H&R Block Review (2026)
H&R Block suits filers who want free federal and state filing for a simple return, and the option of a tax pro review or an office visit if they get stuck. The one thing to know: Free Online excludes itemizing, HSAs and Schedules C, D and E, and every paid tier adds $49 per state. For 2025 returns, Deluxe is $65, Premium $105 and Self-Employed $130.
By Wealthy Pot Editorial · Facts checked October 19, 2026
Facts checked October 19, 2026 against H&R Block's own pricing pages, guarantee terms, help center and privacy notice (11 sources, listed below). We re-check prices about once a month. We do not earn a commission from H&R Block.
H&R Block at a glance
| Free Online (2025 returns) | $0 federal and $0 state; H&R Block says approximately 52% of filers qualify [1] |
|---|---|
| What Free Online covers | W-2, interest and dividends up to $1,500, unemployment, retirement distributions, EITC, Child Tax Credit, student loan interest; no itemizing, HSA or Schedules C, D, E [1] |
| Deluxe (2025 returns) | $65 federal + $49 per state; itemizing, HSA, childcare, Schedule C income without expenses [1] |
| Premium (2025 returns) | $105 federal + $49 per state; stocks, crypto, rentals [1] |
| Self-Employed (2025 returns) | $130 federal + $49 per state; Schedule C with business expenses [1] |
| Tax Pro Review (2025 returns) | Free + Review $75, Deluxe + Review $130, Premium + Review $200, Self-Employed + Review $225, plus the tier's state fee [3] |
| Assisted filing | Tax pro in an office, virtually or by drop-off, starting at $99 plus a state fee [4] |
| Live help in the software | Unlimited expert help (AI Tax Assist plus live tax pros) on Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed; not on Free Online [1] |
| IRS Free File | Not among the eight partners the IRS listed for 2025 returns [10] |
| Amended returns | Amended-return service with a tax pro starts at $99 [5] |
| Pay fees from your refund | $42 Refund Transfer, provided by Pathward, N.A. [1] |
| Accuracy guarantee | Penalties and interest from an H&R Block error; up to $10,000 for software errors [6] |
| Audit help (online) | Help understanding an IRS notice; representation sold separately (Worry-Free Audit Support) [6] |
| Mobile app | H&R Block Tax Prep app and MyBlock app [1] |
What filing with H&R Block costs
| Do-it-yourself tier | Federal | One state | Handles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Online | $0 | $0 | Simple Form 1040 returns |
| Deluxe | $65 | $49 | Itemizing, HSA, childcare, Schedule C income without expenses |
| Premium | $105 | $49 | Stocks and crypto (Schedule D), rentals (Schedule E) |
| Self-Employed | $130 | $49 | Schedule C with business expenses |
Three common returns, federal plus one state
| Your return | Tier you need | Federal | State | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple return: W-2 income, standard deduction | Free Online | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| You sold stocks or crypto (Schedule D) | Premium | $105 | $49 | $154 |
| Self-employed with business expenses (Schedule C) | Self-Employed | $130 | $49 | $179 |
Prices for 2025 returns (the 2026 filing season), read on H&R Block'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 H&R Block works
H&R Block's online tiers go by the forms on your return. Free Online takes a Form 1040 with W-2 wages, up to $1,500 of interest and dividends, unemployment, retirement distributions, the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and student loan interest. Itemizing (worth it only if your deductions beat the standard deduction), an HSA or freelance income without expenses moves you to Deluxe. Stock, bond or crypto sales and rental income need Premium, and a Schedule C with business expenses (home office, vehicle, supplies) needs Self-Employed. H&R Block says that if you have no business expenses to deduct, Deluxe is the cheapest way to file a Schedule C.
The state return is $0 on Free Online and $49 per state on every paid tier. Tax Pro Review, where a tax pro checks your return and files it for you, raises the federal price to between $75 and $225 depending on the tier. If you would rather hand the return over, assisted filing in an office or online starts at $99. Paying from your refund through a Refund Transfer adds $42. These are H&R Block's prices for 2025 returns (the 2026 filing season); it had not published prices for 2026 returns as of October 19, 2026. The cost block on this page shows each tier and three worked cases, and the tax software comparison lines them up against the other filers.
One worked case from the cost block: a W-2 earner who sold stock needs Premium, so the bill is $105 federal + $49 for one state = $154. A freelancer with business expenses needs Self-Employed: $130 + $49 = $179. Adding Tax Pro Review to the stock-sale return makes it $200 + $49 = $249.
Pros
- Free Online includes the state return and covers unemployment and retirement income
- Paid tiers cost less than TurboTax's: Premium is $105 against $139
- Tax Pro Review and in-person offices if you want a person involved
- You can bring in last year's return from another preparer by uploading the Form 1040
Cons
- Every paid tier adds $49 per state
- Free Online excludes itemizing and HSAs
- Online audit help stops short of representation
- Not part of IRS Free File
Who H&R Block fits, and who should skip it
A good fit if
- Your return is simple (W-2, unemployment, retirement income, small amounts of interest) and you want federal and state for $0.
- You want an office you can walk into, or a tax pro to check your return, if the software is not enough.
- You have unemployment income: unlike TurboTax Free Edition, Free Online includes it.
Look elsewhere if
- You have stock sales, rentals or a side business and want to pay less: FreeTaxUSA charges $0 federal for those forms.
- You want stock sales and self-employment at one flat federal price: TaxSlayer Classic covers both at $44.99.
- You file in one state and want federal and state free with Schedules C, D and E: Cash App Taxes, if your forms are supported.
Limitations to know
- Free Online is for "simple tax situations only": it excludes itemizing, HSAs and Schedules C, D and E. [1]
- Stock and crypto sales need Premium ($105 for 2025 returns); deducting business expenses needs Self-Employed ($130). [2]
- Online audit help covers understanding an IRS notice. In-person audit representation is sold separately as Worry-Free Audit Support. [6]
- For software errors, the accuracy guarantee reimburses penalties and interest up to a maximum of $10,000. [6]
- Importing a return from another preparer means uploading last year's Form 1040, not a direct data transfer from the other company's software. [1]
H&R Block compared with alternatives
| Product | Free tier | State | Stock sales + 1 state | Self-employed + 1 state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) |
| FreeTaxUSA | Federal $0 for all supported situations | $15.99 per state | $15.99 (Federal (all situations)) | $15.99 (Federal (all situations)) |
| TaxAct | Free $0 (Form 1040 only) | $54.99 on Free; $64.99 per state on paid tiers | $164.98 (Premier) | $174.98 (Self-Employed) |
| 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) |
- Pick TurboTax if you want the most guided interview and Expert Full Service from the same account.
- Pick FreeTaxUSA if you want $0 federal filing even with stock sales, rentals or self-employment.
- Pick TaxAct if you qualify for IRS Free File or want a $100,000 accuracy guarantee.
- Pick TaxSlayer if you want every form, including stocks and Schedule C, at one low federal price.
Security and privacy
- H&R Block's online privacy notice says most of the data it holds is covered by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, that it discloses information to the IRS and states as required, and that "We may disclose your information to other third parties when we have your consent or direction to do so." [7]
- The notice says H&R Block uses pixels and cookies on its sites and apps, and that it keeps "a record of questions submitted to AI Tax assist along with the corresponding AI Tax Assist answers." [7]
- The notice does not cite Internal Revenue Code section 7216 by number. Federal rules under that section require consent to use or share return information to be written, signed and dated, and say consent cannot be a condition of the service. [11]
Recent changes
| Date | What changed |
|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2025 | FTC final order: H&R Block pays $7 million, must let online customers downgrade to a cheaper product without contacting support and without losing the data they entered (in full by the 2026 filing season), and "free" ads must disclose the share of taxpayers who qualify or that most do not. [9] |
| Feb 23, 2024 | The FTC filed an administrative complaint alleging that H&R Block's downgrade process deleted data customers had entered and that its "free" marketing was deceptive. [8] |
H&R Block FAQ
Is H&R Block really free?
For simple returns, yes: Free Online costs $0 federal and $0 state for 2025 returns. It covers W-2 income, up to $1,500 of interest and dividends, unemployment, retirement distributions and common credits. H&R Block says approximately 52% of filers qualify. Itemizing, an HSA or Schedules C, D or E require a paid tier. Our <a href="/best-free-tax-software/">best free tax software</a> guide compares the free options.
How much does H&R Block cost for 2025 returns?
Free Online is $0. Deluxe is $65, Premium $105 and Self-Employed $130 federal, plus $49 per state. Tax Pro Review raises the federal total to $75 to $225, and assisted filing with a tax pro starts at $99. Prices for 2026 returns had not been published as of October 19, 2026.
Is H&R Block part of IRS Free File?
No. H&R Block is not among the eight Free File partners the IRS listed for 2025 returns. Those partners, including FreeTaxUSA, TaxAct and TaxSlayer, offered free guided filing to people with an AGI of $89,000 or less.
Can H&R Block handle stock sales and self-employment?
Yes. Stock, bond and crypto sales need Premium ($105 for 2025 returns). Self-employment with business expenses needs Self-Employed ($130). If you have self-employment income but no expenses to deduct, H&R Block says Deluxe ($65) is enough. Our <a href="/tools/1099-tax-calculator/">1099 tax calculator</a> estimates the tax on freelance income.
Does H&R Block charge for state returns?
Not on Free Online, which includes the state return at $0. On Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed each state costs $49 for 2025 returns. Assisted filing adds a state fee that H&R Block does not publish in advance.
How we researched this review
We did not get paid for this page. On October 19, 2026 we read H&R Block'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
- H&R Block, Online tax filing (prices, forms FAQ and footnotes), checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, Premium Online, checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, Tax Pro Review, checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, File with a tax pro, checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, Past taxes and amended returns, checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, Guarantees, checked October 19, 2026.
- H&R Block, Digital, online and mobile privacy notice (effective August 4, 2026; Wayback Machine copy), checked October 19, 2026.
- FTC, FTC takes action against tax prep company H&R Block (February 2024), checked October 19, 2026.
- FTC, FTC finalizes order with H&R Block requiring them to pay $7 million (January 2025), checked October 19, 2026.
- IRS, Use IRS Free File to conveniently file your return at no cost (IR-2026-05, January 9, 2026), checked October 19, 2026.
- eCFR, 26 CFR 301.7216-3, Disclosure or use permitted only with the taxpayer's consent, checked October 19, 2026.
Head-to-head comparisons
This review is for general information, not tax advice. Prices change through the filing season; confirm the price on H&R Block's site before you file.