FreeTaxUSA Review (2026)
FreeTaxUSA suits people who do their own return and have stock sales, rental income or a side business: the federal return is $0 for every situation the software supports, with no income limit. The one thing to know is that the savings are on the federal side: each state return costs $15.99 for 2025 returns, and help from a tax pro is a $64.99 add-on. Prices for 2026 returns had not been published as of October 19, 2026.
By Wealthy Pot Editorial · Facts checked October 19, 2026
Facts checked October 19, 2026 against FreeTaxUSA's own pricing pages, guarantee terms, help center and privacy notice (17 sources, listed below). We re-check prices about once a month. We do not earn a commission from FreeTaxUSA.
FreeTaxUSA at a glance
| Federal return | $0 for every supported situation, no income limit (2025 returns), including Schedules C, D, E, F and K-1s received [1] |
|---|---|
| Not supported | Foreign earned income (Form 2555), nonresident returns (Form 1040NR), filers living outside the US, at-risk limits (Form 6198) [1] |
| State return | $15.99 per state for 2025 returns; not included in the free federal return [1] |
| Deluxe add-on | $7.99: live chat, priority support, unlimited amended returns, 7 years of file storage; no tax advice [2] |
| Pro Support add-on | $64.99: a Tax Pro by phone or chat, ProCheck final review, screen share [3] |
| Audit Defense add-on | $19.99: federal return covered 3 years, state return 4 years [4] |
| IRS Free File | Partner for 2025 returns: free federal and state with AGI of $51,000 or less, or $89,000 or less for active-duty military, entered through IRS.gov [12] |
| Prior-year returns | Tax years 2018 to 2024: federal $0, state $17.99 [6] |
| Amended returns | $16.98 for 2025 (as many as you need), $17.97 for prior years; free if you bought Deluxe or Pro Support [5] |
| Pay with your refund | $24.99 fee; paying by card is free [1] |
| Accuracy guarantee | IRS and state penalties and interest caused by a calculation error, and no other amounts [11] |
| Free support | Email and in-app support center; phone only with Pro Support [8] |
| Imports | W-2 photo or PDF, 1099s, a PDF of last year's return from other software, 1099-B upload [7] |
| Company | TaxHawk, Inc., Provo, Utah [13] |
What filing with FreeTaxUSA costs
Three common returns, federal plus one state
| Your return | Tier you need | Federal | State | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple return: W-2 income, standard deduction | Federal (all situations) | $0 | $15.99 | $15.99 |
| You sold stocks or crypto (Schedule D) | Federal (all situations) | $0 | $15.99 | $15.99 |
| Self-employed with business expenses (Schedule C) | Federal (all situations) | $0 | $15.99 | $15.99 |
Prices for 2025 returns (the 2026 filing season), read on FreeTaxUSA's own site on October 19, 2026. Prices for 2026 returns had not been published yet. Totals are our arithmetic, before optional add-ons such as expert help, audit defense or paying with your refund.
How FreeTaxUSA works
FreeTaxUSA has one federal product, not tiers by form. Stock sales (Form 8949 and Schedule D), rentals (Schedule E), a business (Schedules C and SE), HSA Form 8889, education credits and K-1s you received are all in the $0 federal return, so nothing about your forms pushes you to pay more. What you can buy is help: Deluxe ($7.99) adds live chat with support staff, a place at the front of the queue, unlimited amended returns and 7 years of storage, but no tax advice. Pro Support ($64.99) adds a Tax Pro by phone or chat and ProCheck, which FreeTaxUSA's own terms describe as a limited review. The prices on this page are for 2025 returns; FreeTaxUSA had not published prices for 2026 returns as of October 19, 2026.
The state return is where the money goes: $15.99 for each state you file, so a move between states mid-year means two state fees. The other optional costs are Audit Defense ($19.99), having the fees taken out of your federal refund ($24.99), a professionally printed return ($8.96) and a 2.5% fee if you pay the tax you owe by card. The cost block on this page runs three cases with one state; because federal is $0 in every case, all three cost the same $15.99. For how FreeTaxUSA compares on those cases, see our tax software comparison, and for its track record, is FreeTaxUSA legit?
A worked case: a freelancer with 1099-NEC income and business expenses files Schedule C and Schedule SE (see our self-employment tax guide and 1099 tax calculator) on the free federal return, then one state: $0 + $15.99 = $15.99. Adding Pro Support to ask a Tax Pro questions and get a final review brings it to $15.99 + $64.99 = $80.98. Paying that out of the refund adds $24.99, for $105.97, so paying by card saves the $24.99.
Pros
- Federal $0 with stock sales, rentals, a business and K-1s, with no income limit
- State returns at $15.99 each, far below the per-state fees on TurboTax or H&R Block paid tiers
- Phone access to a Tax Pro for a $64.99 add-on
- Prior-year federal returns for 2018 to 2024 also $0
Cons
- Every state return costs $15.99 unless you qualify for its Free File offer
- Amended returns cost $16.98 unless you bought Deluxe or Pro Support
- No phone support without Pro Support
- No foreign earned income or nonresident returns
Who FreeTaxUSA fits, and who should skip it
A good fit if
- You have stock sales, rentals, a side business or itemized deductions and want to pay $0 for the federal return anyway.
- You are comfortable answering the interview yourself and want help only as an option.
- You need to file a past year from 2018 to 2024: the federal return is still $0.
Look elsewhere if
- You want the state return free too and your forms and state are supported: Cash App Taxes files federal and one state for $0.
- You earned income abroad, live outside the US or file a nonresident return: FreeTaxUSA does not support those, so compare others in our tax software guide.
- You want someone to prepare the return for you: TurboTax and H&R Block sell full-service filing.
Limitations to know
- Not supported: foreign employment income (Form 2555), nonresident alien returns (Form 1040NR), customers or preparers living outside the United States when they file, at-risk limits (Form 6198), and casualty or theft on business property. [1]
- The Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) is supported only for interest and dividend income. [1]
- ProCheck, the final review in Pro Support, is "a limited review of your return" that "will not prevent all errors", in FreeTaxUSA's words. [10]
- Pro Support phone lines run January 2 to April 30, Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 9 PM ET, and May 1 to December 31, Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 8 PM ET. [9]
- The service is for users 18 or older and is not offered to residents of the EU or EEA. [11]
FreeTaxUSA compared with alternatives
| Product | Free tier | State | Stock sales + 1 state | Self-employed + 1 state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeTaxUSA | Federal $0 for all supported situations | $15.99 per state | $15.99 (Federal (all situations)) | $15.99 (Federal (all situations)) |
| Cash App Taxes | Federal $0 | $0 for one state (40 states + DC; not Montana) | $0 (Cash App Taxes) | $0 (Cash App Taxes) |
| TaxSlayer | Simply Free $0 (state included) | State additional (price shown at checkout; $47.99 on archived Apr-Jul 2026 pages) | $44.99 + state (Classic) | $44.99 + state (Classic) |
| H&R Block | Free Online $0 | $49 per state on paid tiers | $154 (Premium) | $179 (Self-Employed) |
| TurboTax | Free Edition $0 (simple Form 1040 only) | $64 per state on Deluxe and Premium | $203 (Premium) | $203 (Premium) |
- Pick Cash App Taxes if you file in one supported state and want federal and state for $0.
- Pick TaxSlayer if you want every form in one paid tier with Ask a Tax Pro on higher tiers.
- Pick H&R Block if you want an office to walk into or a tax pro to file for you.
- Pick TurboTax if you want the most guided interview and will pay for expert help.
Security and privacy
- The privacy policy says: "As a tax preparer, we comply with Internal Revenue Code Section 7216 with respect to the disclosure and use of tax return information." [13]
- FreeTaxUSA uses browsing activity for ad retargeting but says it does not share "tax return information with our advertising partners for retargeting purposes". It also says it does not sell personal information for money and that it uses cloud and AI service providers. [13]
- Under the 7216 rules, a preparer needs your signed, written consent to use or disclose return information for anything else, and cannot make its service depend on you giving it. [17]
- FreeTaxUSA's own security claims: data "encrypted at rest and in transit", servers it runs in a secure data center, multi-factor login and passkeys. [14]
Recent changes
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | IRS Free File for 2025 returns closed, including FreeTaxUSA's Free File offer (IRS: open through October 15, 2026). [16] |
| Aug 27, 2026 | FreeTaxUSA updated its privacy policy and terms of use. [11] |
| Jan 9, 2026 | IRS listed TaxHawk (FreeTaxUSA) among the eight IRS Free File partners for 2025 returns. [15] |
FreeTaxUSA FAQ
Is FreeTaxUSA really free?
The federal return is $0 for every situation the software supports, with no income limit, for 2025 returns. State returns cost $15.99 each, and support add-ons, Audit Defense and paying from your refund cost extra.
How much does FreeTaxUSA cost for 2025 returns?
Federal $0 and $15.99 per state. Optional add-ons: Deluxe $7.99, Pro Support $64.99, Audit Defense $19.99, and $24.99 to pay from your refund. Prices for 2026 returns had not been published as of October 19, 2026.
Is FreeTaxUSA part of IRS Free File?
Yes. For 2025 returns its Free File offer gave free federal and state returns to filers with AGI of $51,000 or less, or $89,000 or less for active-duty military, when started from IRS.gov. The IRS program limit is $89,000; the offer closed on October 15, 2026.
Can FreeTaxUSA handle stock sales and self-employment?
Yes, on the free federal return: Form 8949 and Schedule D for stock and crypto sales, Schedules C and SE for self-employment, and Schedule E for rentals. Our <a href="/tools/capital-gains-tax-calculator/">capital gains tax calculator</a> estimates the tax on a sale.
Does FreeTaxUSA charge for state returns?
Yes: $15.99 per state for 2025 returns and $17.99 for prior-year state returns. The state return is free only through its IRS Free File offer.
How we researched this review
We did not get paid for this page. On October 19, 2026 we read FreeTaxUSA's own pricing pages, product comparison, guarantee terms, help center and privacy notice, quoted each fact and link every one below; regulator actions come from the regulator's own site. We did not file a return with it, and we do not score tax software. Prices are for 2025 returns; we re-check them when prices for 2026 returns come out and then monthly through April.
Sources
- FreeTaxUSA, Pricing (2025 returns), checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Deluxe, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Pro Support, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Audit Defense, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Amended returns, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Prior-year returns, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Import, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Support, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Home page (phone hours), checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, ProCheck Terms of Use, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Terms of Use (updated August 27, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, IRS Free File offer for 2025 returns, checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Privacy policy (updated August 27, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- FreeTaxUSA, Security, checked October 19, 2026.
- IRS, IR-2026-05: Use IRS Free File (January 9, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- IRS, IR-2026-101: Extension filers can use IRS Free File (August 26, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- eCFR, 26 CFR 301.7216-3: Consent to use or disclose tax return information, checked October 19, 2026.
Head-to-head comparisons
- FreeTaxUSA vs TurboTax
- FreeTaxUSA vs TaxAct
- FreeTaxUSA vs TaxSlayer
- FreeTaxUSA vs H&R Block
- FreeTaxUSA vs Cash App Taxes
This review is for general information, not tax advice. Prices change through the filing season; confirm the price on FreeTaxUSA's site before you file.