Tax software all promises the same thing: your maximum refund with minimum pain. But prices range from free to well over $100, and the cheapest option is not always the worst. Here is how the three most popular choices compare, so you can pay for what you need and nothing more.

The quick picture

TurboTax is the market leader and the most expensive. Its interview-style walkthrough is the easiest to follow, and it handles complicated situations (rental property, stock sales, self-employment) better than anyone. You pay for that polish.

H&R Block sits in the middle on price. Its software is solid, and its big differentiator is the option to get human help: thousands of physical offices where you can have a tax pro review or finish your return.

FreeTaxUSA is the budget pick. Federal filing is free and state filing costs a small fee (around $15 at time of writing), no matter how complicated your return is. It has fewer hand-holding features, but the underlying tax engine is accurate and it supports nearly every form the big players do.

Pricing at time of writing

TurboTax uses tiered pricing that climbs with complexity. Simple returns start with a free tier (with strict limits on which situations qualify), and paid tiers step up from there into the $40 to $120-plus range for federal, with state filing extra. Self-employed filers pay the most.

H&R Block is generally a bit cheaper than TurboTax at each tier, with a free option for simple returns and paid tiers below TurboTax's equivalents. Adding in-person help costs extra but less than hiring an independent CPA.

FreeTaxUSA charges nothing for federal, even for complex returns, and a flat fee per state. For most people, the total cost stays under $20. That price gap is the entire reason it exists.

Prices change every tax season, so treat these as directional. Check current pricing before you file.

Ease of use

TurboTax wins here. Its question-and-answer flow explains tax concepts in plain language as you go, imports W-2s and investment forms from many employers and brokerages, and flags things you might have missed. If taxes stress you out, this guidance has real value.

H&R Block is close behind, with a similar guided flow and good import coverage. Its interface feels slightly less polished, but it gets the job done.

FreeTaxUSA is more like filling out smart forms. It asks the right questions and does the math correctly, but it explains less along the way. Confident filers will not mind. Nervous first-timers might.

Support when you get stuck

TurboTax offers chat and phone support, with access to tax experts on higher tiers. H&R Block matches that and adds in-person offices, which matters if you want a human to look at your actual documents.

FreeTaxUSA offers email support and a help center. It is adequate for straightforward questions, but do not expect a tax pro on demand.

Accuracy and guarantees

All three guarantee accurate calculations and will pay IRS penalties if their math is wrong. That guarantee is standard across the industry and not a differentiator. Where they differ is in finding deductions: TurboTax and H&R Block do more to surface deductions you did not know about, while FreeTaxUSA assumes you know what to claim.

The catch with each

TurboTax: the price. It is easy to end up paying over $100 for a return FreeTaxUSA would file for under $20. Also watch for upsells during the flow.

H&R Block: the middle child problem. It is not as polished as TurboTax or as cheap as FreeTaxUSA, so you need a reason to pick it, usually the in-person help.

FreeTaxUSA: minimal guidance and no human review option. If your taxes involve anything unusual, you are on your own to get it right.

Verdict by user type

Best for simple returns: FreeTaxUSA. If your taxes are a W-2 and some bank interest, there is no reason to pay $80 for what FreeTaxUSA does free. The price difference is pure savings.

Best for complicated taxes: TurboTax. Self-employment income, rental property, stock sales, crypto: the guided flow and deduction-finding earn their keep when your return has moving parts.

Best for nervous filers: H&R Block. If you want the option of walking into an office and having a person check your work, nobody else offers that at this price.

Best value overall: FreeTaxUSA. For anyone comfortable with forms and confident about their tax situation, it files the same return as the big names for a fraction of the cost.

Best if money is no object: TurboTax. It is the easiest, most thorough DIY option. You are paying for peace of mind, and for many people that is worth it.