FreeTaxUSA is an online tax preparation service operated by TaxHawk, Inc. that has helped millions of Americans file their federal taxes for free since 2001. The platform supports more than 250 federal tax forms — including W-2 wages, self-employment (Schedule C), rental income (Schedule E), investments, crypto, education credits, and itemized deductions — without charging for federal returns.
State returns cost a flat $15.99 each, making FreeTaxUSA one of the most affordable full-featured tax solutions available. Optional Deluxe ($7.99) and Pro Support ($64.99) tiers add live chat, audit assist, and access to tax professionals. The brand is IRS-authorized, BBB-accredited, and consistently rated 4.5+ stars across G2, Trustpilot, and the FreeTaxUSA reviews page.
Federal e-filing is genuinely free for every supported tax form — no income limit, no surprise upgrade pages, no hidden charges.
State returns are a flat $15.99 each, far below TurboTax and H&R Block paid-state pricing.
Covers W-2, self-employment (Schedule C), rental property (Schedule E), investments, crypto, K-1, HSA, and more.
If you find a larger refund or smaller tax due using another service, FreeTaxUSA refunds your filing fees.
FreeTaxUSA reimburses any IRS or state penalties and interest caused by a calculation error in their software.
One-click import of last year’s return from FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, or H&R Block to skip data re-entry.
$64.99 Pro Support tier adds live phone access to a tax professional with on-demand screen sharing.
FreeTaxUSA is an IRS-authorized e-file provider with bank-grade security and BBB accreditation since 2003.
FreeTaxUSA pairs comprehensive tax form support with a deliberately minimal interface designed to keep filing fast. Free federal returns cover every common tax situation — W-2, self-employment, investments, rental property, crypto, HSA, education credits, and dependent care — with prior-year import from TurboTax and H&R Block. Built-in accuracy and maximum-refund guarantees back every return, and optional add-ons unlock live chat, audit defense, and one-on-one CPA support.
Below are independent walkthroughs and tutorials covering how to use FreeTaxUSA to file federal and state returns, including CPA-led reviews and beginner-friendly step-by-step guides for the 2025 and 2026 tax years.
Free federal e-filing for all supported tax situations including W-2, self-employment (Schedule C), rental property (Schedule E), investments, crypto, and itemized deductions. No income limit, no upsell.
Flat per-state pricing for state e-filing. The same low price applies whether you have a simple W-2 return or a complex Schedule C plus rentals.
Adds priority live chat support, audit assist, and unlimited amended return filing on top of the free federal return.
Top tier with live phone access to a tax professional, on-demand screen sharing, and personalized tax advice during filing.
FreeTaxUSA holds strong third-party ratings: averaging about 4.5 stars on G2, 4.7 stars on Trustpilot, and 4.8+ stars across more than a million native customer reviews on freetaxusa.com. Reviewers consistently praise the genuinely-free pricing, accurate calculations, and quick refund timing, while critical reviews focus on the dated interface and occasional state e-filing rejections.
I have used FreeTaxUSA for the past four years for both my W-2 and a small Schedule C side hustle. The federal return is genuinely free even with self-employment, and $15.99 per state is unbeatable. Refund hits my account about ten days after e-filing.
Source: paraphrased from public Trustpilot review — trustpilot.com
Switched from TurboTax after years of being upsold to higher tiers I did not need. FreeTaxUSA handled my rental property and brokerage 1099s without nudging me to upgrade. The interface is plain but functional and the prior-year import worked first try.
Source: paraphrased from public G2 review — g2.com
Filing was straightforward and the math was right on the first pass. I added the $7.99 Deluxe for live chat in case I had questions about my crypto trades, which was money well spent. No upsells, no surprise fees at checkout.
Source: paraphrased from public freetaxusa.com customer review — freetaxusa.com/reviews
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