Priority Tax Relief vs Optima Tax Relief: Full Comparison

When you owe the IRS and start researching tax relief companies, two names come up repeatedly: Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief. Both are legitimate. Both are accredited. Both can handle serious IRS problems. But they are not the same company, and the differences matter when you’re deciding who to trust with your case.

This comparison breaks down everything that actually matters: credentials, services, fees, customer reviews, guarantees, and who each company is best suited for. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of which firm better fits your specific situation, and what questions to ask before signing anything.

Company Overview: Size, History, and Credentials

Priority Tax Relief was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with a resolution office in Spokane, Washington. With nearly two decades of operating history, it is one of the longer-tenured tax relief firms in the country. The company employs tax attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents and positions itself as a boutique firm where cases receive more individualized attention.

Optima Tax Relief was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California. It has grown into one of the largest tax relief companies in the United States, with an estimated 500 to 1,000 employees. Optima was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2021 and runs a nationally recognized advertising campaign, which is part of why it is so widely recognized.

Both companies employ the full range of licensed professionals required for IRS representation: enrolled agents (federally licensed for IRS matters), CPAs, and tax attorneys. Neither company should be handling your case with unlicensed representatives, and both have the credentials to represent you before the IRS.

Choosing between Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief comes down to more than brand recognition. Comparing fees, review scores, and guarantees before you sign is the step most people skip.

BBB Ratings and Third-Party Review Scores

Both companies hold an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and are BBB-accredited. That puts them in the top tier of the industry. But when you look beyond the letter grade, meaningful differences emerge in how customers rate their actual experiences.

Priority Tax Relief holds a BBB customer review average of 4.92 out of 5 stars based on verified reviews, a near-perfect score that is unusually high in an industry known for customer friction. On Google, the company averages 4.8 out of 5 stars across close to 600 reviews. Trustpilot ratings are similarly strong, with over 300 verified reviews and a near-perfect average.

Optima Tax Relief averages 4.4 out of 5 stars on the BBB based on more than 2,000 customer reviews, which reflects the volume that comes with being a much larger operation. Trustpilot reviews are positive overall, though Optima’s Yelp rating sits around 1.8 out of 5 stars from more than 500 reviews, driven largely by complaints about communication and cases where the final outcome fell short of what clients expected.

It is worth noting that Optima’s sheer size means more reviews in absolute terms, including more complaints. Priority Tax Relief’s smaller footprint makes it harder to draw definitive conclusions from the review data, but the pattern is consistent: clients report higher satisfaction rates with Priority across every major platform.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Services: What Each Company Offers

The core resolution services offered by Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief are nearly identical, which is true of most credentialed firms in this industry. The IRS resolution toolkit is standardized by federal law, so what differentiates companies is how they execute, not what they offer on paper.

Both companies handle Offers in Compromise (settling for less than the full balance owed), installment agreements, penalty abatement requests, Currently Not Collectible status, unfiled tax returns, wage garnishment releases, and bank levy releases. Both can represent clients before the IRS under Power of Attorney.

One area where Optima’s size becomes an advantage is breadth of support resources. The company operates a large in-house team and has experience handling very high-complexity cases with significant federal and state tax debt. If you have an unusually large balance, multiple business entities involved, or both federal and state issues across multiple years, Optima’s operational scale may be a factor in your favor.

Priority Tax Relief, by contrast, tends to appeal to clients who want more direct access to their case manager and a less corporate experience. Reviewers consistently note faster response times and more consistent communication compared to firms that manage thousands of cases simultaneously.

If you want to understand the mechanics of what these firms actually do on your behalf before engaging either one, the article What Are Back Taxes and How Do You Resolve Them explains the IRS resolution process from the taxpayer’s perspective.

Fees: Which Company Costs More?

Neither Priority Tax Relief nor Optima Tax Relief publishes a flat fee schedule, because case complexity varies too widely. However, based on available reporting, Priority Tax Relief tends to come in at a lower overall cost for comparable cases.

Priority Tax Relief typically charges around $350 for the initial investigation or discovery phase, with resolution fees generally ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the scope of work. Complex cases cost more.

Optima Tax Relief charges $495 to $995 for the investigation phase, with resolution fees typically ranging from $3,000 to $15,000. Most clients reportedly pay between $5,000 and $8,000. One recurring complaint in Optima reviews is that final fees came in significantly higher than initial estimates, with clients reporting that their bill grew without adequate explanation.

For a straight cost comparison, Priority Tax Relief is the more affordable option on average, and its investigation phase is less expensive as an entry point. That said, cost should not be the only variable. If a firm’s strategy results in a better IRS outcome, the higher fee may well be worth it. Get itemized quotes from both before deciding.

Money-Back Guarantees

Both companies offer money-back guarantees, though the terms differ.

Optima Tax Relief offers a 15-day money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied within the first 15 days of engagement, you can request a refund. This is one of the longer guarantee windows in the industry.

Priority Tax Relief offers a 10-day money-back guarantee, with the option to cancel in writing within three business days of signing the agreement. The policy allows for up to 50% refund of fees paid beyond the 10-day window in cases where no active IRS enforcement is in place.

In practice, these guarantees are most relevant in the very early stages of the engagement. Neither guarantee covers the full resolution phase, and neither protects you from an unfavorable IRS outcome once the case is underway. Read the contract carefully before you sign, and ask specifically what happens if the IRS denies your proposed resolution strategy.

Common Complaints: Where Each Company Falls Short

No tax relief company has a perfect record, and being realistic about each firm’s weaknesses is part of making an informed decision.

The most common complaints against Optima Tax Relief involve communication. Reviewers on Yelp and other platforms describe difficulty reaching their assigned case manager after the initial onboarding, slow response times, and a sense that cases were being managed passively rather than aggressively. A secondary complaint involves fee transparency, with some clients reporting that their final bill exceeded initial estimates by a significant margin.

Complaints against Priority Tax Relief follow a similar pattern in lower frequency, with some clients on PissedConsumer describing extended periods without meaningful case updates and final outcomes that did not meet their expectations. These complaints are consistent with the general dynamics of IRS resolution, where the agency’s timeline and decision-making are outside any firm’s control.

Neither company has faced regulatory action or disciplinary proceedings that would indicate systemic fraud or misconduct. The complaints on record reflect the inherent difficulty of IRS resolution work, not evidence that either company is operating dishonestly.

Who Should Choose Priority Tax Relief vs Optima Tax Relief?

Priority Tax Relief may be the better fit if you have a tax debt in the $10,000 to $50,000 range, you want a more personalized experience with direct access to a licensed professional, and you are price-sensitive on upfront investigation costs. Its track record on customer satisfaction is genuinely strong, and the smaller operation means your case is less likely to get lost in a queue.

Optima Tax Relief may be the better fit if your debt is very large, involves multiple years of unfiled returns, or spans both federal and state issues across multiple jurisdictions. Optima’s larger team can handle high-volume, high-complexity cases, and its brand recognition means it has more published case results to evaluate. The 15-day guarantee also provides a slightly longer window to assess the engagement before committing fully.

If you want a side-by-side look at how another top-rated firm compares to Optima, our Alleviate Tax vs. Optima Tax Relief comparison covers that matchup in detail and adds a third data point to your research.

You can also see an in-depth look at Priority Tax Relief’s credentials, pricing, and customer feedback in the Priority Tax Relief full review.

The Verdict

On the objective metrics that matter most, Priority Tax Relief edges out Optima: higher customer review scores, a longer operating history, and lower average fees. For most taxpayers with IRS debt in the standard range, it is the stronger option based on available evidence.

That said, Optima Tax Relief is not a bad choice. It is one of the most established firms in the country, holds the same A+ BBB accreditation, and has the staffing capacity to handle large and complex cases. If Optima is the firm you are most comfortable with after your free consultation, that is a valid decision.

The most important step is to get a free consultation from at least two firms before committing to either one. Compare the resolution strategy each proposes, the fee structure they offer in writing, and how responsive they are during that initial conversation. How a firm handles your inquiry before they have your money is often the best signal of how they will handle your case after.

For a broader view of what makes a tax relief company worth hiring, the guide to the best tax relief companies evaluates the full market using the same criteria covered in this comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Priority Tax Relief better than Optima Tax Relief?
By most third-party metrics, Priority Tax Relief scores higher on customer satisfaction and tends to charge lower fees. However, Optima Tax Relief is a larger operation with more resources for high-complexity cases. The better choice depends on your debt size and what you prioritize in a firm.

Are both Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief legitimate?
Yes. Both companies are BBB-accredited with A+ ratings, employ licensed tax professionals, and have been operating for over a decade. Neither has faced regulatory action or fraud allegations that would raise concerns about legitimacy.

What is the minimum debt required for Priority Tax Relief and Optima?
Both companies require a minimum tax debt of $10,000 to take on a case. Taxpayers with smaller balances are typically better served by a local CPA or by contacting the IRS directly through its Fresh Start program.

Which company charges more, Priority Tax Relief or Optima Tax Relief?
Optima Tax Relief tends to cost more. Its investigation phase ranges from $495 to $995 compared to roughly $350 for Priority Tax Relief, and its resolution fees typically run $5,000 to $8,000 on average, versus $2,000 to $5,000 for Priority.

Do Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief offer money-back guarantees?
Yes. Optima Tax Relief offers a 15-day money-back guarantee. Priority Tax Relief offers a 10-day money-back guarantee with written cancellation required within three business days of signing the agreement. Both guarantees apply to the early engagement phase only.

Can both companies negotiate an Offer in Compromise with the IRS?
Yes. Both Priority Tax Relief and Optima Tax Relief handle Offers in Compromise. However, no company can guarantee IRS approval of an OIC. Eligibility depends on your specific financial situation, and most applicants do not qualify. Any firm that guarantees a specific settlement amount before reviewing your finances is not being truthful with you.