TaxSlayer Review: Solid Self-Employed Options and Military Discounts

TaxSlayer is one of the more affordable tax-filing software options out there. It has a free version for DIY filers, as well as three paid tiers for those with more complicated returns or who want extra support. But be aware, its free tier comes with quite a few more restrictions than most of its competitors.

April 15, 2026 is the deadline for filing your 2025 tax return. As a certified financial planner and a longtime financial writer and editor, I get that no one jumps for joy at the thought of filing a tax return. A typical taxpayer can expect to spend $290 and 13 hours just to file their return, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.

But if you make mistakes when you file (or you fail to file altogether), you risk hefty IRS penalties, along with interest on your unpaid bill. On the flip side, you could be missing out on a sweet refund if your filing service doesn’t identify tax credits and deductions you qualify for.

Choosing the best tax software can make things easier as the clock ticks closer to Tax Day. But how do you know what tax software is right for you? To take the guesswork out of things, I tested seven major tax filing services, including TurboTax, H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt Online, plus some lesser-known names. I evaluated each based on price and affordability, eligibility and use cases, experience and ease of use, features, expert support and access to tax professionals. 

Read on to find out what I thought about TaxSlayer and how it stacks up to the competition.

TaxSlayer: Price and affordability (7/10)

Many tax prep services have a free tier for simple returns with no extra features, and most let you get started for free — only paying when you actually file — even if you’re using a premium product. But one of the most annoying things is thinking you can file for free, spend hours hammering away at your return, then learning you have to shell out when you actually file. That’s why I didn’t just look at the cost of each tier to assess pricing and affordability. I also looked at transparency and the likelihood that you’ll need to upgrade.

TaxSlayer gets a 7/10 for affordability. It offers a free version that covers a somewhat narrow range of situations, plus three reasonably priced paid tiers and one military-specific free (for federal returns) tier. However, it’s easy to trigger an upgrade, and state return fees are high.

Tier structure comparison

Tier	Who can use it	What’s included
Simply Free: $0 (state included)	Simple tax filers with $100,000 or less in taxable income and meet several other requirements.	Free federal filing, plus one free state return. Includes phone and email support.
Classic: $22.99, plus state filing fees	Anyone who uses the Simply Free tier, plus those with 1099 income, investment income, or who are itemizing their return.	Everything in the Simply Free package (with the exception of free state return), plus support for more complex tax situations.
Premium: $42.99, plus state filing fees	Anyone who uses the Simply Free or Premium versions who wants additional support.	Everything included in the Classic package, plus extra features like Ask a Tax Pro, priority phone and email support, and help if you’re audited.
Self-Employed: $52.99, plus state filing fees	Filers who want tax guidance for self-employment situations.	Everything included in the Premium package, plus extra features for 1099 and Schedule C filing.
Military: $0, plus state filing fees	Active duty military members with any tax situation.	Everything included in the Classic package.

TaxSlayer has four tiers available to the general public, one of which is free. There’s another tier exclusively for active duty military members that covers all tax situations (the same as the Classic tier) and offers a free federal return (state additional).

Each paid tier is competitively priced compared to other options on the market. The Simply Free package is limited to basic filing situations, i.e., you only have income from a W-2 job and/or unemployment and you’re taking the standard deduction. That’s pretty standard among major tax software options.

However, TaxSlayer’s Simply Free package comes with additional limitations not found among many of its competitors: You can only use it if you’re single or married filing jointly, don’t have dependents, are under age 65 (along with your spouse) and have $100,000 or less in taxable income and $1,500 or less in taxable interest.

By contrast, a few tax filing services like Cash App Taxes and FreeTaxUSA let you file federal taxes for free, regardless of your return’s complexity or your income. TaxSlayer’s paid tiers are priced competitively, though, particularly in comparison to big names like TurboTax and H&R Block.

Note that most services change their pricing throughout tax season, particularly as April 15 approaches. Double-check the latest prices before you start your return.

State filing fees

Service	State filing fee
Cash App Taxes	$0 (limited to one return)
FreeTaxUSA	$15.99
H&R Block	$37 for paid plans, $0 if you qualify for free tax filing
Jackson Hewitt	$0 (flat fee includes both federal and state)
TaxAct	$39.99
TaxSlayer	1 free state return if you qualify for the simply free plan; $39.99 for all other plans
TurboTax	$0-$69 ($0 if you qualify for a free federal return)

TaxSlayer’s Simply Free package includes one free federal return. But if you don’t qualify for the free version and have to file state taxes, TaxSlayer’s state filing fee is higher than many competitors. These fees can add up if you’re required to file multiple state returns.

Hidden costs and upgrades

You’ll need to upgrade from the free version if your filing status isn’t single or married filing jointly, you’re claiming dependents, you itemize, you have income above $100,000 (or more than $1,500 of taxable interest or unemployment compensation) or you claim the Earned Income Tax Credit. Stock or crypto sales, freelance income and rental income will also trigger an upgrade.

If you choose the Simply Free or Classic versions and have a tax question that you can’t answer using the help center or want priority technical support, you’ll need to upgrade to the Premium package.

There are some other costs to be aware of to avoid surprises at checkout:

• File & Go fee: If you have your tax prep fee deducted from your refund, you’ll pay a $41.99 refund transfer processing fee. You can avoid this charge by paying filing fees upfront with your credit or debit card when you submit your return.
• Audit support: Audit support is included in TaxSlayer;s Premium and Self-Employed packages, but you’ll pay extra if you add it to the Simply Free or Classic packages.

TaxSlayer: Eligibility and use cases (7.5/10) 

Plenty of tax software programs do a good job of handling basic filing, but what if your needs are more complex? TaxSlayer supports many tax situations and allows you to upload many of the relevant tax documents, which can save you significant time and help you avoid errors.

TaxSlayer gets a 7.5/10 for eligibility because it covers most individual filing situations and requires less manual entry than several competitors.

Simple filers (Standard Deductions)

Like many tax filing services, TaxSlayer lets you file for free if you have a simple return and take the standard deduction. The paid tiers let you directly import your W-2 for many employers, or you can upload a PDF, but if you go with the free version, you’ll need to manually input the information from your W-2 and any 1099s.

TaxSlayer uses a guided interview process that asks you whether you had common deductible expenses, like mortgage interest or unreimbursed medical bills. If your total deductions add up to less than the standard deduction, it will tell you to go with the standard deduction. 

Investment income (Schedule D)

One thing I like about TaxSlayer is that you can import your 1099-Bs directly from many brokerages. Or you can also download TaxSlayer’s .CSV template and then upload your 1099-B once you’ve formatted it correctly. Though it’s easier to directly import 1099-Bs with big names like TurboTax, having the ability to import forms directly from your broker or a .CSV file can be a major time-saver, particularly if you have a lot of stock and crypto transactions to report. 

The software will use information from your 1099-Bs (whether you import it from your brokerage or manually enter it) to separate transactions as short term or long term for capital gains purposes and calculate your cost basis. However, there’s less support for crypto, particularly complex transactions. Guidance is also limited for less-common types of investment income, like employee stock purchase plan sales.

Self-employment/Small business (Schedule C)

TaxSlayer is a solid choice for freelancers, gig workers, self-employed taxpayers and small business owners. You can upload PDFs of your 1099-NECs, or you can manually enter the information. You’ll also get guidance on common tax breaks for self-employed people, like the home office deduction. TaxSlayer’s product page says you can claim 1099 income through the Classic or Premium tiers, but it appears that the extra help or guidance is what you’ll get with the Self-Employed package. 

Rental income and advanced forms

TaxSlayer lets you report rental income on Schedule E and guides you through calculating rental income and expenses, including depreciation. However, you’ll need a decent working knowledge of depreciation to take advantage of its tools. You can also use the service for less-common situations, such as claiming foreign tax credits or partnership K-1 income.

TaxSlayer: Experience and ease of use (7/10)

A well-designed interface and onboarding process go a long way toward making tax time easier. TaxSlayer’s platform gets a 7/10 for experience and ease of use because it’s simple and offers helpful guidance as you progress through your return.

Onboarding and data Import

You can get started by uploading a past year’s tax return and have TaxSlayer import your information for any of the paid tiers. However, if you’re filing for free, you’ll need to input the information. Compared with many similar platforms, such as TaxAct, TaxSlayer has pretty strong import tools, letting you import W-2s and many 1099 forms. However, they’re less robust than what you get with major preparers like TurboTax or H&R Block.

Interface and navigation

TaxSlayer’s interface and layout is clean and functional. The lefthand panel makes it easy to keep track of each part of your return. For most items and forms, there’s a “Learn More” link that briefly defines the term without giving information overload. However, if you’re using TaxSlayer for more advanced situations (for example, if you own rental properties or a business and need to calculate depreciation), you should have a decent understanding of the topic.

Mobile and desktop filing experience

You can use TaxSlayer’s desktop or mobile sites, as well as its mobile app, to file your tax return. The desktop version is a bit more functional, but if you’re filing a simple return, you can file from start to finish on the app or the mobile site.

TaxSlayer: Features (6/10)

Features like accuracy-checking tools and a maximum refund guarantee can bring peace of mind. While TaxSlayer has several helpful tools, it lacks any standout features. That’s why we gave it a 6/10 on features because it has the basic accuracy checks and guarantees that are now standard in tax filing.

Final review/Accuracy check

TaxSlayer’s 100% accuracy guarantee will also reimburse you for any federal or state penalties and interest charges you incur due to its calculations. However, as with virtually every other tax service, the guarantee doesn’t apply if you were penalized due to an error on your part.

Error checking

TaxSlayer will highlight errors in yellow or red as you work through your return. A yellow warning means there’s something you should double-check, but it won’t prevent you from filing your return. A red warning means you must fix whatever is flagged before the program will let you e-file your return.

Audit risk assessment

TaxSlayer doesn’t have built-in audit risk assessment, but it does offer two audit-related services.

Audit assistance, which is provided by TaxSlayer, is included with the Premium and Self-Employed packages. With audit assistance, you’ll get help from TaxSlayer’s tax support agents in preparing for an IRS audit of your federal return, for up to three years after your return is accepted. 

You can also purchase full-service audit defense, provided by a third-party partner, that covers both federal and state returns and can be added to any TaxSlayer return before filing. With audit defense, you’ll have an expert who will spend up to $1 million representing you to resolve any audit issues from the IRS or state taxing authority, for up to four years after your return is accepted.

Tax guidance and education

TaxSlayer also has a few helpful tools you can use without registering, including a tax document preparation list and refund calculator. As you complete your return, you’ll see “Learn More” links that give you concise definitions for each tax term and form. You can also access a library of articles on various tax topics.

Maximum refund guarantee

TaxSlayer will refund your tax prep fees if you get a bigger refund or smaller tax bill with another software service. (The offer doesn’t apply if you filed for free with TaxSlayer.)

TaxSlayer: Expert support and access to tax professionals (7/10)

Sometimes you intend to DIY your tax return, but then you have questions or you simply want a pro to file for you. TaxSlayer offers limited access to tax professionals.

TaxSlayer gets a 7/10 in this area because while it does offer expert support from tax professionals, the service is limited to the more expensive packages. And, while you can contact experts to ask questions, there’s no option to pay a tax expert to do your taxes for you.

We did, however, find the upgraded package for self-employed filers to be enticing. While it costs extra, it’s a service many contractors, like myself, would pay extra for.

Review of live support options

TaxSlayer offers customers who pay for its Premium and Self-Employed packages access to its Ask a Tax Professional feature, however, this isn’t available to Simply Free and Classic users. (You’ll also need the Premium or Self-Employed just to access live chat for technical support.)

TaxSlayer doesn’t specify what credentials its tax experts have, like whether they’re CPAs, enrolled agents or tax attorneys. However, it does say that its pros are “IRS-certified with advanced experience in tax law, return preparation, and the tax industry.​”

There are some major limitations to the Ask a Tax Professional service. TaxSlayer says the goal is to guide users through the platform, but that the information provided should be construed in general terms and doesn’t constitute tax advice. The feature is also limited to asking questions. You can’t pay an expert to prepare or file your return.

Final verdict

TaxSlayer makes onboarding easier than many of its competitors do, offering the ability to import many key tax documents. The interface is clean, minimal and easy to navigate. One downside, though, is that access to tax pros is limited and only available to higher-priced tiers.

TaxSlayer Score Breakdown 

Criteria	CNET score out of 10
Price and affordability	7
Eligibility and use cases	7.5
Experience and ease of use	7
Features	6
Expert support/Tax professional access	7
Overall score	6.9

Methodology: How we test and evaluate tax software

We tested each platform on mobile and desktop using the same basic tax scenarios. Here’s what we considered for each of the five categories.

Price and affordability

We looked at each price tier and how it stacked up against similar offerings from competitors. Availability of a free option was important, however, we also considered the likelihood that a user could file for free without being forced to upgrade. We also looked at how transparent each service was with their pricing. Services lost points if they didn’t clearly disclose costs of add-ons upfront.

Eligibility and use cases

We tested each tax software service using the same basic filing scenarios, including simple filing with a W-2 and the standard deduction, itemized returns, investment income, rental income and small-business or self-employment filings. We gave maximum points when a service could handle a broad range of filing situations without requiring extensive manual input or calculations. 

Experience and ease of use

The best tax filing services make preparing your return as simple as possible. To evaluate experience and ease of use, we looked at the setup process, including whether you could simplify it by importing last year’s tax return or uploading your W-2. We also considered whether the service makes filing easier with an easy-to-understand interview process. Each software lost points for things that make for a poor user experience, like a confusing navigation or requiring users to start over if they downgraded to a less-expensive tier.

Features

Many tax software programs have an array of tools to ensure your return is accurate and maximize your refund. We have top ratings in this category for services with robust error-checking tools, audit defense services, a maximum refund guarantee and an option to receive an advance on your refund.

Expert support and tax professional access

Pretty much every filing service lets you DIY your return, but sometimes you need professional guidance. We gave top points to services that offer access to a CPA, enrolled agent or other tax pros, as well as those that provide easy access to customer service and technical support.

Scoring approach

Each category received a score on a scale of 1 to 10. The overall score was an evenly weighted average of each category, based on performance relative to competitors and the needs of typical DIY filers, as well as those with common filing situations that require extra guidance or access to a tax professional.