Best tax software for 2025 tax season - used TurboTax before, any reason to switch?
I've been using TurboTax for the last several years to file my taxes, but I'm starting to wonder if there might be something better out there for the upcoming tax season. With all the options available (H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA, TaxAct, etc.), has anyone found another software that offers better value or features than TurboTax? My tax situation isn't super complicated - I have a W-2 job, some basic investment income, and took the standard deduction last year. But I'm wondering if I'm missing out on something better or cheaper. TurboTax seems to get more expensive every year tbh. Any thoughts from people who've tried different tax software options? What are the pros/cons you've experienced?
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Ava Johnson
I've worked as a tax preparer for over 8 years and have used most major tax software options with clients. Honestly, they all accomplish the same basic function, but there are definitely differences worth considering. TurboTax is user-friendly but tends to be the most expensive option. If your tax situation is straightforward like you described, you could save money with FreeTaxUSA which offers a very similar experience at a fraction of the cost. Their federal filing is free and state returns are only around $15. H&R Block is somewhere in the middle price-wise and has improved their interface significantly in recent years. TaxAct is also worth considering if you want a balance of features and affordability. The key is matching the software to your specific needs. If you have investments, rental properties, or self-employment income, you might want the extra guidance from TurboTax or H&R Block. If you're comfortable with taxes and have a simpler situation, FreeTaxUSA or even the IRS Free File options might be perfect.
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Miguel Diaz
•Thanks for this breakdown! I've always used TurboTax too but the price increases are getting ridiculous. Do you know if FreeTaxUSA handles cryptocurrency transactions well? That's the only somewhat complicated thing I have.
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Ava Johnson
•FreeTaxUSA does handle cryptocurrency transactions, though their interface for it isn't quite as streamlined as TurboTax. You'll need to be a bit more knowledgeable about your transactions and might need to do some manual calculations before entering the information. If you have numerous crypto transactions, TurboTax might be worth the extra cost since they have better integration with many crypto exchanges and can sometimes import your transactions directly. But if you only have a few transactions and understand your basis and gains, FreeTaxUSA will absolutely get the job done for much less money.
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Zainab Ahmed
I switched from TurboTax to taxr.ai this past year and honestly wish I'd done it sooner. I was in the same boat - used TurboTax for years but kept seeing the price creep up every season. A friend recommended https://taxr.ai and I was impressed with how it handled my somewhat complicated situation (W-2 plus some freelance work and stock sales). What I really liked was how it analyzed my tax documents automatically - I just uploaded my W-2, 1099s, and investment statements, and it extracted all the info without me having to manually input everything. The AI also found deductions I would have missed on my own. Ended up saving about $740 more than what TurboTax calculated for me the previous year.
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Connor Byrne
•Does it handle state taxes too or just federal? I live in California and our state taxes are almost as complicated as federal sometimes.
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Yara Abboud
•I'm a little skeptical about AI handling something as important as taxes. How do you know it's getting everything right? Does it show you exactly what it's doing or is it just a black box that spits out numbers?
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Zainab Ahmed
•It handles both federal and state taxes - I also filed California and it managed all the specific state deductions and credits too. The interface walks you through both processes. Regarding AI accuracy concerns, I completely understand the skepticism. It's not a black box - it shows you exactly what information it extracted from each document and lets you verify everything before proceeding. You can override any entry if needed. Plus they have tax professionals who review complex situations. I actually compared the results with a manual calculation for peace of mind before submitting, and everything matched up perfectly.
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Yara Abboud
Update: I gave taxr.ai a try after posting my skeptical comment earlier. I uploaded last year's return (that I did with TurboTax) plus this year's documents to compare. Honestly, I'm impressed. The AI caught a home office deduction I qualified for but had missed completely. The interface was way easier to use than I expected. The document scanning feature saved me at least an hour of tedious data entry. And they explained every calculation in plain English instead of tax jargon. Going with them for my actual filing next year for sure.
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PixelPioneer
If you're dealing with any IRS issues from previous years while choosing your new software, I would strongly recommend Claimyr. I was trying to sort out a problem with my 2023 return that TurboTax couldn't help with, and spent WEEKS trying to get through to the IRS directly. After endless busy signals and disconnections, I found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 45 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - they basically navigate the IRS phone tree for you and call you when they have an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. Once I got my previous issues resolved, I switched to H&R Block for this year's taxes and found their interface more straightforward than TurboTax.
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Keisha Williams
•Wait how does this actually work? The IRS phone system is notoriously impossible to get through. Do they have some special access or something?
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Paolo Rizzo
•Sounds like a scam tbh. Nobody can get through to the IRS these days. I've tried calling over 20 times about my missing refund and always get the "too many calls" message.
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PixelPioneer
•They don't have special access, but their system continuously redials and navigates the IRS phone tree using automation until it gets through. It works because they're essentially doing what you would do manually (calling repeatedly until you get through) but their system can do it efficiently without you having to waste your time. I was definitely skeptical too before trying it. I had made 12 attempts to reach the IRS myself over two weeks with no success. With Claimyr, I got connected in about 40 minutes while I just went about my day until my phone rang. The agent was able to resolve my issue with my 2023 return that I'd been stressing about for months. Not a scam at all - just a smart solution to a frustrating problem.
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Paolo Rizzo
Alright I'm actually coming back to eat my words. After dismissing Claimyr as a probable scam, I was desperate enough to try it after getting nowhere with the IRS for 3 weeks about my missing refund. IT ACTUALLY WORKED. Got a call back in about an hour with an IRS agent already on the line. Turns out there was a simple verification issue with my return. The agent fixed it while I was on the phone and my refund should be processed within 2 weeks. Regarding the original question about tax software - I've used both TurboTax and H&R Block, and honestly prefer H&R Block's interface. It's a bit cheaper too.
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Amina Sy
I switched from TurboTax to FreeTaxUSA three years ago and have been super happy. My taxes include a W-2, some dividends, and mortgage interest - nothing too fancy. FreeTaxUSA handled everything just fine and saved me like $70 compared to what TurboTax wanted to charge. The interface isn't quite as polished but it gets the job done. One thing to watch out for with TurboTax is how they try to upsell you throughout the process. You start thinking you're getting the $39 version and somehow end up paying $89+ by the end because of "necessary" upgrades. FreeTaxUSA is much more straightforward with pricing.
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Oliver Fischer
•Do you know if FreeTaxUSA can import previous year's TurboTax returns? Or would I need to enter everything manually the first time I switch?
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Amina Sy
•You'll need to enter your information manually the first year you switch. FreeTaxUSA can't directly import TurboTax returns, which is honestly the biggest downside of switching. However, you can reference your previous TurboTax PDF while entering info, and after that first year, FreeTaxUSA will import your previous FreeTaxUSA return data. The manual entry took me maybe an extra 20-30 minutes the first year, but I've saved much more than that in both money and time (avoiding upsells) every year since.
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Natasha Ivanova
Has anyone tried Credit Karma Tax (now Cash App Taxes)? It's completely free for both federal and state, which seems too good to be true compared to the $100+ I paid for TurboTax last year.
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NebulaNomad
•I used Cash App Taxes last year after using TurboTax for years. It's legitimately free and worked fine for my relatively simple return (W-2, some investment income, student loan interest deduction). The interface is decent but not as hand-holdy as TurboTax. The only limitation I found is that it doesn't support multiple state returns, foreign income, or some more complex situations like trusts. But for most people with straightforward taxes, it's a solid free option.
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