TurboTax review 2026: Intuitive interface, popular free tier

TurboTax has an easy-to-follow interface that even the most novice filer can understand, with live assistance from tax pros if you get in over your head.

Intuit claims roughly 37% of filers qualify for its free tier, which lets you report W-2 income and claim limited tax breaks — like the child tax credit, the earned income credit and student loan interest.

If you don't have a simple return, however, paid plans are pretty pricey and come with lots of bells and whistles you might not need.

Free online filing with TurboTax is available for state and federal taxes for filers with simple returns. The company claims 37% of filers qualify for the free edition, which supports a simple Form 1040 and no schedules except for the child tax credit, the earned income credit and student loan interest deduction.

If you're itemizing deductions, you'll need to select a paid plan. Pricing begins at $39 for a federal tax return and $39 per state return.

The cost of tax software changes frequently, so check the TurboTax website for current pricing or promotions.

TurboTax offers several tiers for DIY and assisted filing.  

Free

TurboTax Free Edition includes federal returns for W-2 income but no schedules except for the child tax credit, earned income tax credit and student loan interest.

Deluxe

This tier allows for itemized deductions and takes more credits than the free plan. Users can report business income but not capital gains or losses. Both Deluxe and Premium customers have access to ItsDeductible, a donation calculator that can assess the value of donated clothes, household goods and more.

Premium

Can report income from businesses, investments, rental properties and more. Investors can automatically import up to 20,000 crypto transactions at once and 10,000 stock transactions at once. Freelancers can claim home office expenses, mileage and other expenses.

Live Assist

Can be added to any plan for unlimited help from tax experts, plus a final review before you file. 

Live Full Service

An expert matched to your situation does your taxes from start to finish. In 35 states and Washington, D.C., local tax pros are available by phone, video or in person through Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro.

TurboTax provides several ways to get your refund:

• Direct deposit into a checking, savings, brokerage or IRA account
• Get your refund five days early by depositing it in a CreditKarma money account
• Paper check
• U.S. savings bonds
• A credit for next year's taxes
• Refund advance loan: Eligible filers can qualify for up to $4,000 within 60 seconds of IRS acceptance with a no-fee, zero-interest loan from CreditKarma.

For a $40 service fee, you can deduct the cost of your TurboTax service from your refund.

DIY TurboTax filers can import PDFs of previous returns, data files from H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt and Tax Act or smart import from participating employers. If TurboTax doesn't recognize your EIN, you can use the mobile app to snap a photo of your W-2 and upload it.

It's also integrated with QuickBooks, streamlining the filing process for self-employed workers who use both Intuit products.

TurboTax's AI-powered Intuit Assist feature searches for more than 450 deductions and credits you could qualify for. 

With Live Assisted, you can get phone, chat or screen-share access with a tax pro, as well as a final review before you file. Vetted experts are available daily from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

You can let someone else handle your return with the Live Full Service option or, in select markets, choose Intuit TurboTax Verified Pro and be matched with an independent local tax professional in your area for online or in-person assistance.

TurboTax guarantees the accuracy of your return and will reimburse users for any penalty or interest assessed by the IRS because of calculation errors. It also guarantees the maximum refund available or it will refund the purchase price, (TurboTax Online Free Edition customers are still entitled to a payment of $30.) 

TurboTax DIY plans and live experts are available in English or Spanish.

We put TurboTax up against two major tax-prep competitors.

Turbo Tax vs. H&R Block

The biggest difference between H&R Block and TurboTax is price: Both companies have free plans but, if you need a paid tier, H&R Block is generally the cheaper option.  

TurboTax has begun offering in-person tax assistance, however, removing one of H&R Block's chief advantages. It also makes tax refund advance loans available for up to $4,000. (H&R Block doesn't provide refund advances to online customers.)

TurboTax vs TaxSlayer 

Although TaxSlayer and TurboTax are close competitors, TurboTax offers more tax breaks in its free edition, including the earned income tax credit and child tax credit.

TaxSlayer offers live assistance at a lower price, but only TurboTax offers full-service, in-person filing with its Verified Pro plan.

TurboTax Free Edition is a great option if you have a simple return and can use the free edition, which has an intuitive interface and can be used for both state and federal filing.

For more complex returns, TurboTax's paid plans are on the pricier side. But its generative AI-powered assistant can unlock valuable tax breaks that maximize your refund. There's also live human assistance if you get in over your head or just want a tax pro to do the heavy lifting.

In addition, TurboTax integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks (both are owned by Intuit), making it a smart choice if you're a small-business owner or self-employed worker who uses both products.