TurboTax vs TaxAct
Both are US consumer filing products with a free starting point and a state return that costs extra on paid tiers. TaxAct publishes a flat price for each federal tier (Deluxe $59.99, Premier $99.99, Self-Employed $109.99) and sells live expert help as an add-on. TurboTax shows price ranges instead and says a return that starts in Free Edition can be moved to a paid product, for example when investment sales appear. TurboTax is made by Intuit, Inc.; TaxAct, LLC calls itself a Taxwell company and its page does not state a country.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose TurboTax ifyou want to move from do-it-yourself to an expert filing for you within one product, and can accept a price that settles only after your forms are in.
Choose TaxAct ifyou want a fixed federal price for each tier on the page before starting, and your return is a plain W-2, home or investment profile.
TurboTax and TaxAct side by side
| TurboTax | TaxAct | |
|---|---|---|
| Our tax preparation software rank | #7 of 16 | #3 of 16 |
| Established in | United States | Not stated by the vendor |
| List price, 2 November 2026 | TurboTax: self-service $0 to $139 and expert-assisted $79 to $209; Full Service starts at $129 (federal). State costs extra on paid tiers. | Free $0; Deluxe $59.99, Premier $99.99, Self-Employed $109.99 (federal), state additional; expert filing from $99 |
| Free tier | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Filers who want guided software and may want an expert to step in | Self-filers with a simple return who want a free federal start |
| Not for | Filers who need a fixed all-in price known before they start | Filers who want a flat all-in price including the state return |
Both are reviewed in full in our tax preparation software ranking: TurboTax and TaxAct.
Where they differ
TurboTax 2 · TaxAct 2 · open 1- 01
What the free tier covers
TaxAct's free federal tier lists W-2 and unemployment income, current students and the Child Tax Credit, and says about 40 percent of its filers qualified last year. TurboTax's Free Edition covers simple Form 1040 returns only, and its FAQ says an upgrade may be requested after investment sales. Scope is close, but TaxAct names its covered situations more plainly.
Edge: TaxAct
- 02
Price you can read before starting
TaxAct lists Free at $0, Deluxe at $59.99, Premier at $99.99 and Self-Employed at $109.99, state additional on each. TurboTax gives ranges: $0 to $139 for self-service products and $79 to $209 for expert-assisted ones, with state extra on paid versions. A number tells you more than a range, so TaxAct is easier to budget from.
Edge: TaxAct
- 03
Expert help and full service
TurboTax offers Expert Assist tiers, plus Full Service, an expert-filed product at $129 and up, covering the W-2 and 1040. TaxAct sells Xpert Assist as an add-on for unlimited live advice and expert filing from $99. TaxAct pages we read show the Xpert Assist add-on at $45, $54 and $60, so confirm it at checkout. TurboTax has the wider ladder of human help.
Edge: TurboTax
- 04
Paying out of the refund
On the pages we read, TurboTax charges an extra $40 service fee when fees are paid from a federal or state refund. It also offers Refund Advance loans of $4,000 maximum, 0% APR, no loan fees, subject to eligibility. We found no comparable refund-payment charge for TaxAct. Check the fee terms whichever you choose.
Depends on the buyer
- 05
Maker and stated origin
Intuit Inc. owns the TurboTax registered trademark and the page names US-based tax experts. TaxAct's footer reads TaxAct, LLC, a Taxwell company, and the site does not state where the company is established. Neither is a European vendor, and TurboTax is the one with a clear stated origin.
Edge: TurboTax
When neither fits
Anyone who wants filing with no fee at all, or lives outside the US, is poorly served by both. Cash App Taxes states no cost for federal and state filing, and the bare-forms route is IRS Free File Fillable Forms.
TurboTax or TaxAct: questions
3 answersIs TaxAct cheaper than TurboTax?
On the headline figures we read, TaxAct's federal tiers run from $0 to $109.99 with state additional, and TurboTax shows $0 to $139 for do-it-yourself products with state extra on paid ones.
The ranges are not like for like, so enter your forms in both before comparing.
Can I file for free with either one?
Yes for a simple return. TaxAct's free tier covers W-2 and unemployment income, students and the Child Tax Credit. TurboTax's Free Edition is limited to simple Form 1040 returns, and you may be asked to upgrade if investment sales appear.
Which one offers more human help?
TurboTax: Expert Assist tiers and an Expert Full Service product from $129. TaxAct has an Xpert Assist add-on and expert filing from $99.
Sources
Checked 2 November 2026- TurboTax home page: price ranges, state fee, $40 refund-payment charge, Refund Advance, Free Edition limits.
- TurboTax online options: Free Edition, expert tiers, upgrade warning, Intuit ownership.
- TaxAct home page: tier prices, covered situations, 40 percent figure, Xpert Assist, expert filing from $99, Taxwell footer.
- TaxAct individual taxes: Xpert Assist amounts on this page, expert filing starting price.