TurboTax Deluxe alternatives
Killing $59-129/filing (~$708/yr) — here are 2 verified escapes, honest trade-offs included.
head-to-head
| TurboTax Deluxe | |
|---|---|
| price | $59-129/filing |
| self-hostable | no |
| license | proprietary |
| verified | — |
| migration | — |
free & open source (0)
cheaper, but not open source (2)
Cash App Taxes cheaper
Free (state included)
100% free federal AND state filing with real audit support.
trade-offs: US only · No multi-state complexity
FreeTaxUSA cheaper
Federal free / $15 state
Serious forms coverage at a fraction of TurboTax prices.
trade-offs: Upsells for live help
migration guide
File free with Cash App Taxes
⏱ ~1 hour at tax time- Save last year's return as PDF from TurboTax (you'll need your prior-year AGI).
- Create a Cash App Taxes account — federal AND state filing is genuinely free.
- Enter income from your W-2s/1099s; the interview covers most situations including credits.
- E-file; refunds typically land as fast as with TurboTax.
- Before closing TurboTax, download every past return — Intuit charges for archived copies.
faq
What is the best free alternative to TurboTax Deluxe?
No fully free open-source alternative covers TurboTax Deluxe well yet; see the cheaper options below.
How much can I save by switching from TurboTax Deluxe?
TurboTax Deluxe costs $59-129/filing, so switching to a free alternative saves roughly $708/year per seat.
Can TurboTax Deluxe be self-hosted?
TurboTax Deluxe itself cannot be self-hosted, but check each alternative's badges above for self-hosting support.