TurboTax vs H&R Block Comparison

Although the market is full of outstanding solutions, to this day there are only two tax prep software providers that are synonymous with the term: TurboTax or H&R Block. This is not surprising at all, though, since both companies have been providing their services for decades now, helping taxpayers prepare tax returns with the utmost accuracy. But while nobody can question their experience, when it comes to their individual online tax prep programs there are plenty of differences that makes the choice between either of these companies a bit harder. As such it’s appropriate to compare these differences and finally put an end to this decade-long debate.

TurboTax also makes sure to maximize the total of the tax refund by examining all possible credit options, even going so far as to decide whether you’re better off with standard or itemized deductions. To make the deal even sweeter, TurboTax is extremely safe when it comes to data security thanks to features like the activity logger, two-factor authentication and, most importantly, the SSN validator.

While the insufficient live support options are an issue, the only real bummer is the fact that TurboTax’s services are one of the priciest on the market, ranging between $59.99 and $179.99 per product. Thankfully, however, there is a free version of TurboTax that not only provides the most essential features necessary for dealing with 1040EZ and 1040A forms, but it also comes with typically pay-only extras like IRS audit assistance.

H&R Block

Thankfully H&R provides a free version, but in order to truly enjoy the software’s best features – including the deduction maximizer or unlimited tax expert support via chat – it’s necessary to upgrade to one of the paid solutions, its cheapest being Deluxe costing $49.99. Unfortunately, the prices of the main programs are fixed but some of the extra services can be unlocked at a discounted price.

Conclusion

The good news is that no matter which company is chosen in the end, both solutions are perfectly capable of putting together accurate returns in no time. As such, when it comes to picking one of them, it’s best to focus on the details that matter the most to you. For instance, if you’d rather have a program with a pleasant interface that is not only safe but also provides clever additional tools, then go for TurboTax. This company is also the best option for those who are looking to maximize their refunds or just simply want to be the interview process to be as straightforward as possible. However, if you prefer a cheaper solution that reduces manual input to the minimum and is capable of providing detailed feedback to taxpayers through its return summaries, then you should considering preparing your taxes with H&R Block’s online software.