Ranking the best online tax software of 2016

[Last updated: June 27, 2016]

Doing your own taxes has a reputation of being a long and downright awful process. The right tax software can make your life a whole lot easier and save you from going to a high priced location and paying a CPA. The crew at Authority is making it even easier. We looked at most of the options on the market and have come up with the top 10 that will help you get the deed done. Our top spot undoubtedly goes to TurboTax due to their advanced intuitive design.

Best Overall: TurboTax

Overview: TurboTax has become synonymous with doing your own taxes and for good reason. The easiest to use software as well as the most in depth, it’s by far our number one for 2016.

Summary: Doing your own income taxes isn’t stressful with TurboTax. It could be easier than spending a couple of hours with a person at a tax shop asking you uncomfortable questions about your finances. The program is easy to install and setup and takes you through line after line to figure out how much you should’ve been taxed and makes great effort to get you back every penny you overpaid. The process is “gamified” to the extent that your taxes aren’t stressful and it’s more like a hunt to find more write-offs. You’ll also get the one-of-a-kind audit risk bar that let’s you know you may have taken a few too many write-offs (just kidding). While it isn’t the cheapest solution on the market, it does have options for anyone from employees, to sole-proprietors, and even corporations.

Read our full TurboTax review here.

Best Customer Support: H&R Block

Overview: Winning support and affordable software options help H&R Block take second place in our top nine. Great for those looking to get a less expensive option.

Summary: This company has handled people’s tax paperwork in house for decades. They have used all of that experience to create a software that helps you do it on your own. A simple design allows you to navigate all of those forms easily and the software really knows how to save you time and money. The cost is significantly lower to it’s direct competitor (TurboTax), and the company often runs special promotions, contests, and guarantees during tax time which may help you make your decision. You’ll also get up to 5 federal e-files (which is way more than the competition). The main advantage is their customer service. Phone, live chat, and social media are just a few ways you can reach out to H&R Block and get a response lightning fast. You’ll have to pay to file state tax, which may be a problem for some, but all in all a fantastic software.

Read our full H&R Block review here.

Best Value Option: TaxAct

Overview: Our value choice feels a bit more like doing your taxes than other options, but is incredibly affordable and gets the job done just as well.

Summary: TaxAct guides you screen by screen, line by line, and option by option just like the other top softwares. However, it’s less easy to navigate than some of our other choices. Where this software wins is obviously in the pricing. Aside from a very basic free tax filing service, TaxAct is the most affordable. It’s a great tool for individuals and joint-filers that don’t have too complicated of a tax situation.  There are forms that this software doesn’t allow you to file, but they are mostly business related. If you own a business, then this isn’t going to be the option for you even though there is a version that is for the self-employed. If you want the cheapest paid software to help with your less complex filings, this is the best choice.

Read our full TaxAct review here.

Number 4: Jackson Hewitt

Overview: Quality software and essential features make Jackson Hewitt a solid option for helping decide certain tax situations that often come up.

Summary: The Jackson Hewitt software is a “workers” tax preparation system with the features to back it up. Working hard means you might not have an expert understanding of your taxes. With this software, you’ll be able to view many different occupations along with the common acceptable deductions for each. If you are in an industry that requires a lot of expenditures, this may be the best option for you. There is also a decision making tool that helps you wade through tough choices before you file. The actual program itself isn’t original to Jackson Hewitt and was developed by a competitor. The price is also a bit high for what you get, but you can get support at a branch, which is a helpful feature. If you are a professional that spends money out of pocket, you should definitely do a little more research on Jackson Hewitt tax products.

Read our full Jackson Hewitt review here.

Number 5: TaxSlayer.com

Overview: Great for taxpayers who like the option of looking at forms directly at times and being guided through at other times. TaxSlayer provides the freedom to choose.

Summary: Other software options guide you through the entire process of filing your taxes without you even seeing an actual form. While this is great for some, others like the idea of filling in the paperwork and seeing it done. TaxSlayer gives you the freedom to be guided or to give yourself a self-guided experience. You can also compare this year’s forms to previous years which will help you ensure accuracy and find mistakes between returns. Education is also top notch with several “Tax Tools” to help you understand what is happening to your money. The system allows you to choose which section you are working on and isn’t as much of a “process” as others. While this is great for some, it can be cumbersome for others. There is limited support and no indication of progress to let you know when you are ready to actually file.

Read our full TaxSlayer.com review here.

Number 6: eSmart 

Overview: Support while you are in the software and a beautiful intuitive interface put eSmart firmly on our top list. It doesn’t include common tools that come standard with other programs.

Summary: eSmart has completely redesigned their interface to become one of the prettier options to do your taxes. It’s as useful as it is attractive with a menu that helps you figure out exactly what you need when you need it. The live support chat is available while you are working through your paperwork, which is handy for those who are afraid of the process. However, there are a few drawbacks including the lack of a tax calculator and not helping you figure out “life-changing events” which have a big impact on your filings. There are limited deduction finding capabilities when compared to some of the other softwares. eSmart makes it easy to know when you are ready to file and if you want the comfort of a clearly laid out tax process, it’s definitely worth a look.

Read our full eSmart review here.

Number 7: FreeFile

Overview: A free option with simple tax preparation for individuals and households that earn less than $62,000 per year. This is the IRS’s tool to help you find a free tax software.

Summary: The IRS offers fillable forms online for anyone who needs them, but for those who make under a certain amount of money annually ($62,000), there is a software that will help you file your federal return completely for free. Once you fill out a questionnaire explaining your details, the IRS’s site will send you to a list of approved vendors that offer “freefile” options. According to their educational PDF, over 70% of Americans qualify to use one of the free file softwares available. While this isn’t a direct software, it is a sound option for anyone under the income amount who wants to use a software without the cost. This is not an option for middle-class earners or those with more complicated tax situations, like business owners.

Read our full FreeFile review here.

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