TurboTax's interface guides you through the tax filing process like no other software we've tested, making it an editor's choice pick this year.
The popular online tax filing service works best for taxpayers who are completing simple tax returns (W-2, student loan interest, some credits) on their own for free. However, it may be worth paying for a higher tier due to the intuitive user experience you'll receive.
Keep in mind that the promotional pricing period for TurboTax is over as of April 1. You'll now have to pay the full rate to file your taxes with this service. TurboTax is the most expensive tax-filing software we test at CNET.
On the plus side, TurboTax’s guidance, free information and hand-holding capability offers tons of value. TurboTax also continues to invest in AI to automate filing your tax return and catch mistakes in real time.
That said, it's worth checking out other tax filing options if you need to file multiple state returns or are self-employed and want to save a few dollars.
- Intuitive user interface
- Fast filing process
- Helpful Q&A style format guides you through each section
- Integrations with accounting software
- More expensive than competitors
- State filing costs extra (per state)
- Only filers with simple returns may qualify to file for free
- No brick-and-mortar locations for assistance
Who should use TurboTax?
TurboTax is a great choice for a wide range of tax filers -- particularly students and adults with simple tax returns who can take advantage of TurboTax Free Edition (Note: 37% of taxpayers qualify for TurboTax Free Edition; simple form 1040 returns only with no schedules except for the earned income tax credit, child tax credit and student loan interest).
If you have a more complicated tax situation, TurboTax still works well, but it gets more expensive. Want to claim housing deductions? Did you donate to charity? This will push you up to the Deluxe tier. Earned rental income or selling stocks will catapult you to TurboTax’s Premium tier.
For some, TurboTax's industry-leading software will be worth the price because it's better than manually entering tax information for each form on most other services. But there are ways to make your taxes more affordable.
Since TurboTax charges $64 per state tax return, if you worked in one state and lived in another in 2024, a company like Jackson Hewitt, which offers a $25 flat-fee federal and unlimited state returns option, may be a better choice. And if you're self-employed, TaxSlayer could save you money.
How much does TurboTax cost?
TurboTax online offers three tiers for online tax filing -- TurboTax Free Edition, Deluxe and Premium. TurboTax currently charges $79 for Deluxe and $139 for Premium federal filing. State returns cost $64 each with either tier.
TurboTax also offers two additional levels for taxpayers who want help in filing their return. TurboTax Live Assisted uses AI to pair you with a tax expert based on your tax situation, while TurboTax Live Full Service lets you hand over your tax documents to a tax pro who will prepare your taxes for you. TurboTax's tax experts can handle all kinds of tax situations and are up to date on all tax laws, including crypto and the latest credits, according to the company.
TurboTax Free Edition: Best for students and filers with simple returns
A simple tax return covers a W-2 and limited interest and dividend income (forms 1099-DIV and 1099-INT for earnings under $1,500), student loan interest (1098-E) and other tax credits. With Free Edition, you can also claim the standard deduction, earned income tax credit and the child tax credit.
Basic returns, however, don't include itemized deductions, so you'll have to stick to a simple 1040 return (no Schedule A). Earnings from rental property, freelance and gambling winnings are also not covered.
If you don’t qualify to file for free with TurboTax, it’s worth checking to see if you’re eligible to file for free through IRS Free File or another option, such as H&R Block Free Edition or FreeTaxUSA for federal filing only.
Disclaimer: Not all taxpayers qualify to file for free. About 37% of taxpayers qualify. Form 1040 and limited credits only. Learn more at TurboTax.
Deluxe: Best for maximizing deductions and credits
If you qualify for credits or deductions not covered in the lower tier, it could be worthwhile to upgrade to Deluxe. At the time of publishing, TurboTax is charging $79 under promotional pricing for Deluxe for federal returns and $64 for each state return.
The Deluxe tier includes everything in the Basic version but also searches for more than 350 tax deductions and credits to find tax breaks that you qualify for. That makes it a good option if you had unemployment income, paid mortgage interest, contributed to a health savings account or had childcare expenses in 2024.
Premium: Best for investors, freelancers and business owners
TurboTax’s Premium tier caters to freelancers, investors and filers with rental income. The tier currently costs $139 for a federal return and $64 per state return.
This filing option allows freelancers, contractors and small business owners to report personal and business income and expenses, along with investment and rental property earnings. Even if you have a salaried job, if you did any freelance work in 2024, you’ll need to pay for this edition if you want to claim certain business deductions.
While all versions of TurboTax include an audit support guarantee, it’s particularly helpful for freelancers and self-employed workers. If the IRS audits your tax return, you can request assistance from a tax professional through TurboTax’s audit support center.
TurboTax Products, compared
| Best for | Product | Federal | State* | TurboTax Live Assisted | TurboTax Live Full Service |
| Students and simple 1040 returns | Free Edition | $0 | $0 | $79 federal; $59 state. | Starting at $129 federal; $69 per state. |
| Maximizing tax deductions and credits | Deluxe | $74 | $64 | $129 federal; $69 state | Starting at $189 federal; $69 per state. |
| Crypto, investing, real estate income, self-employed | Premium | $139 | $64 | $209 federal; $69 per state | Starting at $269 federal; $69 per state. If self-employed: starting at $349 federal; $69 per state. |
*Pricing is per state return.
What's it like to use TurboTax this year?
New and returning TurboTax customers will be asked to answer a few questions about their tax situation and how much help they'll need from an expert to file this year. In most cases, the DIY option works best, unless you have a really complicated tax situation. TurboTax will then create a personalized checklist of tax forms you'll need to file an accurate return.
This year marks the second tax filing season for TurboTax with Intuit Assist, its generative AI assistant also available on QuickBooks. The technology still works mostly in the background in year two by checking for errors in real time and analyzing uploaded documents.
Due to TurboTax's commitment to AI, a majority of tax forms needed to report income and eligible deductions can be autofilled on your tax return by uploading a file or snapping a photo. Some forms, like 1099-DIV and 1099-INT, can be added by linking directly to your bank or brokerage account.
But there are still some exceptions. Tax forms 1099-K and 1099-NEC will require side hustlers and freelancers to input data manually, according to my tests. The same goes for reporting your rental property earnings and expenses on Schedule E.
Using TurboTax remains a breeze because it holds your hand through the entire tax filing process. And its interactive software makes filing taxes, dare I say, fun? But as frequent users can attest, you'll definitely field numerous pitches asking you to upgrade to a tier or add an ancillary service you likely won't need. TurboTax, like many of its competitors, guarantees your taxes will be done accurately, no matter how you file.
Upgrading and downgrading
While testing on a personal account, TurboTax offered me the chance to upgrade to TurboTax Live Assist and TurboTax Full Service. It also pitched me on round-the-clock protection "Max Benefits" package that included full audit protection, priority customer service and, weirdly enough, identity theft protection through IDNotify that lasts about one year.
If you start on the Deluxe or Premium tier and want to downgrade to the Free Edition, click on "switch products" on the left side navigation bar. You can't downgrade from Premium to Deluxe, however. Instead, I found that you'll need to downgrade to Free Edition first and then upgrade to Deluxe. It's an extra step, but you do not lose any of your saved data by doing this. You could, however, save yourself some cash if you qualify for a lower tier.
You can upgrade to TurboTax Live Assisted or TurboTax Live Full Service at any time during the tax filing process by clicking "Switch Products" followed by "Upgrade" on the left side of your screen.
If you change your mind and want to file DIY or with Live Assisted, click "Do my own taxes" on the same left-side menu to opt out of Full Service. (Note: You can do this only after choosing your tax expert.) By default, you'll be downgraded to the Live Assisted option, but you should be able to downgrade to DIY filing again when you reach the checkout screen, according to TurboTax. Here's how you do that.
Price transparency
What I do appreciate about TurboTax this year is how noticeably transparent the service is with its pricing as you work on your return. When you add a form to your return not covered by Free Edition or Deluxe, the software immediately tells you to upgrade to the next tier to file an accurate return.
You can also check in on your costs throughout the filing process in two ways. You can either click on "price preview" at the top right of the screen while logged in or go to the left-hand navigation bar and click "tax tools" followed by "tools" and "my fees."
TurboTax has been scrutinized by the Federal Trade Commission about its lack of price transparency in the past -- including accusations that the service used deceptive marketing to trick customers into believing they could file their taxes for free when, in fact, they didn't qualify. This resulted in customers paying to file their taxes on the platform.
If you choose to file with TurboTax this year and have to pay to file your taxes, you can combat this somewhat by looking for rebate offers on your credit cards. Both American Express and Chase are again offering me cash back if I use my credit card to pay for TurboTax’s services this year (terms apply).
Are TurboTax Live Assisted and Full Service worth the cost?
If you’re comfortable doing your own taxes, you probably won't need TurboTax’s expert help -- and can ignore software suggestions for you to pay for ease of mind or a hands-free experience.
TurboTax's best attribute is its intuitiveness. Answers to your common tax questions are very accessible and are easy to understand. For example, TurboTax will often tell you where you can find the information it needs from you on a tax form. This makes the added Live Assisted option, where you can ask an expert questions and have them review your return at the end, mostly unnecessary.
If you're interested in TurboTax Live Full Service, where you send your tax documents to a tax preparer, we recommend comparing the cost of a local tax expert against TurboTax's offering to determine which makes sense for you.
Other notable features
TurboTax's help and information are great and give you the confidence to file your taxes accurately on your own. You can access help guides by clicking "search" at the top right of the screen. That will spawn a pop-up panel on the right side of the screen where you can ask questions or click on frequently asked questions that will update depending on what part of your return you're on. I find this feature to be invaluable for new DIY filers.
Even if you're not logged in to your TurboTax account, the company has a list of resources and articles available for free to the public, including a tax refund calculator and crypto tax calculator.
TurboTax also supports filing your taxes in Spanish. However, at the time of this review, TurboTax is still translating some of its pages to Spanish, so filers may see some pages in English.
The mobile app experience is also quite good. While I’m not a fan of handling financial matters on mobile -- for both personal and practical reasons -- TurboTax makes it easy. It’s a bit harder to read the additional information given the smaller screen, but you can still follow along with TurboTax’s interview-based approach on a limited interface.
This year, you can receive your tax refund in a few ways through TurboTax:
- Direct deposit into your checking, savings, brokerage or IRA account
- A paper check in the mail
- US Savings Bonds
- A credit for next year's taxes
TurboTax is again offering refund advance loans this year of up to $4,000 within minutes after your return is accepted by the IRS. Refund advance loans are offered by First Century Bank, NA or WebBank.
Read more: Yes, You Can Get Up to $4,000 Now With a Tax Refund Advance -- but It's Risky
Is TurboTax right for me?
If you want to get your taxes done quickly with as little headache as possible, TurboTax is a top choice. The way TurboTax's software holds your hand through the tax-filing process is unmatched. That said, there are cheaper options available to you if you plan to deduct freelance expenses or need to file multiple state returns. My advice is to file your taxes as early as possible so that you can take advantage of promotional rates.
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