TurboTax prices are a bit of a tangle to unravel. We’ve simplified the TurboTax price structure in the easy to read table below. Surprisingly, the cheapest TurboTax version that offers all IRS forms and schedules is the “Deluxe” download/CD software. That version is $59.99 for one federal and one state filing. That’s $9.99 cheaper than the download/CD “Basic” version and $56.99 cheaper than the online “Home & Business” version.
The table below compares all TurboTax prices and versions. That includes online versions and download/cd versions. Dollar per dollar, anyone who can’t get away with the TurboTax “Free” version should really go for the $59.99 download/CD “Deluxe” version. That’s the cheapest one that offers all the goods.
TurboTax Prices Made Easy
The table below makes TurboTax prices about as easy to grasp as they’ll ever get. The table’s first section is all the TurboTax online versions by price. The second section is all the download/CD versions by price.
Note that the different price ranges for the online software grant access to more and more forms. For example, the “Free” version just handles standard deductions. Anyone with a business will need the full “Home & Business” version for $116.98.
The download/CD versions all offer every IRS form and schedule. The only real difference is in the level of phone support.
TurboTax Prices Simplified | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| TurboTax ONLINE VERSIONS | What You Get | Additional Features | Added Price Per Extra State |
| TurboTax Price: Free | 1 federal, 1 state, standard deductions, no added schedules. | Live onscreen support | $36.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $71.98 (Deluxe) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedule A (itemized deductions) | Onscreen support, CPA advice on phone, transfer last year's info. | $36.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $91.98 (Premier) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedule A, D (investment income) E (rental property income) | Onscreen support, CPA advice on phone, transfer last year's info. | $36.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $116.98 (Home & Business) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedule A, D, E, C (small business) | Onscreen support, CPA advice on phone, transfer last year's info. | $36.99 |
| TurboTax DOWNLOAD/CD VERSIONS | |||
| TurboTax Price: $69.98 (Basic) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedules A, D, E, C | General phone help | $39.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $59.99 (Deluxe) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedules A, D, E, C | General phone help plus help with Schedule A | $39.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $89.99 (Premier) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedules A, D, E, C | General phone help plus help with Schedules A, D, E and help from a CPA if needed. | $39.99 |
| TurboTax Price: $99.99 (Home & Business) | 1 federal, 1 state, Schedules A, D, E, C | General phone help plus help with Schedules A, D, E, C and help from a CPA if needed. | $39.99 |
Also see: Best Tax Software 2016: TurboTax vs H&R Block
Note that in the table above, those who choose TurboTax online will pay different prices for different forms and schedules. Anyone who has a small business will pay the most. With the download/CD versions, the TurboTax price ranges all offer every IRS form and schedule there is. That means someone with a small business can pay exactly the same as someone who only needs to use the standard deduction.
The difference in the TurboTax price levels for the download/CD versions of the software is based on phone help. Someone who buys the $69.98 “Basic” version only gets general phone help. If they want help with Schedules, A, D, E or C, they’ll have to pay extra.
Taxpayers who pay the highest download/CD TurboTax price ranges of $89.99 or $99.99 will get help with every form and schedule. Those in the highest price slot can also get phone help from a CPA.
TurboTax Prices for State Taxes
TurboTax prices for state taxes are a little confusing too. The table above shows the price for all TurboTax versions including the price of one state tax filing. TurboTax’s website shows the price without state taxes in most cases. That generally makes the software seem a lot cheaper than it really is.
For taxpayers with more than one state to file in, TurboTax charges extra for each additional state filing. People who use the online software will pay a TurboTax price per extra state of $36.99. Those who choose the download/CD version will pay $39.99 per extra state. Make sure to add the additional state filing costs into your TurboTax price calculations.
Also see: Are TurboTax Free Taxes Really Free?
TurboTax Prices for CPA Phone Help
Want phone help from a CPA? Every online version of the software provides CPA phone help included in the TurboTax price. With the download or CD versions, CPA phone help is only available with the $99.99 “Home & Business” version.
Why are TurboTax Prices so Confusing?
TurboTax is a great product. TurboTax prices are confusing to the point of frustration. It’s very difficult to see at a glance what you’ll pay for what you actually need. The reason is most probably marketing.
TurboTax is very popular tax software. It’s in TurboTax’s interest to muddy the waters and make it tough for people to compare TurboTax prices vs H&R Block prices. That’s because H&R Block gives better products at lower price ranges than TurboTax. If TurboTax comes out and admits that people will generally pay more for choosing their software, they’ll almost certainly lose customers.
The best situation for TurboTax is if a customer tries to use their online free version, realizes they can’t, and has to upgrade to a paid version.
Just want the cheapest tax software around and don’t care about ease of use or other extras? Go with TaxACT. They’ve got the simplest prices in town. $35 max for every bell and whistle they have, plus $15 for each extra state after the first one.