6 ms·

Try freetaxusa.com if you're looking for a free alternative that has an equally friendly user interface!

hanniabu 6y ago
Only free for federal. Also doesn't seem to be open source so who knows if they're logging your social security number and other info.
- lupire 6y ago
  Of course they are logging your info, same as Intuit and so many other companies. SSN isn't a secret; yours is almost certainly already leaked.
throwaheyy 6y ago
Another vote for FreeTaxUSA. They are totally free for federal returns but I happily pay the $6 for the ‘Deluxe’ service level to support its development. Been using them for years now after getting tired of TurboTax’s $60-100 fear racket.
klmadfejno 6y ago
I had a lovely experience with freetaxusa this year. They're not entirely free, but they're still very cheap and transparent about their pricing. They don't do the login thing where you hook into your banks and pull in documents automatically, but... honestly those aren't that useful and I'm not sure I trust those on turbotax.
carabiner 6y ago
I just tried it. It has a good interface, but a massive downside in that it doesn't have any automated importing/parsing of W-2's, 1099's, and other forms, unlike TurboTax. You have to type in every single number, leaving room for fat finger errors that TurboTax largely eliminates. This removes much of the advantage of doing your taxes online in the first place. TurboTax will smoothly import these, sometimes directly from your bank's website (you don't have to download and upload the PDF). If FreeTaxUSA built a robust tax form PDF parser it would be a real TurboTax competitor. Right now, it's just a cleaner interface to filling out the IRS PDF's on your own. It's good if you don't mind a more manual approach to your taxes.
- lupire 6y ago
  You don't have to type; you can copy&paste. Still annoying though
crowf 6y ago
I don't mind paying for a service, but with a URL that includes the word "free" I was surprised to see at the top of the page "State Returns $14.99 $12.95 — 12 more days to save on state filing"
- lupire 6y ago
  It's FreeTaxUSA, not FreeTaxYourState. Or it's "Free as in freedom from Intuit."
decko 6y ago
I've been wanting to try it, but I can't sign up because they, for whatever strange reason, don't allow emails with foreign country tlds...

Only free for federal. Also doesn't seem to be open source so who knows if they're logging your social security number and other info.

lupire 6y ago
Of course they are logging your info, same as Intuit and so many other companies. SSN isn't a secret; yours is almost certainly already leaked.

throwaheyy 6y ago

Another vote for FreeTaxUSA. They are totally free for federal returns but I happily pay the $6 for the ‘Deluxe’ service level to support its development. Been using them for years now after getting tired of TurboTax’s $60-100 fear racket.

klmadfejno 6y ago

I had a lovely experience with freetaxusa this year. They're not entirely free, but they're still very cheap and transparent about their pricing. They don't do the login thing where you hook into your banks and pull in documents automatically, but... honestly those aren't that useful and I'm not sure I trust those on turbotax.

carabiner 6y ago

I just tried it. It has a good interface, but a massive downside in that it doesn't have any automated importing/parsing of W-2's, 1099's, and other forms, unlike TurboTax. You have to type in every single number, leaving room for fat finger errors that TurboTax largely eliminates. This removes much of the advantage of doing your taxes online in the first place. TurboTax will smoothly import these, sometimes directly from your bank's website (you don't have to download and upload the PDF). If FreeTaxUSA built a robust tax form PDF parser it would be a real TurboTax competitor. Right now, it's just a cleaner interface to filling out the IRS PDF's on your own. It's good if you don't mind a more manual approach to your taxes.

lupire 6y ago
You don't have to type; you can copy&paste. Still annoying though

crowf 6y ago

I don't mind paying for a service, but with a URL that includes the word "free" I was surprised to see at the top of the page "State Returns $14.99 $12.95 — 12 more days to save on state filing"

lupire 6y ago
It's FreeTaxUSA, not FreeTaxYourState. Or it's "Free as in freedom from Intuit."

decko 6y ago

I've been wanting to try it, but I can't sign up because they, for whatever strange reason, don't allow emails with foreign country tlds...