Cash App Taxes, offers truly free filing for all users in 2025, but support is extremely limited, and not all tax situations are covered. If you qualify for Cash App Taxes, it can save you up to a hundred dollars or more on tax preparation compared to an accountant or premium DIY options.

Don't assume you qualify for free filing in 2025 with other tax software. Read up on supported credits and deductions to determine if you’d be forced to upgrade. Even the new IRS Direct File is very limited.

Warning: If you start filing taxes through a link at the IRS Free File website, you won’t be able to upgrade later to a paid version, per program rules. If you think you might need to upgrade to a paid version, be sure to start at the tax software vendor’s website, not the IRS Free File site.

Winner: Cash App Taxes​

Cash App Taxes is the only major software program providing free state and federal filing for all covered tax situations. The semi-guided navigation and “freebies” like Audit Defense make Cash App Taxes tough to overlook. Cash App Taxes is owned by Square, the payment processor and owner of Cash App.

Cash App Taxes doesn’t work for households filing in multiple states. You'll need to look elsewhere if you moved during the year or earned income in multiple states. Active traders may also run into limitations, as Cash App Taxes doesn't have any brokerage integrations. But most other filers will likely the price and the well-designed user experience.


Try Cash App Taxes
Read The Review

Runner-Up: H&R Block Free​

In 2025, H&R Block Online Free has the same excellent user experience as the paid version, but with more limited tax situations covered. Filers can snap a photo of their W-2 and complete filing in just a few minutes. The Free tier also supports Social Security and unemployment income. The Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Credit (EIC), education credits, and student loan interest deductions are part of the free version, whereas many other tax apps require an upgrade if you have those needs.

Remember, not everyone will qualify for free filing with H&R Block. For example, those with daycare expenses or HSA contributions, rental income, self-employment income, or capital gains will have to pay to upgrade to a higher tier.


Try H&R Block
Read The Review

---

Best Tax Software For Student Loan Borrowers​

The student loan interest deduction allows you to lower your taxable income without itemizing. However, many student loan borrowers still need more than they’d get with the basic tier from most tax software providers.

Winner: TaxSlayer​

TaxSlayer offers a balance of features and cost, with more affordable pricing than the industry leaders. If you’re a recent grad with student loan interest and taxes that are not overly complicated, TaxSlayer could be a winner.

It doesn’t have great importing features for active traders, but most others will find TaxSlayer does an excellent job guiding them through their tax prep experience without breaking the bank.

For example, if you only have a W-2 and bank account interest, plus student loans, TaxSlayer is a standout choice. If you’re already on a tight budget due to student loan payments, TaxSlayer can save you money while giving you the necessary features for an accurate tax return.


Try TaxSlayer
Read The Review

Runner-Up: H&R Block​

H&R Block's free tier supports student loan interest and other educational credits. The easy-to-use software makes tax filing a snap, and the free version also includes tuition deductions.

However, filers need to watch out for limits to the free tier that could trigger a required upgrade. Most credits and deductions aren't supported at the free level. People who contributed to an HSA, a traditional IRA, anyone with dependent care expenses, and those who made charitable contributions will need to upgrade.


Try H&R Block
Read The Review

2nd Runner-Up: Cash App Taxes​

Cash App Taxes is completely free. It’s not our top choice for active investors, business owners, or multi-state filers, but students with only W-2 income and a few 1099s should do just fine.


Try Cash App Taxes
Read The Review

---

Best Tax Software For Investors​

Filers who only place a few trades per year have several tax filing options. For example, TaxHawk or Cash App Taxes can easily handle these situations. However, people with 100 trades will likely not want to enter every detail manually.

Unfortunately, our two preferred providers for active investors and traders are the most expensive. However, they make tax filing simple for stock market investors, so sometimes, the time saved is worth the slightly higher cost.

Winner: TurboTax​

TurboTax allows you to import trade details from most large brokerage account providers with just a few clicks. For others, you can upload your trade data and add them to your tax return with just a few clicks.

If you have multiple investment accounts or cryptocurrency trades, TurboTax may be worth the extra cost compared to H&R Block and other tax providers. You’ll have to weigh the costs and time commitment to decide which is best for you.


Try TurboTax
Read The Review

Runner-Up: H&R Block​

H&R Block Premium allows users to upload tax forms from their brokerages. H&R Block will then use those forms to determine the filer’s taxable income. It imports 1099-B Forms, among others.

H&R Block then calculates your capital gains and taxable income. H&R Block Premium isn’t cheap, but the time savings are well worth the price.

H&R Block’s pricing and features are reasonable if you have one or two brokerage accounts.


Try H&R Block
Read The Review

---

Best Tax Software For Cryptocurrency​

If you dabble in digital currencies, you likely know that the tax laws for cryptocurrency investments are somewhat similar to stocks. Accurately summarizing and reporting crypto income, capital gains, and other details on your tax return is required by law.

Major cryptocurrency exchanges report to the IRS, so don’t think you’ll get away with cheating Uncle Sam on your crypto earnings.

While most tax software includes some basic questions about cryptocurrency, they typically don’t offer easy integrations with crypto exchanges or wallets. Because it comes with better support for digital currencies, we picked TurboTax as the winner. We also reviewed a “helper” option that can help you pull together cryptocurrency tax forms from your exchanges and wallets.

Winner: TurboTax​

TurboTax makes it easy for Coinbase customers to import transactions into the tax software. Once you import your transactions, TurboTax does the math to help you declare profits and losses. You will need to upgrade to TurboTax’s Premium level to access cryptocurrency features, including the Coinbase import tool.

TurboTax also allows users to upload spreadsheet versions of IRS Form 8949 from other cryptocurrency tax tools. Filers who use a tax calculator (such as the software listed below) can import their reports into TurboTax directly.


Try TurboTax
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TaxAct​

TaxAct doesn’t have many third-party integrations, but it does have a method for calculating crypto-related capital gains. Filers can upload IRS Form 8949 and summarize their total capital gains in a single line.

Admittedly, this method feels unintuitive, but it's the one provided by TaxAct and its tax liability calculators.


Try TaxAct
Read The Review

---

Best Tax Software For Landlords​

Landlords have some of the most complicated returns. Tracking a property's income, expenses, and depreciation can be tedious, but it's essential for tax time.

We looked for software that simplifies calculating depreciation and allows for easy import of prior-year information to ensure continuity across returns. There’s also some preference given to software that allows filers to import from the previous year’s taxes. The prior year's numbers help landlords understand whether variances from the previous year’s numbers make sense or are due to miskeying information.

Winner: TaxSlayer​

TaxSlayer Classic supports all major tax forms, including Schedule E for rental income. Landlords will appreciate TaxSlayer’s easy-to-use interface and the jargon-free articles that explain how deductions can be claimed. Plus, it’s cheaper than TurboTax and H&R Block for similar features.

Those with specific questions can upgrade to TaxSlayer Premium to ask a tax professional how certain expenses should be classified. TaxSlayer supports competitor imports and has excellent summary sections that make reviewing easy.


Try TaxSlayer Classic
Read The Review

Runner-Up: Cash App Taxes​

Although Cash App Taxes is free, it has useful depreciation calculators that simplify taxes for rental income. Landlords can use the guided interface to claim legitimate deductions and depreciation accurately.

Filers can also import prior year information from H&R Block, TurboTax, and TaxAct, making it easy to compare year-over-year claims.

The only drawback is that if you have properties in more than one state, you'll need to use another tax prep application.


Try Cash App Taxes
Read The Review

Best Tax Software For Side Hustlers​

We like to separate side hustlers from other small business owners because there’s a difference in how full-time business owners handle taxes from side hustlers. We define side hustlers as people working in the gig economy or who earn a part-time income from small businesses outside of a full-time job.

The interesting thing about side hustlers is that they often use different expense tracking apps (like Everlance) and may be eligible to file a Schedule C-EZ tax form instead of a full Schedule C.

Winner: Cash App Taxes​

Cash App Taxes allows side hustlers to prepare their tax returns for free. While filers can’t import information, the software serves up helpful info bubbles throughout the software to smooth the tax filing experience. The free price tag and usability make Cash App Taxes a great choice for side hustlers without complicated expenses. It doesn’t work with K-1 income, which is more common for full-time self-employed business owners.


Try Cash App Taxes
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TaxSlayer​

TaxSlayer Classic gives users access to all tax forms. Given the low price point and extremely robust software, it's a great deal. Unfortunately, Classic doesn’t include Pro Support or Audit Defense. But it’s an excellent deal for filers who want a great user interface but don’t need the extras.


Try TaxSlayer Classic
Read The Review

Don’t Forget About Bookkeeping Apps If You Own A Business​

No discussion about tax filing is complete without discussing bookkeeping apps. Filing a Schedule C for your business is easy if you keep good records. Our team uses two apps for side hustle income and expense tracking: Tiller Money (for expense tracking) and Everlance (for mileage tracking). These apps are highly recommended if you don’t use a full bookkeeping suite like Quickbooks, Xero, or Freshbooks.

Last year, we reviewed Keeper Tax for the first time. The text-message-based interface is perfect for people who hate bookkeeping. The $11 monthly subscription includes access to a bookkeeper who manually reviews your expenses. And at tax time, you can pay $39 for a summarized expense report.

---

Best Tax Software For Small Business Owners​

Beyond just entering income and expenses, small business owners need to consider business structure, asset depreciation, individual retirement plans, and more.

While many small business owners would likely benefit from an accountant, those wanting to DIY need to have software that is up for the challenge.

Winner: TaxSlayer​

TaxSlayer offers premium tax filing software at a much lower price point than H&R Block and TurboTax. Small business owners who need to categorize unique expenses can get on the phone with a self-employment expert.

TaxSlayer is about two-thirds the price of our runner-up and offers more valuable perks. It doesn't, however, automatically generate W-2 or 1099-NEC forms for employees. Small business owners who need these forms may need to consider TurboTax instead.


Try TaxSlayer Classic
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TurboTax​

TurboTax Premium boasts an easy-to-use interface and many supported connections for imports. It also allows self-employed people to figure out the maximum contribution they can make to a solo 401(k) or Roth IRA.

As it’s owned by the same company as QuickBooks, it’s easy to bring your information over from the leading bookkeeping app to the leading tax app.


Try Cash App Taxes
Read The Review

---

Best Support From Tax Pros​

Tax filing time can be a challenge, especially for filers facing new tax situations. Trying to figure out what you can legally deduct is important, but tax filers can end up overpaying to have pros file their taxes for them.

We’re recommending companies that offer “ask a tax pro” options for their online filers (sometimes called live assist). These companies allow filers to set appointments to get their personalized tax questions answered.

Winner: FreeTaxUSA​

FreeTaxUSA Pro Support costs $39.99, a bargain compared to most others. It involves unlimited phone, live chat, or screen share support with a tax expert. If you’ve got questions, these experts can give you an answer. FreeTaxUSA’s pricing and support options are tough to beat for this level of service.

Try FreeTaxUSA With Pro Support
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TaxSlayer Premium​

TaxSlayer Premium is moderately priced software with massive value for filers who need support. It comes with unlimited “Ask a tax pro” options, where you can get support from a tax professional (either an enrolled agent or a CPA). It also comes with audit defense and unlimited technical support.


Try TaxSlayer Classic
Read The Review

---

Best Virtual Tax Preparation​

Virtual tax prep was rolled out a few years ago by a few of the leading tax software companies. However, the service has become increasingly popular since the COVID pandemic. Here are our two favorite virtual tax prep service providers for 2025.

Winner: H&R Block​

Upload your tax documents to H&R Block through a secure online portal, and a CPA or Enrolled Agent will handle the filing from there. The software will even provide an estimated time until completion when you select your tax professional. You may need to answer a few questions via phone or email, but the process is simpler than filing yourself.

If you want in-person tax prep, you can also use H&R Block in-person or drop-off services (where, instead of uploading your documents, you can just drop them off at a local office).

Readers of The College Investor can also get $25 off in-person tax preparation with this coupon >>


Try H&R Block
Read The Review

Runner-Up: TurboTax​

The TurboTax Full Service option allows users to upload tax documents and have a tax expert handle filling in tax forms from there. If you prefer not to file your own taxes but want to stick with the TurboTax brand, consider TurboTax’s Full Service option.

Try TurboTax
Read The Review

---

Best For Tax Refund Loan​

If you need your tax refund to pay the bills, a tax refund anticipation loan may be on your radar. Unfortunately, too many lenders charge high interest rates for an advance. We don’t recommend tax refund anticipation loans, but filers who qualify may appreciate TurboTax’s interest-free option.

Winner: TurboTax​

TurboTax is one of only a few tax filing companies issuing tax refund advance loans this year. Filers can qualify for up to $4,000, which is received in minutes after the IRS accepts your electronically filed tax return.
Here’s what you need to know about TurboTax’s advance:

• 0% interest
• No fees
• Same-day approvals

Try TurboTax Full Service
Read The Review

---

Best Tax Liability Calculators For Crypto And NFT Traders​

Cryptocurrency has seen several ups and downs, with major winning streaks and lengthy “crypto winter” losses. While you may want to put crypto losses behind you, getting the taxes right for past crypto investments is still required.

These tax packages aren’t full tax filing tools. Instead, they calculate the tax liability associated with crypto and NFT activity. You then export IRS Form 8949, which is required for calculating capital gains on trades. You can import Form 8949 into TurboTax and other tax software.

Winner: Koinly​

Koinly is a great app for tracking all cryptocurrency accounts and wallets year-round for free. When tax season comes around, Koinly offers features to convert that crypto data into tax forms and reports.

The free plan lets you try everything out, but doesn’t generate tax reports. Full tax reporting costs $49 to $199 per tax year, depending on the number of transactions.

It works with nearly all types of trades, automatically matches transactions between accounts and wallets, and downloads from most exchanges via APIs. It also downloads wallet data directly from each blockchain network for self-custody wallets.


Try Koinly
Read The Review

Runner-Up: CoinTracker​

CoinTracker is a robust cryptocurrency tracking and tax reporting software. We don’t love the pricing, but it has some of the best features and ease of use of any cryptocurrency tax solution. It also integrates with over 500 exchanges, wallets, and blockchains using a combination of built-in integrations and APIs.

You can connect and track your current holdings for free, but tax preparation and more details on your crypto gains and losses can be costly. Plans with tax reports cost from $59 to $599 per year, depending on the number of transactions.


Try CoinTracker
Read The Review

---

Who Should Use Tax Software (And Who Shouldn't)?​

Every American that earned income needs to file a tax return. Even if you had taxes withheld from your paycheck, you still should file a tax return - you never know, you may be owed a tax refund. Filing a tax return is basically "settling up" with the IRS. You should what you earned, calculate how much in taxes you should have paid - and if you overpaid, you get a refund. If you underpaid, you owe.

A lot of people wonder why taxes are so "hard". They're not hard - you just have to know where to report certain things. You have to report all your income - wages, interest from a savings account, investment gains, rental property, cryptocurrency, and more. Depending on your income sources, it could be very easy, or very complicated.

If you just work a job and get a W2, your tax return is very simple.

If you run multiple side gigs, have investments, and own real estate, your tax return can be very complicated.

In general, filing your taxes is just data entry. But you have to know where to enter the data. That's where tax software comes into play. If you have all your tax forms, and you can read questions and follow directions, using tax software makes filing your taxes very easy. You'll get questions that say "Enter Box 1 from your W2", and you enter it.

If you notice our list above, we break down tax software options into what types of income you have - because the guidance, support, and price you pay is all based on that. For basic returns, you can file your taxes for free with several options.

For more complicated returns, you can still do it yourself, but you can get support if needed.

Who Shouldn't Use Tax Software​

Tax software requires you to be organized with your tax forms and information, requires you to read and type, and requires some basic knowledge of personal finances.

If you have a complicated tax situation (maybe a business, real estate, and investments), don't have a great organizational system, or can't read or write, you should hire a tax preparer. There are free tax preparation options for those with low income or disabilities, but business owners and investors are likely going to want to have a CPA or EA prepare their returns.

The more complicated your tax situation, the more time (and cost) you'll face.

Why Should You Trust Us?​

The College Investor team spent years reviewing all of the top tax filing options, and our team has personal experience with the majority of tax software tools. I personally have been the lead tax software reviewer since 2022, and have compared most of the major companies on the marketplace.

Our editor-in-chief Robert Farrington has been trying and testing tax software tools since 2011, and has tested and tried almost every tax filing product. Furthermore, our team has created reviews and video walk-throughs of all of the major tax preparation companies which you can find on our YouTube channel.

We’re tax DIYers and want a good deal, just like you. We work hard to offer informed and honest opinions on every product we test.

How Were These Products Tested?​

We went through completed a real-life tax return that included W2 income, self-employment income, rental property income, and investment income. We tried to enter every piece of data and use every feature available. We then compared the result to all the other products we've tested, as well as a tax return prepared by a tax professional. You can see these tests each year on our review YouTube videos.

Final Thoughts​

There is no shortage of tax filing options for you to consider. Depending on your situation, you may need a premium tool with advanced features, or you may do fine with a free tax software app.

With any of these tax preparation tools, you can zero in on what needs are most important to you and confidently move forward with your 2025 tax return.

Also note - prices and deals change all the time during tax season. We try our best to keep up with the changes, but sometimes we don’t catch everything. So, if you see any changes in pricing for any of the apps, please let us know in the comments below.




Editor: Colin Graves

Reviewed by: Robert Farrington


The post Best Tax Software 2025 [Awards And Comparisons] appeared first on The College Investor.
Full story here:

To view the content, you need to Sign In or Register.