The best tax software, according to hackers
4 tax software were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 2 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The two most recommended tax software with the badge. Each figure is 2 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Low cost, free federal filing
Recommended as a cheap, easy filer that handles complicated returns, with free federal filing and a small state fee. Common caveat: no AMT support.
Free for everyone
Free official IRS tax forms online, with nothing obscured, that many people find easier than expected. Critics say they are tedious and require real tax knowledge.
All 4 tax software, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TurboTax | 25 | 58 | 30% | 9 | 20 yrs6 owners | — |
| 2 | FreeTaxUSA | 22 | 5 | 81% | 5 | 3 yrs5 owners | Approved |
| 3 | IRS Free File Fillable Forms | 13 | 5 | 72% | 6 | — | Approved |
| 4 | Cash App Taxes | 6 | 0 | 100% | 3 | 1 yr3 owners | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same tax software in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to tax software that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.