On this page13 sections
FreeTaxUSA's Trustpilot page is mostly negative (2.7 from 196 reviews), with complaints about glitches and payments, so save copies of your return and confirm the IRS accepted it. It is a legitimate, long-running tax site owned by TaxHawk, Inc., an authorized IRS e-file provider and an original member of the IRS Free File Alliance. Federal filing is free for every tax situation, including Schedule C, rental income, stocks and crypto, and a state return costs $15.99, so most people pay far less than at TurboTax or H&R Block. The tradeoff is help: free support is email and in-app messages only, live chat costs $7.99, and phone access to a tax pro costs $64.99.
- Company
- FreeTaxUSA, owned and operated by TaxHawk, Inc., Provo, Utah; founded in 2001, per the company; TaxHawk also runs TaxHawk.com and Express1040.com1
- Federal return
- $0 for all tax situations, with no upgrades required, for the 2025 tax year1
- State return
- $15.99 each; prior-year state returns $17.991
- Support add-ons
- Deluxe $7.99 (live chat, priority support, unlimited amended returns); Pro Support $64.99 (CPAs and EAs by phone, chat or screen share, plus a final review)1
- Other fees
- Audit Defense $19.99; amended return $16.98 (prior year $17.97); pay with your federal refund $24.99; printed return $8.961
- Guarantees
- Calculation accuracy (reimburses resulting penalties and interest) and maximum refund (refunds filing fees and a free amendment)1
- Prior years
- Federal returns for 2018 to 2024 free; prior-year returns generally must be printed and mailed1
- Scale
- 82 million+ returns filed and 900+ forms supported, per the company1
- Company-reported rating
- Company-reported reviews: 4.8 out of 5; FreeTaxUSA says this comes from 604,000+ customer reviews it collects; not an independent rating1
Pros
- Free federal filing for every situation, including self-employment, rental and crypto
- $15.99 state returns, among the lowest posted prices
- Free federal extensions and free prior-year federal returns back to 2018
- Accuracy and maximum refund guarantees
- Two-factor login and passkeys
Cons
- Free support is email and in-app messages only
- Live chat costs $7.99 and phone help $64.99
- $24.99 to pay your fees out of your refund
- Trustpilot 2.7 out of 5, with complaints about glitches and charges
- Prior-year returns generally must be mailed
Best for: Confident do-it-yourself filers, including freelancers, landlords and investors, who want to pay little more than the state fee.
Skip it if: You want to talk to a person without paying extra, or you'd rather hand your return to a preparer.
FreeTaxUSA vs. competitors
| Company | Federal | State | Live help | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeTaxUSA | $0 for all situations | $15.99 each | Chat $7.99; tax pro $64.99 | Multiple states supported |
| Cash App Taxes | $0 | $0 | Not offered as a paid add-on | Multiple states not supported |
| TurboTax | $0 for simple returns; paid tiers up to $139 (federal and state) | Extra on paid tiers | Expert Assist $59 to $209 | Full Service from $129 |
| IRS Free File | $0 if AGI is $89,000 or less | Varies by partner | None | Guided software from IRS partners |
FreeTaxUSA pricing at a glance
FreeTaxUSA prices for the 2025 tax year, as listed October 20261
| Item | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Federal return | $0 | All forms and schedules, including C, D, E, F, SE, K-1 and 1099-DA crypto |
| State return | $15.99 | Each state; data pulls from your federal return |
| Federal extension (Form 4868) | $0 | Extends filing to October 15; tax owed is still due in April |
| Deluxe | $7.99 | Live chat, priority support, unlimited amended returns, 7-year file storage |
| Pro Support | $64.99 | Everything in Deluxe plus CPA or EA help by phone, chat or screen share and a final review |
| Audit Defense | $19.99 | CPA and EA help with IRS and state notices, up to $500,000 in services; federal covered 3 years, state 4 |
| Amended return | $16.98 current year; $17.97 prior year | Free with Deluxe or Pro Support |
| Pay with your federal refund | $24.99 | Card payment is free |
Prior-year federal returns (2018 to 2024) are free and prior-year state returns are $17.99. Printed returns are $8.96, or $17.96 bound.
FreeTaxUSA, step by step
Create an account
Sign up free. Returning users carry over last year's info, and you can import a prior return from TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct and others by uploading a PDF.
Enter your income
Snap or upload your W-2 and enter 1099s. Stocks and crypto can be uploaded as 1099-B or 1099-DA data or a Form 8949.
Pick add-ons only if you need them
Choose Deluxe for live chat, Pro Support for a tax pro, or Audit Defense. None is required to file.
Review and pay
The software checks for errors. Pay the state fee by card at no cost; paying from your refund adds $24.99.
E-file and confirm
File with the IRS and your state, then check e-file status in your account until both show accepted.
FreeTaxUSA legitimacy and licensing
Yes. FreeTaxUSA is run by TaxHawk, Inc. in Provo, Utah, an authorized IRS e-file provider and, by its own account, an original member of the IRS Free File Alliance. It says it was started in 2001 by a CPA and a software developer and has filed more than 82 million returns. TaxHawk has been BBB accredited since 2005 and holds an A- rating, with 80 complaints in three years.
Independent reviews are mixed. Trustpilot shows 2.7 out of 5 from 196 reviews, while FreeTaxUSA cites 4.8 out of 5 from more than 604,000 reviews it collects itself. FreeTaxUSA says it never sells tax return information and owns its own servers.
FreeTaxUSA pricing explained
Your federal return is $0 no matter how complex, and each state return is $15.99. That’s the whole cost for most people. Add-ons are optional: Deluxe ($7.99) adds live chat and unlimited amended returns; Pro Support ($64.99) adds a CPA or EA by phone and a final review; Audit Defense ($19.99) covers help with IRS and state notices.
Watch the small fees. Paying from your refund costs $24.99, more than the state return itself, while paying by card is free. An amended return is $16.98 unless you bought Deluxe. Older reviews that list the state fee at $14.99 are out of date.
What FreeTaxUSA supports
FreeTaxUSA lists more than 900 federal and state forms. The free federal return includes Schedule C and SE for freelancers and gig workers, Schedule E for rentals, Schedule D and 1099-B for stocks, 1099-DA for crypto (or an uploaded Form 8949 from Koinly, CoinLedger or TaxBit), Schedule F for farms, K-1s, the home office deduction and education credits. It also handles military, student, retiree and deceased-person returns, and the site is available in Spanish.
You can file federal returns for 2018 to 2024 free, though prior-year returns generally must be printed and mailed.
What customers say about FreeTaxUSA
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Low cost, with free federal filing for complex returns
- Simple, clear interface for straightforward returns
- Reliable federal e-filing
Common complaints
- Website glitches and lost entries
- Unexpected charges or confusion over what is free
- Payment problems, including double or declined charges
- Limited human support without paying for Deluxe
- Trouble with amendments, prior-year returns and some 1099 imports
Customer support and guarantees
Free support runs through email and an in-app message center, which FreeTaxUSA says typically replies within 30 minutes, plus an FAQ and a community forum. Live chat needs Deluxe, and phone calls with a tax pro need Pro Support. Pro Support hours in tax season are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern.
FreeTaxUSA guarantees its math: if a calculation error causes penalties or interest, it reimburses them. Its maximum refund guarantee refunds your filing fees and gives you a free amendment if another service finds a bigger refund. If a Pro Support tax pro gives wrong advice that leads to penalties, it reimburses those.
FreeTaxUSA complaints and how to avoid problems
Trustpilot complaints describe site glitches that lost entries, confusion over fees, double or declined card payments, slow help without Deluxe, and trouble with amendments, prior-year returns and some 1099 imports. Praise focuses on price and a simple interface.
- Pay the state fee by card instead of from your refund to avoid the $24.99 charge.
- Download a PDF of your return before and after filing.
- Check e-file status until both federal and state returns show accepted.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication or a passkey.
Free ways to file instead
If you want to pay nothing, IRS Free File offers guided software from IRS partner companies if your adjusted gross income is $89,000 or less, plus Free File Fillable Forms at any income. Cash App Taxes files one federal and one state return free. IRS-sponsored VITA sites prepare returns free for people who generally earn $70,244 or less, have a disability or speak limited English.
Alternatives to FreeTaxUSA
- Cash App Taxes Files one federal and one state return for $0 if you don't need multiple states. Read review
- IRS Free File Free guided federal filing if your AGI is $89,000 or less, and Free File Fillable Forms at any income.
- VITA IRS-certified volunteers prepare your return free if you meet the income or other eligibility rules.
- TurboTax Costs more but includes more hand-holding and full-service options if you want someone to do it for you. Read review
FreeTaxUSA reviews
Written by readers, read by our moderators, never edited by the company.
No reader reviews yet. If you have used FreeTaxUSA, yours will be the first.
Write a reviewHow do I know I can trust these reviews about FreeTaxUSA?
- Every reviewer confirms an email address before a review can publish.
- Our moderators read every review before it publishes.
- Companies can respond publicly but can never edit, hide or remove a review.
- Paying BestGuide never changes the reader rating or which reviews publish.
Frequently asked questions
Is FreeTaxUSA really free?
The federal return is free for every tax situation. State returns cost $15.99 each, and add-ons like live chat or audit defense cost extra.
Is FreeTaxUSA safe and legit?
Yes. It is run by TaxHawk, Inc. in Provo, Utah, an authorized IRS e-file provider BBB accredited since 2005. It offers multi-factor authentication and says it never sells tax return data.
How much does FreeTaxUSA charge for a state return?
$15.99 per state for the 2025 tax year, or $17.99 for a prior-year state return.
Does FreeTaxUSA handle self-employment and crypto?
Yes, at no federal cost. It supports Schedule C, Schedule SE, 1099-NEC, 1099-K and 1099-DA, and you can upload a Form 8949 from crypto tax tools.
What is FreeTaxUSA Deluxe?
A $7.99 add-on that gives you live chat, priority support, unlimited amended returns and 7 years of file storage.
Can I talk to a person at FreeTaxUSA?
Free users get email and in-app messages. Live chat needs Deluxe ($7.99), and phone calls with a CPA or EA need Pro Support ($64.99).
Who owns FreeTaxUSA?
TaxHawk, Inc., a Provo, Utah company that also runs TaxHawk.com and Express1040.com.
Can I file prior-year taxes on FreeTaxUSA?
Yes, for 2018 to 2024. Federal is free and state is $17.99, but prior-year returns generally must be printed and mailed.
Does FreeTaxUSA charge to take fees from my refund?
Yes, $24.99. Paying the state fee and any add-ons by card or digital wallet is free.
Can I import my TurboTax return into FreeTaxUSA?
Yes. Upload a PDF of last year's return from TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, TaxSlayer, Cash App or others.
Sources (7)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- FreeTaxUSA: Site guide with pricing, support, guarantees and security (llms-full.txt) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- BBB: TaxHawk, Inc. (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Trustpilot: FreeTaxUSA reviews (accessed October 12, 2026)
- IRS: IRS Free File, do your taxes for free (accessed October 12, 2026)
- IRS: Free tax return preparation for qualifying taxpayers (VITA) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Cash App Taxes: Home page (accessed October 12, 2026)
- TurboTax: Pricing (accessed October 12, 2026)
BestGuide is free to use. Some companies we review pay us when you visit their site or contact them through us. Compensation may influence which companies we feature and their order. It doesn't change what our reviews say. Advertising disclosure