What's the best free way to file taxes in 2025? Other options better than TurboTax?

I've been using TurboTax for the last few years to file my taxes, but I'm wondering if I'm leaving money on the table. For 2025 filing season, I want to know if there are better free alternatives that might actually get me a higher refund? I work as a nurse with a fairly straightforward W-2, but I also did some side gig work this year that earned about $4,300. I'm not super tax-savvy, but I've heard different tax software might catch different deductions or credits. Has anyone compared different free filing options and actually seen a difference in their refund amount? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

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17 comments

Avery Saint

•8M

The IRS Free File program is probably your best bet for 2025. It's a partnership between the IRS and tax software companies that allows eligible taxpayers (generally those with AGI under $73,000) to file federal taxes completely free. Companies like TaxAct, FreeTaxUSA, and even TurboTax participate, though each has different eligibility requirements. With your side gig income, I'd specifically recommend FreeTaxUSA or Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax). Both handle self-employment income at no cost for federal filing, and FreeTaxUSA only charges about $15 for state filing. I've consistently found they offer the same refund amount as TurboTax for most straightforward situations because tax math is tax math - the calculations should be identical if you enter the same information. The difference comes down to user experience and how well they guide you through potential deductions for your side work. The IRS also offers Free Fillable Forms if you're comfortable doing taxes without guidance.

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Avery Saint

•8M

Yes, both FreeTaxUSA and Cash App Taxes include self-employment forms and guidance at no additional cost, unlike TurboTax which upgrades you to a paid tier. They'll walk you through common deductions like mileage, phone usage, and other business expenses related to your side gig. The difference is mostly in how intuitive the interface is and how much explanation they provide. Cash App Taxes tends to be more streamlined while FreeTaxUSA offers more detailed guidance. Both will help you complete Schedule C and calculate self-employment tax without charging extra.

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Keith Davidson

•8M

After trying multiple tax filing options over the years, I stumbled upon taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) and it's been a game-changer for comparing different filing options. It's not a tax filing service itself, but it analyzes your tax documents and tells you which credits and deductions you might be missing. I was shocked to find I'd been missing self-employment deductions for years when doing my side gig work. The tool basically checks your tax situation against common filing mistakes and optimization opportunities. For me, it showed I could deduct part of my internet and cell phone bills for my side work, which I had no idea about. Then you can take that info to whichever free filing option you prefer. Super helpful if you're not sure whether you're maximizing your refund.

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Keith Davidson

•8M

The tool can analyze both your current documents and previous returns if you upload them. It's especially helpful for side businesses like photography since it identifies industry-specific deductions you might qualify for. They don't store your documents permanently - they use encryption during analysis and then delete them after processing. It's actually more secure than many tax prep services since they're not keeping your data for marketing purposes. They just provide the analysis report and recommendations you can use anywhere.

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Ezra Bates

•8M

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai that I mentioned I was going to try. I uploaded my last year's return and some current documents, and wow - it found nearly $1,800 in deductions I completely missed for my photography business! It flagged that I wasn't deducting my camera equipment depreciation correctly and missed home office deductions I qualified for. I'm definitely using FreeTaxUSA this year with these new insights. The comparison feature showed exactly what I was missing compared to what a professional might find. Really glad someone mentioned this tool here!

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Sophia Carson

•8M

If you're filing close to the deadline or have questions about your return, getting through to the IRS is nearly impossible. I spent 3 weeks trying to get clarification on reporting my side gig income properly, calling multiple times daily only to get disconnected. Then I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) which basically holds your place in the IRS phone queue. You can see how it works in their demo video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Instead of wasting hours on hold, they call you when an IRS agent is about to answer. I got through in about 45 minutes (after trying for WEEKS on my own). The IRS agent cleared up my question about deducting expenses for my side work, which helped me choose the right filing option. Apparently TurboTax was actually making me categorize things in a way that was giving me a smaller refund.

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Sophia Carson

•8M

They use a combination of technology that navigates the IRS phone tree automatically and then holds your place in line. It's not a bot exactly, but a system that monitors the call and alerts you when a human is about to pick up. I was super skeptical too! I called for 3 weeks straight trying different times of day with no luck. But their system got me through on the first try. The IRS doesn't care how you get in the queue, and plenty of people do use this service, especially tax professionals who can't waste hours on hold. It's definitely legit - completely changed my perspective on dealing with the IRS.

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Brooklyn Foley

•8M

Ok I have to eat my words about Claimyr. After posting that skeptical comment, I was desperate enough to try it for a question about reporting stock sales on my taxes. I was convinced it would be a waste of time, but literally got a callback in 35 minutes saying my IRS agent was ready. The agent walked me through exactly how to report my stock transactions correctly, which apparently would have been handled wrong in the basic version of TurboTax. Based on what I learned, I'm switching to FreeTaxUSA this year since they handle investments in their free version. The IRS agent even mentioned that many people overpay by using premium tax software when they'd get the same refund with free options as long as they enter everything correctly. Saved me $89 on software and potentially much more on my actual return!

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Jessica Suarez

•8M

I was in one of the test states last year. It's pretty basic but works fine for simple returns. The interface is clean but there's minimal guidance - it basically asks you questions and fills in the forms. No fancy explanations or hand-holding like commercial software. The big limitation is it doesn't support all tax situations yet. I couldn't use it because I had HSA contributions. But if you have W-2 income, some 1099 interest, and standard deduction, it works perfectly fine. And you can't beat the price!

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