Not tax advice. Information here is general guidance. Tax laws change. Verify with the IRS or a licensed CPA for your specific situation.
TaxAct vs FreeTaxUSA: which antivirus should you choose?
Comparing TaxAct ($49.99/year first, $49.99 renewal) and FreeTaxUSA ($0.00/year first, $0.00 renewal). Detection rate, system impact, and bundled features compared.
| TaxAct | FreeTaxUSA | |
|---|---|---|
| First-year price | $49.99 | $0.00 |
| Renewal price | $49.99 | $0.00 |
| Devices | Web + Mobile | Web |
| Malware detection | 0% | 0% |
| AV-TEST score | n/a | n/a |
| Ransomware protection | ✗ | ✗ |
| Firewall | ✗ | ✗ |
| VPN included | ✗ | ✗ |
| Password manager | ✗ | ✗ |
| Parental controls | ✗ | ✗ |
| Dark web monitoring | ✗ | ✗ |
| Identity theft protection | ✗ | ✗ |
| Cloud backup | ✗ | ✗ |
| Money-back days | 30 | 0 |
| Overall score | 4/5 | 5/5 |
TaxAct
TaxAct is the right pick for self-employed filers on a budget. $69.99 self-employed tier undercuts TurboTax by $50-$100. $100K accuracy guarantee is the strongest in the industry.
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FreeTaxUSA is the **honest free tax software**. Free federal forever, $14.99 state. No deceptive upsells. Best for confident self-filers with complex returns who don't need hand-holding. Saves $80-$150/year vs TurboTax.
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