Looking for alternatives to Turbo Tax - tired of high fees

Tax season is just around the corner, and I'm honestly fed up with Turbo Tax and their ridiculous pricing. Every year it seems like they're charging more for the same service, and I'm hitting my breaking point with them. I've been using Turbo Tax for about 5 years now, and my return isn't even that complicated - just a W-2, some basic deductions, and a small side business. Last year I ended up paying almost $120 after all their upsells and state filing fees! I know there are other options out there like Free Tax USA, and I've noticed some banking apps like Cash App and Current are advertising tax services now too. Has anyone tried any alternatives that they'd recommend? What was your experience like compared to Turbo Tax? Did you save money without sacrificing quality or accuracy? Just trying to make a smart choice before tax season hits and I feel trapped into using the same expensive option again.

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19 comments

Marilyn Dixon

•8M

I switched from Turbo Tax to FreeTaxUSA three years ago and haven't looked back. The interface isn't quite as polished, but it gets the job done just as well. Federal filing is free, and state returns are only $15 - way cheaper than what Turbo Tax charges. What I really appreciate is that they don't constantly try to upsell you on features you don't need. With Turbo Tax, I felt like every other screen was trying to get me to upgrade to a more expensive package. FreeTaxUSA just walks you through everything step by step, and it handles most situations including self-employment income (Schedule C), investments, and itemized deductions. The only potential downside is they don't have as many import options for forms, so you might need to manually enter more information than with Turbo Tax.

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Marilyn Dixon

•8M

The only feature I occasionally missed was the ability to import certain forms directly. With FreeTaxUSA I had to manually enter my W-2 information instead of just uploading a PDF or taking a picture. My refund amount was exactly the same as it would have been with TurboTax. I actually double-checked by entering my information in both systems the first year I switched (without paying for TurboTax), and the calculations matched to the penny. The tax code is the tax code - as long as you enter the same information, you should get the same result regardless of which software you use.

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TommyKapitz

•8M

After years of frustration with TurboTax's increasing fees, I discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) last year and it completely changed my tax filing experience. I was skeptical at first, but their AI-powered document analysis saved me hours of manual data entry. You just upload your tax documents, and it extracts all the information automatically - W-2s, 1099s, mortgage statements, everything. What really impressed me was how it handled my side gig and rental property. It identified all potential deductions I could take and explained everything in plain English. No more guessing if I'm entering things in the right categories!

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TommyKapitz

•8M

They use bank-level encryption for all document uploads and processing. Their privacy policy is actually stricter than most of the big tax prep companies - they don't sell your data to third parties for marketing purposes. They also delete your documents from their servers after processing if you want. Absolutely! That's actually where it really shines compared to other options. It handled my rental property, stock sales, cryptocurrency transactions, and freelance income without any issues. The best part is they don't have different pricing tiers based on your tax situation - it's all included in one package.

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Angel Campbell

•8M

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai that someone recommended earlier in this thread. I was really skeptical about switching from TurboTax since I've used it for 7+ years, but I'm so glad I did! The document scanning feature was a game-changer - I literally just took pictures of my W-2, 1099-INT, and mortgage statement, and it pulled all the numbers automatically with no typing. The interface was super intuitive, and I was able to file both federal and state returns for about 1/3 of what I paid TurboTax last year. What really sold me was how it explained everything in normal human language instead of tax jargon. When it found a potential education credit I qualified for, it explained exactly why I was eligible and how it affected my return. I actually feel like I understand my taxes better now!

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Harold Oh

•8M

If you're having issues with the IRS (like many of us do during tax season), I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I discovered them last year when I couldn't get through to the IRS about a notice I received after filing. After spending HOURS on hold over multiple days, I was at my wit's end. Their service basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue and calls you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me literally hours of listening to that awful hold music! You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It was particularly helpful when I needed to sort out an issue with my previous year's return that was affecting my refund processing time.

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Harold Oh

•8M

It's actually quite clever - they use an automated system that holds your place in line, then when they detect that an agent is about to answer, the system conferences you in so you're directly connected with the IRS agent. You're the only one who speaks to the IRS agent - Claimyr just manages the hold time for you. I completely understand your skepticism - I felt the same way initially! But it's absolutely legitimate. They don't ask for any sensitive tax information - they just need your phone number to call you back when an agent is available. The Washington Post and several major news outlets have covered their service. It saved me from what would have been another multi-hour hold time when I needed to resolve an issue with my refund.

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Summer Green

•8M

Following up on my skeptical comment about Claimyr - I actually tried it for an issue with my amended return that the IRS seemed to have lost track of. Not gonna lie, I was fully expecting it to be a waste of money or some kind of scam. I was SHOCKED when I got a call back saying my IRS agent was on the line! The whole process took maybe 10 minutes of my actual time instead of the 2+ hours I spent on my previous attempt. The IRS agent was able to locate my amended return and confirm it was being processed, giving me an estimated completion date. For anyone dealing with IRS issues while preparing this year's return, this service is a total game-changer. I'm still somewhat in disbelief that it worked so seamlessly!

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Gael Robinson

•8M

Don't sleep on Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax). It's completely free for federal AND state returns, and handles most tax situations including self-employment. I've used it for the past two years after switching from TurboTax. The interface is clean and straightforward, and they don't try to upsell you because there's nothing to upsell - it's already free! The only limitation is they don't support multiple state returns, foreign income, or some less common forms like Form 2555.

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