Best Tax Software for Freelancers & Self-Employed (2026)

TurboTax consolidated its Premier and Self-Employed tiers into the Premium plan for 2026, covering Schedule C, Schedule D, Schedule E, and K-1 forms in one package. The interview-based workflow walks freelancers through income sources, expense categories, home office calculations, and vehicle deductions with plain-English explanations. Bank and credit card transaction import automatically categorizes expenses into Schedule C line items, and the built-in mileage tracker logs business trips via GPS.

FreeTaxUSA is the budget king for freelancers: $0 federal filing that includes full Schedule C support, which most competitors charge $70-140 for. It handles self-employment tax calculation, home office deduction (both methods), vehicle expenses, and 1099-NEC/1099-K reconciliation at no cost for the federal return. State returns cost $15.99. The interface is less polished than TurboTax — no bank import, no receipt scanning — but the Schedule C walkthrough is thorough and accurate. For a freelancer with straightforward 1099 income and common deductions, FreeTaxUSA saves $120+ compared to TurboTax while producing identical tax returns.

H&R Block's Self-Employed Online tier ($85 federal, $37 per state) bridges the gap between pure DIY and professional preparation. The online version includes guided Schedule C preparation with step-by-step expense categorization, and expert assistance from tax pros comes standard in the Self-Employed plan — no upgrade needed. The real differentiator is the fallback option: if your return gets complicated mid-filing, you can hand it off to an H&R Block tax professional or walk into one of 10,000+ offices for in-person help. Compared to TurboTax Premium at $139+$64, H&R Block saves about $81 for one federal and one state while including expert help by default.

Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax, now offered through Cash App by Intuit) remains the only completely free tax filing option for freelancers — $0 federal and $0 state, with no paid tiers or upsells. It supports Schedule C, Schedule SE, and common freelancer forms at no cost. The mobile-first interface makes filing straightforward for freelancers with simple returns. The core limitations remain: no bank import, no mileage tracker, no underpayment penalty calculation (Form 2210), and no multi-state filing. If you are a freelancer with one state, standard deductions, and straightforward 1099 income, Cash App Taxes saves you $150+ vs. TurboTax. If you have estimated tax penalty concerns, multiple states, or complex investment income, look elsewhere.

TaxSlayer Self-Employed ($52.99 federal, $47.99 per state) occupies the mid-budget space between free options and premium software. It includes guided Schedule C preparation, year-round quarterly estimated payment reminders, and access to tax professionals with self-employment expertise — a feature that TurboTax charges $80+ more to unlock. The interface is less modern than TurboTax or H&R Block, but the Schedule C walkthrough is clear and the deduction finder is thorough. For freelancers who want professional access without paying $140+, TaxSlayer offers the best value ratio.

TaxAct Self-Employed ($69.99 federal, $39.99 per state) targets freelancers and sole proprietors with Schedule C income. Its TaxTutor feature provides context-specific tips as you file — flagging deductions for supplies, mileage, and marketing expenses that other software might not prompt you about. The Xpert Assist add-on ($25) gives live access to a tax expert for unlimited questions and a pre-filing review. At $110 total (federal + one state), TaxAct sits between the budget options and premium players — cheaper than H&R Block ($152) and TurboTax ($203), but more expensive than TaxSlayer ($101) for similar functionality.

Keeper Tax combines year-round AI-powered expense tracking with actual tax filing — solving the biggest gap in the freelancer tax market. The app connects to your bank and credit card accounts, then uses machine learning to identify and categorize business deductions automatically throughout the year. At tax time, those categorized expenses flow directly into Keeper's built-in Schedule C filing. The AI catches deductions many freelancers miss: a $12 Canva subscription, a $45 coworking day pass, the business percentage of your phone bill. Keeper also calculates and reminds you about quarterly estimated tax payments based on your real-time income. The $35/month subscription ($420/year) is expensive compared to filing-only software, but it includes both the year-round expense tracking and the tax filing — no separate TurboTax purchase needed. For freelancers who currently lose thousands in unclaimed deductions because they do not track expenses consistently, Keeper pays for itself.

Jackson Hewitt's online filing is the cheapest paid tax software for freelancers at just $25 flat — and that includes both federal and state filing. It handles Schedule C, Schedule SE, and the QBI deduction with a straightforward interview flow. The standout feature beyond price is the included audit protection: Jackson Hewitt's Worry-Free Audit Support covers enrolled agent representation at no extra cost if you are audited — a feature that TurboTax and H&R Block charge $45-60+ extra for. At $25 all-in, Jackson Hewitt is $75+ cheaper than TaxSlayer ($101), $85+ cheaper than TaxAct ($110), and $175+ cheaper than TurboTax ($203). The interface is less polished than TurboTax, and there is no bank import or expense tracking, but for freelancers with straightforward Schedule C returns who track expenses elsewhere, the value is hard to beat.

FlyFin combines AI-powered deduction scanning with CPA-prepared tax filing at a price that undercuts Keeper Tax significantly. The AI connects to your bank accounts and automatically identifies business deductions year-round — similar to Keeper — but FlyFin's Standard plan ($192/year) includes CPA review and filing, compared to Keeper's $420/year for the same feature set. The Basic plan ($84/year) covers bookkeeping and deduction tracking only. The Premium plan ($348/year) adds S-Corp support, K-1 handling, and priority CPA access. FlyFin's real-time quarterly estimated tax calculator is particularly strong for gig workers juggling multiple income streams, updating payment estimates as income flows in throughout the year.

QuickBooks Self-Employed is a year-round bookkeeping and expense tracking platform designed specifically for freelancers and sole proprietors. At ~$15/month ($180/year), it provides automatic expense categorization from linked bank accounts, GPS mileage tracking, receipt capture via phone camera, and quarterly estimated tax calculations. The key advantage is seamless integration with TurboTax Self-Employed at tax time — your categorized expenses, mileage logs, and income records flow directly into TurboTax for filing. The downside: QuickBooks Self-Employed does not file tax returns itself. You need a separate TurboTax purchase ($139+) to actually file, bringing the total annual cost to $300+ — making it the most expensive combined option in this comparison. For freelancers already in the QuickBooks ecosystem, the integration is worth it. For everyone else, FlyFin or Keeper Tax offer similar tracking with filing included at a lower total cost.