Intuit TurboTax Tax Software Review

Who is TurboTax best for?

TurboTax is best for those with simple tax returns, such as someone filing as single with no dependents or those with few deductions. If you have a complicated filing, you may be better off with a tax specialist or using a TurboTax Premium version, which can come with Live Assisted or Full Service packages for an extra cost.

TurboTax plans and cost

Some filers may get a free filing with TurboTax, but only about 37% of taxpayers qualify for a free federal and state return. For everyone else who doesn’t qualify for a free filing, there are various plans and starting costs to be aware of.

There are three main tiers of TurboTax: Do It Yourself (DIY), Live Assisted, and Live Full Service.

Special TurboTax promotion

TurboTax is offering a special promotion for new customers, or those who didn’t use TurboTax last year.

If you didn’t use TurboTax to file your taxes the previous year, you can get the “Do your own taxes” product for free (regardless of how complicated your return ends up being) if you file on mobile. This get this offer, you must file your taxes on mobile with TurboTax by February 18, 2025.

What we like about TurboTax

TurboTax’s simplicity is what makes it stand out. For those with simple 1040 filings and few deductions, you can have your taxes done in a matter of hours — and possibly for free. You can file your taxes right from your desktop or mobile without having to go anywhere. TurboTax can only take 21 days or less to send you a return if you’re owed one, so it’s a fast and simple tax filing option for many.

With the TurboTax Free Edition, it’s a much cheaper way to file taxes on average. The National Society of Accountants (NSA)⁽¹⁾ reports that the average cost for a Form 1040 tax filing without itemized deductions costs $176, and an itemized Form 1040 with Schedule A and a state tax return is $273.

Simple filings may be free

TurboTax offers TurboTax Free Edition, which allows qualified filers to file federal and state tax returns for free. You’ll need to be a 1040 form filer with limited deductions, and TurboTax states that around 37% of filers get free federal and/or state filings.

If you don’t qualify for a free return filing, you may be bumped up to the higher-priced plans, such as Live Assisted or Full Service. However, that state price is still cheaper than many competitors, such as H&R Block, where state returns are $70 each.

Upload your documents easily

Unlike going to a physical tax specialist who may require physical documents, TurboTax lets you upload your documents — and you can even upload a photo of each doc on the mobile app.

With a TurboTax account, you’ll get the service My Docs, which lets you upload tax forms. Simply select the year you’re filing for and upload the document you want.

Military discounts

Active duty and reservists of an enlisted rank (E-1 through E-9) with a W2 from DFAS can get their federal and state taxes filed for free. However, this excludes National Guard members and also excludes TurboTax Live products.

Lifetime guarantee

TurboTax guarantees to provide 100% accurate calculations, audit support and a maximum refund for the seven-year life of your tax return.

This means that if you have to pay the IRS, a state penalty or interest because of a TurboTax error, it will pay the penalty and interest. Also, if you get a larger refund or smaller tax due from a different tax preparation method, TurboTax will refund the federal and/or state purchase price you paid (Free Edition filers are limited to a payment of up to $30).

Will builder option

Will Builder, by ARAG, lets you create a will using state-specific templates developed by attorneys. You can create, edit and print an unlimited number of copies for friends or family while you have access to the Will Builder feature. Users report paying $39 for this extra option.

When you purchase the Will Builder feature, you’ll have access to it for at least one year. It’s also available for purchase post-filing.

Where it falls short

TurboTax has various strengths, but one of the biggest downsides with the software, noted by Redditors and multiple reviews, is how you may be upgraded to a new plan without knowing it. Or that if you choose to upgrade but later decide you don’t want it, it’s a pain to revoke that choice.

According to multiple customers, if you either accidentally upgrade your plan or try to cancel the upgrade, you have to restart your entire return. A few customers also stated they had to call TurboTax to start their returns over to get out of paying for the more expensive plan.

If you’re not sure TurboTax is the right option for you, compare these other top tax filing softwares.

How to sign up

TurboTax is pretty user-friendly and offers a simple way to sign up, file your taxes from home and receive your refund if you’re owed one.

1. Visit TurboTax's website or download the mobile app for your iOS or Android device.
2. Select Start for free on the site, and the questionnaire will start.
3. Tell TurboTax where you filed your taxes last year if you did. If you’ve never used TurboTax, it will prompt you to create an account. If you’ve already used TurboTax before, it’ll ask you to sign in.
4. Follow the steps and answer the questions provided, upload your documents and file your taxes.
5. Choose to pay TurboTax upfront if you owe for filing or deduct the filing cost from your expected return. TurboTax accepts credit, debit and prepaid cards.
6. Tell TurboTax how you want to receive your return if you’re expecting one.

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Product	Federal starting price	State returns starting price	Maximum return guaranteed?	Free options available?	Photo import of W2?	Live chat?
TaxSlayer	$22.95	$39.95	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Cash App Tax	$0	$0	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
FreeTaxUSA	$0	$14.99	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Chime Tax filing	$0	$0	Yes	Yes	No	No	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Intuit TurboTax	$89	$39	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
H&R Block	$35	$37	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
Keeper	$99	Included	Yes	No	No	Yes	Go to siteMore info Compare product selection Compare	loading
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Customer experience

TurboTax has a mixed bag of customer reviews — but when you make a mistake with people’s money, they’re not likely to stay quiet. TurboTax doesn’t do too well on Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau (BBB), with most reviews leaning negative. However, it’s worth noting that many of the reviews are directed at Inuit’s other products and TurboTax.

Many customers say they’ve had repeated issues recovering accounts or old returns. Many more reviews express disappointment over no longer qualifying for the free returns, and the annoyance of the constant recommendations of upgrading to a pricier plan. On Reddit, many users state they’ve found cheaper ways to file their taxes and have since moved on to H&R Block or FreeTaxUSA, or they directly go to the IRS’ site to file taxes.

Reviews for TurboTax’s mobile apps are a completely different story. On the Apple Store, users praise the easy-to-use app and are happy to file their taxes on their phones. It’s a similar story on Google Play.