How Much Does TurboTax Cost?

Published on July 5, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 14 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

TurboTax can be free for a qualifying simple return, but paid filing can rise past the basic software charge once a state return, expert help, desktop add-ons, or refund-payment service is added. As of June 2026, published 2026 pricing references show TurboTax DIY federal filing from $0 to $139, state filing from $0 to $64, Expert Assist federal filing from $59 to $209, and Expert Full Service at $129 federal plus $69 state.

The final bill is not set when a filer opens a return. TurboTax Online lets many users start without paying, then charges when the return is filed, printed, mailed, or when an add-on is bought. The main cost units are federal return, state return, expert support, desktop e-file, and payment method.

For 2025 tax-year returns filed in 2026, the TurboTax cost unit is a federal return plus any state return, with Intuit TurboTax Online, TurboTax Desktop, Expert Assist, Expert Full Service, IRS Free File, and Pay With My Refund all pointing filers toward different price outcomes. A simple W-2 return can stay in the no-charge lane, while itemized deductions, stock sales, rental income, Schedule C work, state e-file, and live expert review can move the same taxpayer into a paid filing path.

TurboTax runs from $0 for qualifying returns to paid federal and state totals that rise with expert help, desktop add-ons, refund-payment service, and forms for investments, rentals, or self-employment.

How Much Does TurboTax Cost?

Jump to sections

• Base, qualifying simple Form 1040 returns are $0 federal, $0 state, and $0 to file.
• Mid, a paid DIY Deluxe federal return with one paid state return can land at $143 (equivalent to 4.8 hours at $30 per hour, or about $58 in 1990 dollars), since $79 plus $64 equals $143, using published 2026 paid DIY figures.
• Desktop add-ons, TurboTax Desktop lists a state e-file fee of $25, Live Tax Advice at $60, and Audit Defense from $40 to $60 as of the 2025-2026 season.
• Refund payment, Pay With My Refund can add an extra $40 processing fee as of the 2025-2026 product disclosures.

What you’re actually buying

TurboTax is tax-preparation software owned by Intuit. A filer answers interview-style prompts, imports or types income documents, checks deductions and credits, then files a federal return and any state return through the product.

The online and mobile versions run inside an Intuit account. Desktop software is installed on a computer and fits households that prefer a downloaded program or local files. TurboTax is not a tax refund service and does not set the tax owed. Its substitutes are IRS Free File for eligible taxpayers, lower-priced self-prep software, and a CPA or enrolled agent for returns that need judgment beyond software prompts.

TurboTax vs free filing and paid help

TurboTax sits between government-backed free filing and professional preparation. The free side matters because the IRS Free File program gives eligible taxpayers with 2025 adjusted gross income of $89,000 (about $36,000 in 1990 dollars) or less access to guided filing software through eight trusted partners for the 2026 season. Some partners also include free state filing, but each partner can set income, age, state residency, and military rules.

The professional side is different. A human preparer can ask follow-up questions about estimated taxes, bookkeeping gaps, rental basis, or entity structure. That is why a taxpayer with several states, a small business, or old records may compare TurboTax against H&R Block pricing or CPA preparation fees rather than against software alone.

Tiers and filing paths

TurboTax pricing moves with the route selected. DIY keeps the filer in control. Expert Assist adds access to tax experts and review while the filer still prepares the return. Expert Full Service hands the preparation work to an expert. TurboTax says paid Online and mobile products may be started without payment and charged when the user e-files, prints, files by mail, or buys an add-on.

TurboTax path	Best fit	Main cost trigger
Free Edition	Simple Form 1040 return	Leaving the allowed form set
Do It Yourself Deluxe	Homeowners, donors, itemizers	Paid federal plus state return
Do It Yourself Premium	Investments, rentals, self-employment	Schedules for stocks, rentals, or business income
Expert Assist	Self-prep with live help	Expert access and review
Expert Full Service	Hand-off filing	Forms handled by the tax expert

The tier question is really a form question. A W-2 return with the standard deduction can stay in the free lane. A return with Schedule D stock sales, Schedule E rental income, or Schedule C gig income can move to Premium or an expert product. That movement, not the brand name alone, explains the gap between a free filing and a much higher one-return bill.

Free Edition and IRS Free File

TurboTax Free Edition is an Intuit product with its own rules. IRS Free File is a government-linked entry point to partner software. The IRS says guided Free File is for taxpayers with $89,000 (about $36,000 in 1990 dollars) or less in AGI, offers partner software, and may include some free state filing. Free File Fillable Forms has no income cap, but it is forms-based and has no state return.

The practical split is access. A taxpayer can qualify for TurboTax Free Edition if the return stays simple enough for the TurboTax form set. A different taxpayer can use IRS Free File if AGI and partner rules fit. Starting at a commercial tax site instead of the IRS Free File portal can lead to a different product path, so filers looking for the lowest bill should enter IRS Free File from IRS.gov and then choose a partner from there.

Desktop TurboTax

TurboTax Desktop is not the same bill as TurboTax Online. The downloaded program can include a federal e-file path and a state download depending on edition, but desktop users still need to watch state e-file, extra state returns, Live Tax Advice, and Audit Defense. One 2026 desktop Deluxe comparison notes desktop Deluxe at about $80, one state download, and $25 per state e-file in a desktop Deluxe comparison.

The desktop route can appeal to households filing multiple federal returns from one computer, but state filing changes the math. Printing and mailing a state return may avoid an electronic state filing charge, but it also means paper handling, postage, and a slower confirmation trail. Desktop is strongest when the user wants local files and can manage updates, imports, and mailing choices without the cloud workflow of TurboTax Online.

Add-ons and payment choices

The easiest extra charge to miss is the payment method. TurboTax Support says choosing Pay With My Refund adds an extra $40 refund processing fee deducted with the software fees, and it can be removed before e-filing by switching to a card payment. Once the e-filed return is pending or accepted, the support page says it is too late to remove that choice unless the return is rejected.

What different filers may pay

Budget case. A single W-2 filer who uses the standard deduction, has no investment sales, no unemployment income, no rental income, and stays inside the supported Form 1040 limits can pay $0 for federal and state through Free Edition. The primary driver is eligibility, not income alone.

Typical paid DIY case. A homeowner who itemizes and files one state return may move out of Free Edition. Using Verito’s 2026 figures for Deluxe at $79 federal and $64 per state, the one-state total is $143 because $79 plus $64 equals $143.

Higher-support case. A filer with several W-2s, stock sales, and a desire to hand the return to an expert may see Full Service pricing instead of DIY pricing. TurboTax Support lists Full Service federal base prices of $89 early season and $129 late season, with state at $49 early season and $69 late season, and later forms such as an added W-2 can add $20 after the first W-2.

Worked total

Take a paid DIY Deluxe filer with one state return who also chooses Pay With My Refund. The software portion is $143 from the Deluxe example above. Adding the $40 refund processing fee brings the filing bill to $183, because $143 plus $40 equals $183.

• DIY Deluxe federal return, $79
• One state return, $64
• Pay With My Refund service fee, $40
• Worked total, $183

The fee choice is a large swing on a modest software bill. A $40 refund-payment fee is about 28% of a $143 DIY Deluxe plus state bill, because $40 divided by $143 equals 0.28. Paying by card before filing can remove that line item if the filer changes the payment method before the e-file status blocks edits.

Who this cost makes sense for

TurboTax makes the most sense when the return is within software boundaries and the filer wants prompts, imports, stored prior-year data, and the option to add expert help. It makes less sense when a taxpayer already qualifies for a no-charge IRS path, needs tax planning beyond return preparation, or only wants the lowest state-filing fee.

Makes sense if

• You want guided software for a federal and state return and do not want to work directly from IRS forms.
• You need help sorting itemized deductions, investment sales, self-employment forms, or rental income.
• You want the option to add live expert help before filing.
• You value prior-year return access inside the same Intuit account.

Doesn’t make sense if

• Your return fits IRS Free File rules and a partner covers your state.
• You qualify for Free Edition and do not need any paid upgrade.
• Your only goal is the lowest possible state filing charge.
• You need a preparer to review records and advise on estimated taxes, entities, or bookkeeping choices.

Answers to Common Questions

Is TurboTax really free?

Yes, for qualifying simple returns. Free Edition is not the same as every TurboTax product, and returns with unsupported schedules or forms can require a paid tier.

Why did TurboTax charge me after I started for free?

Many paid online and mobile products let users start without paying. The charge is triggered later when the filer submits, prints, mails, or buys a service.

Can I avoid the $40 refund processing fee?

Yes, if the return has not reached pending or accepted e-file status. Choose a payment method other than Pay With My Refund before filing.

Is TurboTax cheaper than a CPA?

For a simple or moderate self-prepared return, it can be. A CPA may be a better fit when the return needs planning, entity advice, multi-state analysis, or record cleanup.