On this page14 sections
- Ratings and complaints
- ProSeries vs. competitors
- Pricing
- Step by step
- ProSeries legitimacy and licensing
- ProSeries cost
- What you get with ProSeries
- ProSeries complaints and common problems
- ProSeries refunds and cancellation
- Rules that apply to paid preparers
- Who should look elsewhere
- What customers say
- Alternatives
- FAQ
ProSeries is legitimate professional tax software from Intuit, the company behind TurboTax and QuickBooks, and it suits small and midsize practices that want a form-based Windows program with Intuit's e-signature, client portal and hosting options. It is not for people doing their own taxes. The tradeoffs are price (unlimited 1040s start at $2,605 a year versus $2,195 for Drake's single-user unlimited package), a strict refund window of five business days, and Windows only unless you pay for hosting. Intuit's company-wide BBB rating is D-, mostly from consumer products, so read renewal and auto-renew terms before you sign a multi-year deal.
- Maker
- Intuit Inc., Mountain View, California; ProSeries sits alongside Lacerte and ProConnect in Intuit's professional tax line2
- Who it's for
- Paid preparers (CPAs, enrolled agents and tax businesses); e-filing for clients needs an IRS EFIN2
- Price range
- Professional Pay-per-return from $539 a year; Basic 1040 from $729; Professional (unlimited 1040s) from $2,605; Essentials bundle $3,641; Advanced by quote, as listed October 20261
- Platform
- Installed desktop software for Windows, with optional monthly hosting powered by Rightworks; no native Mac version3
- Refund window
- New customers only, within five business days of the software release date or the payment date, whichever is later1
- Bank product fees
- Pay-by-Refund setup $59.90 per federal return (Refund Advantage) or $64.90 (Santa Barbara Tax Products Group), plus state fees1
- Support
- ProSeries service 1-800-434-6818; sales 844-877-9422; Intuit reports a one-minute average speed of answer, June 2024 to June 20252
- Trial
- Free trial of prior-year software for new customers; the desktop trial can't e-file or print2
Pros
- Backed by Intuit, with Intuit Sign e-signatures and a client document portal
- Several entry points, from $539 pay-per-return to unlimited 1040s
- Covers 1040 through 1041, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 990, 706 and 709 in Professional
- Optional Rightworks hosting with nightly backups kept 90 days
- Intuit reports a one-minute average speed of answer for support
Cons
- Unlimited 1040s start at $2,605 a year, above Drake's $2,195 single-user package
- Refunds only within five business days of release or payment
- Windows only unless you pay for hosting
- Per-return fees and hosting prices aren't listed on the pricing page
- Intuit's BBB rating is D- with 4,616 complaints in three years across its products
Best for: Small to midsize tax practices on Windows that want an Intuit form-based program with built-in e-signature and client portal.
Skip it if: You prepare only your own return, work on a Mac without hosting, or want the lowest unlimited price.
ProSeries vs. competitors
| Company | Entry option | Unlimited individual returns | Platform | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intuit ProSeries | Pay-per-return from $539 a year; Basic 1040 from $729 for 20 returns | Professional from $2,605 a year | Windows desktop, optional hosting | Intuit |
| Drake Tax | Drake Tax Online $299.99 plus $49.99 per return; Pay-Per-Return $379.99 with 10 returns | Drake Tax 1040 from $2,195 single user (TY2026 list) | Windows desktop or online | Taxwell |
| Intuit Lacerte | Pay per return | Not published; quote required | Windows desktop, optional hosting | Intuit |
| Intuit ProConnect Tax | Pay per return | Cloud | Intuit |
ProSeries pricing at a glance
ProSeries packages, as listed by Intuit October 20261
| Package | Starting price per year | Returns included | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Pay-per-return | $539 | Pay per return, individual and business | Multi-user eligible |
| Basic 1040 | $729 | 20, 50 or unlimited 1040s with states | Single user |
| Professional | $2,605 | Unlimited 1040s; 1041, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 990, 706, 709 available | Multi-user |
| 1040 Essentials | $2,605 (list $4,007) | Unlimited 1040 and all states; business returns pay per return | Multi-user |
| Essentials | $3,641 (list $5,602) | Bundle of 200 or 400 individual and business returns | Multi-user |
| Advanced | Call for pricing | Unlimited individual and business returns | Multi-user network license |
Pay-per-return requires an annual license fee; Intuit does not list the per-return fee on its pricing page. Hosting, Protection Plus audit defense and other add-ons are priced separately. Intuit advertises 33% off tax year 2026 bundles and three-year pricing for new customers on an auto-renewing contract. A deferred payment option requires enrollment by January 8, 2027.
ProSeries, step by step
Pick a package
Choose pay-per-return, Basic 1040, or an unlimited or bundled package based on your return count and mix. Call sales at 844-877-9422 for Advanced pricing or conversions.
Install or host
Install on Windows, or add monthly Rightworks hosting. Two or more hosted users need a separate network license.
Convert prior-year data
Intuit offers data conversion into ProSeries. Check that your current software is supported before buying.
Prepare and e-file
Prepare returns in forms or interview mode, collect documents through the client portal and get signatures with Intuit Sign. E-filing for clients requires your own EFIN.
Renew or cancel
Licenses are annual, and multi-year deals auto-renew. Refunds are only available within five business days of release or payment.
ProSeries legitimacy and licensing
Yes. ProSeries is made by Intuit Inc., the publicly traded company behind TurboTax and QuickBooks, and it is one of three Intuit professional tax products alongside Lacerte and ProConnect Tax. It is sold directly by Intuit and its sales agents at accountants.intuit.com, and support for ProSeries is at 1-800-434-6818.
Intuit’s BBB profile is rated D- with 4,616 complaints in three years, but that profile covers every Intuit product, and most complaints concern TurboTax and QuickBooks billing rather than professional tax software. For ProSeries, the issues preparers raise are software updates, renewal pricing and the short refund window.
ProSeries cost
Intuit lists six ProSeries options. Professional Pay-per-return starts at $539 a year plus per-return fees. Basic 1040 starts at $729 a year for 20 returns, with 50 and unlimited tiers. Professional, with unlimited 1040s and business forms available, starts at $2,605 a year. 1040 Essentials is listed at $2,605 (from $4,007) and Essentials, a bundle of 200 or 400 individual and business returns, at $3,641 (from $5,602). Advanced is by quote.
Extras add up. Intuit doesn’t list the per-return fee, hosting price or Protection Plus audit defense price on its pricing page, and refund transfer setup fees are $59.90 or $64.90 per federal return, usually passed to the client. New-customer three-year pricing locks in an auto-renewing contract with capped increases, so read the renewal terms.
What you get with ProSeries
ProSeries is installed Windows software. Professional covers individual returns and business and fiduciary forms including 1041, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 990, 706 and 709, with K-1 import, a client analyzer and unlimited 1099 and W-2 filing. Intuit Sign gives unlimited e-signatures and knowledge-based authentication at no extra fee, and a secure portal handles client organizers and document collection.
Hosting through Rightworks lets you run ProSeries remotely for a monthly fee, with nightly backups kept for 90 days. A deferred payment option lets eligible firms enroll by January 8, 2027 and pay by February 25, 2027. There is no native Mac version; Intuit’s community answers point Mac users to Windows virtualization, which support may not cover.
What customers say about ProSeries
Recurring themes across the review sites and complaint records listed above, not individual quotes.
Common praise
- Easy data entry and a familiar forms-based layout
- Fast to train new staff
- Reliable calculations and diagnostics for common 1040 work
- Intuit ecosystem tools such as e-signature, client portal and QuickBooks
Common complaints
- Mandatory updates during the workday and delayed state forms early in the season
- Price increases at renewal and limited package choices
- Support that can't fix installation or network problems
- Windows only without paid hosting
ProSeries complaints and common problems
Preparer reviews of ProSeries are generally positive on ease of use and training new staff. The recurring complaints are mandatory updates that interrupt work and block e-filing until installed, state forms that lag the start of filing season, price increases at renewal, limited bundle sizes, and support that can’t resolve installation or network problems.
To limit risk: install and test before the season, keep a backup of client data outside the program, read the auto-renew clause on any multi-year price, and make your buying decision within the five business day refund window.
ProSeries refunds and cancellation
Intuit’s refund policy is strict. New customers can request a refund within five business days of the software release date for the tax year purchased or the payment date, whichever is later, through their Intuit sales agent or Sales at 844-877-9422. No other refund requests are honored. Hosted subscriptions end on the 15th day after an unresolved failed payment, with 15 more days to retrieve your data.
Use the free trial, which runs prior-year software and can’t e-file or print, to test the program before you pay.
Rules that apply to paid preparers
The software doesn’t make you a preparer. Anyone paid to prepare federal returns needs a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) from the IRS, and to e-file client returns you need to be an authorized IRS e-file provider with an EFIN. Preparers who file 11 or more individual returns a year generally must e-file them. Check your state’s preparer registration rules too, since states such as California, Oregon, Maryland and New York have their own requirements.
Who should look elsewhere
If you are filing your own taxes, ProSeries is the wrong product; use consumer software, IRS Free File or a VITA site. Price-focused practices should compare Drake Tax, which lists unlimited 1040s from $2,195 for one user and includes prior-year editions. Mac users and remote teams may prefer a cloud product such as Intuit ProConnect Tax over paying for hosting, and firms with heavy partnership and corporate work may need Lacerte.
Alternatives to ProSeries
- Drake Tax Usually cheaper for unlimited returns, with all states and prior-year editions included. Read review
- Intuit Lacerte Intuit's higher-end desktop product, with more than 7,200 forms, for firms with complex business and partnership returns. Read review
- Intuit ProConnect Tax Intuit's cloud product if you want browser access from any computer, including a Mac, without paying for hosting.
- IRS Free File and VITA If you only need your own return done, Free File and volunteer VITA sites cost nothing for eligible filers.
ProSeries reviews
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Frequently asked questions
How much does ProSeries cost per year?
Intuit lists Professional Pay-per-return from $539, Basic 1040 from $729, Professional from $2,605, 1040 Essentials at $2,605 and Essentials at $3,641 a year, with Advanced by quote. Per-return fees, hosting and add-ons cost extra.
What is the difference between ProSeries Basic and Professional?
Basic covers 1040 and state returns in 20, 50 or unlimited tiers for a single user. Professional adds business and fiduciary forms such as 1041, 1120, 1120-S and 1065, multi-user use and unlimited 1099 and W-2 filing.
Can I use ProSeries to do my own taxes?
It is built and priced for paid preparers, and e-filing client returns requires an IRS EFIN. For your own return, consumer software or IRS Free File is far cheaper.
Does ProSeries work on a Mac?
No native Mac version is offered; it is Windows desktop software. You can run it through Intuit's paid hosting, or use Windows virtualization, which Intuit support may not help with.
Is ProSeries cheaper than Drake?
Usually not for unlimited returns. Drake's single-user unlimited 1040 package is $2,195 for tax year 2026 versus $2,605 a year for ProSeries Professional. Compare the package that fits your return count.
What is the difference between ProSeries and Lacerte?
Both are Intuit desktop products. Lacerte is aimed at firms with complex business returns and lists more than 7,200 forms; ProSeries is aimed at smaller practices and costs less.
Can I get a refund on ProSeries?
Only as a new customer within five business days of the software release date or your payment date, whichever is later. Intuit says no other refund requests are honored.
Is there a free trial of ProSeries?
Yes, for new customers, using prior-year software. The desktop trial can't e-file or print, and the hosted trial doesn't save data.
What is the ProSeries support phone number?
Intuit lists 1-800-434-6818 for ProSeries service and 844-877-9422 for sales.
Does ProSeries include e-signatures?
Yes. Intuit Sign offers unlimited e-signatures and knowledge-based authentication for tax clients at no extra fee, within IRS rules for which forms can be signed electronically.
Sources (9)
Facts on this page come from company websites, government agencies and regulators, checked on the dates shown. Editorial standards
- Intuit: ProSeries pricing (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Intuit: ProSeries professional tax software (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Intuit Accountants Community: Running ProSeries on a Mac (accessed October 13, 2026)
- BBB: Intuit, Inc. profile (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Trustpilot: Intuit reviews (accessed October 13, 2026)
- Drake Software: Pricing (tax year 2026) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- IRS: Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) requirements (accessed October 13, 2026)
- IRS: Become an authorized e-file provider (accessed October 13, 2026)
- IRS: Free File (accessed October 12, 2026)
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