We compared the best online tax filing services on price, supported forms, and ease of filing. These are tax-filing tools — not tax-resolution firms.
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These are tax-filing services, not tax-relief firms. They help you prepare and e-file federal and state returns — they do not negotiate IRS debt or resolve audits and disputes. If you owe back taxes or face an IRS dispute, a tax attorney is the right path. AttorneyReview can help you find one.
Online federal and state tax filing at a lower price point than the big-name preparers. If your return is straightforward and you mostly want to e-file accurately without paying premium-brand rates, E-file.com is built for exactly that.
Best for
An online tax filing service walks you through preparing your federal and state income tax returns and then submits them electronically to the IRS and your state tax agency. You answer questions about your income, deductions, and credits; the software fills in the right forms; and you e-file when it is ready. The appeal is speed and convenience — you can file from home without mailing paper forms or doing the math by hand.
The services on this page differ mainly on price, the range of situations they support, and how guided the experience feels. Some are built to be inexpensive for straightforward returns; others lean on a long track record. This comparison weighs price, supported forms, and ease of filing so you can match a service to how complicated your return actually is.
One important boundary: these are tax-filing tools, not tax-resolution firms. They prepare and submit returns. They do not represent you before the IRS, negotiate a payment plan, or settle a dispute. If that is what you need, see the note below — a tax attorney is the right kind of help.
Three online tax filing services worth your time this season.
Online federal and state tax filing at a lower price point than the big-name preparers. If your return is straightforward and you mostly want to e-file accurately without paying premium-brand rates, E-file.com is built for exactly that.
Online tax preparation and filing for individual federal and state returns. A no-frills option aimed at filers with uncomplicated situations who want to prepare and submit a personal return online.
A long-running online tax-filing service for federal and state returns. Its track record is the draw: it has been e-filing returns for years, which can be reassuring if you value a provider that has been doing this for a long time.
Still torn? Here's how our #1 and #2 picks stack up directly.
Best Value Filing
Best for Simple Returns
Four factors separate a good online filing service from one that overcharges for a simple return.
What you actually pay to prepare and e-file a federal and state return, weighed honestly against comparable big-name preparers.
The range of income types, deductions, and credits a service can handle — and whether it fits a simple return or something more involved.
How guided and clear the flow is from start to e-file, including how plainly the service states what is included.
How long the service has been e-filing returns and the help available if a filing is rejected or a question comes up.
An online tax filing service lets you prepare your federal and state income tax returns through guided software and then e-file them electronically with the IRS and your state. It is built for filing returns, not for resolving tax debt or disputes.
No. The services on this page are tax-filing tools that prepare and submit returns. They do not negotiate IRS debt, handle audits, or represent you in a dispute. If you owe back taxes or face an IRS dispute, a tax attorney is the right path — and AttorneyReview can help you find one.
We rank E-file.com first for value: it offers online federal and state filing at a lower price point than the big-name preparers, which makes it a strong fit for straightforward returns. The best choice still depends on how complex your return is.
We compared price to file, the range of supported forms, ease of filing, and each provider's track record and support, weighted per the methodology on this page. Rankings are editorial. We may earn a commission when readers sign up through links here, but compensation does not change the order or substance of our reviews.
For most filers with a straightforward return, E-file.com is the strongest value, pairing online federal and state filing with a lower price point than the big-name preparers. FileTax.com is a clean choice for simple individual returns, and FileYourTaxes brings a long e-filing track record. These are editorial picks, and we may earn a commission, but none of that changes the substance. Remember that every option here files returns — none of them resolve tax debt or disputes.
Facing IRS debt, an audit, or a dispute? That is a job for a tax attorney, not filing software. Get matched with a tax attorney.
This guide is produced by the AttorneyReview editorial team for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Despite the “AttorneyReview” name, this platform does not provide legal advice, legal opinions, or legal validation of any company, product, or service listed. Inclusion on this page does not constitute a recommendation, endorsement, or certification of any provider, and attorneys do not review, endorse, or validate the tax filing services listed. The services here help prepare and e-file tax returns; they are not tax-resolution or IRS-representation firms. Filing taxes has financial and legal consequences; readers with specific questions — and anyone facing IRS debt, an audit, or a dispute — should consult a qualified tax attorney or accountant licensed in their jurisdiction.
Affiliate disclosure. AttorneyReview is reader-supported and may receive compensation when readers sign up with featured providers via outbound links on this page. Brands may pay for placement, which we consider alongside reputation and value. Compensation does not change the order in which companies appear or the substantive content of any review.
Methodology. Scoring weights are published in the How we ranked section and re-tested at least each filing season. Service details reviewed as of June 2026 and subject to change.
