TurboTax vs. H&R Block: How the popular tax-filing services compare on cost, experience, and expert help

• Tax Software is best known for in-person tax services, but also offers highly rated online-filing options.
• Software is also a top option, especially if you use QuickBooks as a self-employed person.
• Both services have high-quality user interfaces and offer access to experts. You won’t go wrong with either choice.
• See Personal Finance Insider’s picks for the best tax software »

There are many different tax software programs to choose from, and, honestly, they’re all pretty good. The two that came out on top in our editor’s ratings are established names in tax preparation: H&R Block and TurboTax. 

TurboTax pioneered tax preparation software, and H&R Block has long been known for providing in-person tax preparation services. Today, both companies offer online tax preparation, tax software, and two levels of tax assistance.

Here’s how TurboTax and H&R Block compare on product offerings, costs, and user experience.

Is TurboTax or H&R Block better?

You might prefer TurboTax if you use QuickBooks. Intuit makes both apps, and you can quickly transfer your financial data from QuickBooks to your tax forms. 

You might choose H&R Block if you want a premium experience for a lower price. H&R Block’s DIY filing options are less expensive than TurboTax across the board and edged out TurboTax in our overall ratings.

While TurboTax offers an engaging user experience, H&R Block’s online tax interface is more straightforward, cleaner, and less distracting. 

Tax-filing options with TurboTax

Editor’s rating	4.6 / 5
Review summary	TurboTax is the most expensive option for filing taxes online, but offers a high-quality user interface and access to experts. It’s especially valuable for self-employed filers who use QuickBooks integration.
Cost of DIY filing	$0 – $119 +$49 per state return
Details	4 ways to file taxes Completely free option for simple tax situations at any income level Mobile-friendly Upgradeable for instant access to a tax expert
Free version covers	W-2 income; unemployment income; retirement distributions; interest and dividend income; earned income tax credit; child tax credit

TurboTax’s online platform works the same on any computer, and you can even fill out your taxes on your phone with the TurboTax app. This is the future, folks!

The DIY TurboTax service has an appealing user interface that walks you gently through all your possible deductions and income sources. For the nervous among us, the journey through the TurboTax universe feels reassuringly guided and knowledgeable. If you need even more of a shoulder to lean on, you can pay extra to speak to a tax advisor.

TurboTax allows you to scan your tax documents, which reduces errors and makes it easy to add your data quickly. You can stop working and return to the spot where you left off later. And, if you’ve had enough, you can pay to have TurboTax complete your return for you.

If you’re worried that you won’t know how to access all the extra goodies that TurboTax has to offer, don’t be. The app will prompt you to upgrade to a higher level package so often that you might begin to feel bombarded.

TurboTax’s guided tax journey can feel like a slog, with many questions that don’t relate to your situation. Skipping around is no simple matter — you might have to hunt for the section you want to fill out next if you feel confident that you know your way around your taxes.

Tax-filing options with H&R Block

Editor’s rating	4.9 / 5
Review summary	H&R Block offers products comparable to TurboTax at a lower price. Across all versions, the user interface is modern and easy to use. The free version is more comprehensive than free plans from other services.
Cost of DIY filing	$0 – $87.99 +$44.99 per state return
Details	4 ways to file taxes Completely free option for simple tax situations at any income level Clear step-by-step guidance Upgradeable for instant access to a tax expert
Free version covers	W-2 income; unemployment income; retirement distributions; interest and dividend income; tuition and fees deduction; student loan interest deduction; earned income tax credit; child tax credit

H&R Block’s online interface is stripped down, compared to TurboTax. However, it will collect all the information you need without a lot of fuss and upselling. There are fewer questions and options to choose from upfront in H&R Block’s online filing portal, but always an option to get more information if you need it.

H&R Block used to have an unsavory reputation for duping customers into high-interest refund advances. However, that is all in the past. The company, which previously relied on foot traffic and appointments at its physical offices, has developed an excellent DIY tax-filing platform of its own.

You can pay extra for access to a tax expert, and H&R Block is always happy to prepare your tax forms for you. But you might just find the online tax prep portal so easy to use that you don’t need help from a human. The software will save your place if you need to take a break. You will need to enter your data in a specific order, however. There is less ability to skip things and come back to them than in TurboTax.

The H&R Block software is cheaper than TurboTax and an excellent alternative.

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: Which free version is better?

Both H&R Block and TurboTax offer free tax filing with no income limits. (The IRS also offers free online filing to people earning less than $72,000.)

If you opt for the free online version of TurboTax, expect to get bombarded with insistent offers to upgrade to a paid plan. Your income can include W-2, unemployment, retirement distributions, and some types of 1099 interest and dividends. If you need to file a state return, that’s free as well. You can also apply for the earned income tax credit and the child tax credit using the free version.

H&R Block’s online forms will let you file a simple return for free that includes the same income types as TurboTax except for 1099 income, plus one or more state returns. However, H&R Block’s free version has one significant advantage over TurboTax: It lets you include deductions for student-loan interest and tuition and fees.

One other feature that’s free with the online versions of TurboTax and H&R Block is e-file. E-filing saves you a stamp and ensures that your return won’t get lost in the mail. If you’re getting a refund, e-file will help the IRS process your payment more quickly. 

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: costs and fees

There are lots of reasons you might need to move up to a paid plan with TurboTax or H&R Block. The paid versions are, not surprisingly, easier to use. Besides, the free versions don’t allow you to take some of the most common deductions or report certain types of income. 

In the paid versions, H&R Block and TurboTax both allow you to upload tax documents rather than manually entering the data, which can save you quite a bit of time if you have multiple W-2s and 1099s. The TurboTax mobile app will let you take a photo of a document right in the app, so advantage to TurboTax.

However, H&R Block’s online software wins out on price in every category. Here’s what you would pay to file with different types of deductions and income:

Income type or deduction	Tax Software	Software
Student deductions	Free — $0	Deluxe — $60
Mortgage interest deduction	Deluxe — $39.99	Deluxe — $60
Health savings account	Deluxe — $39.99	Deluxe — $60
Itemized deductions	Deluxe — $39.99	Deluxe — $60
Rental income	Premium — $55.99	Premier — $90
Freelance income under $5,000	Premium — $55.99	Self-employed — $120
Freelance income over $5,000	Self-employed — $87.99	Self-employed — $120
One state tax return	$44.99	$49

These prices do not include discounts.

The more income streams you have, the more expensive it becomes

The amount you pay depends on your circumstances. If you need to file multiple state returns, that could get pricey with TurboTax. For those with a small side-hustle that brought in less than $5,000, you can use H&R Block Premium for almost $50 less than TurboTax Self-Employed. However, if you earned more than $5,000 as a freelancer, the price difference between your online choices is just about $10, so cost might not be your deciding factor.

The expert access services from both H&R Block and TurboTax are in the same price range. The low end of TurboTax’s pricing to fill out your return for you is almost three times the cost of the low end of H&R Block’s in-person service: $199 versus $69.99. However, TurboTax tops out at $389 for full-service tax prep, while H&R Block’s full-service options have open-ended pricing. If you opt to have H&R Block complete your return for you, make sure you know the full cost upfront.

If cost is a primary consideration but you’d like a premium tax-filing experience, H&R Block comes out on top. 

TurboTax vs. H&R Block: user experience

A platform’s ease of use is a subjective question. TurboTax’s user interface has a lot going on, and that can be a bit distracting to some people. However, if you are patient enough to answer the questions methodically, you can finish knowing you have left no deduction unexamined.

H&R Block‘s user experience is simpler, with fewer choices to make along the way. The software won’t let you skip back and forth until you’ve filled in the basics for each section — income first, then deductions. It’s the tax software version of “Just the facts, ma’am.” If you prefer a less cluttered interface, H&R Block will be easier for you to use.

How to choose between H&R Block and TurboTax

There’s a lot to recommend both TurboTax and H&R Block online software. Both include guarantees against filing errors, strong encryption to keep your data safe, and the backing of an organization with a track record of tax preparation expertise. You won’t go wrong with either choice.