TaxSlayer review

TaxSlayer keeps its paid tiers short and cheap. Simply Free covers a federal return and one state for simple tax situations. Classic, at $19.99 for the federal return, includes all forms, credits and deductions, so itemizing, investments or a side business do not require an upgrade, and state is added on top. Premium, at $39.99 plus state, adds live chat, skip-the-line phone and email support and Ask a Tax Pro. New users can upload a prior year return from another provider to get a head start, and eligible W-2 and 1099 forms import to fill in income. Checkpoints along the way and a final review aim to catch missed items, backed by refund and accuracy guarantees. The design is simpler than TurboTax or H&R Block and offers less hand-holding, but the price gap is large for anyone with a complex return.

Who it is for

Filers who need every form and want a cheap paid tier with optional tax pro access.

Price

Simply Free $0 with one state for simple returns; Classic $19.99 federal, state additional; Premium $39.99.

Classic All tax situations covered at one low price Get all forms, credits, and deductions. The best value for any tax situation. $19.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 9, 2026.

Key features

• Simply Free tier with a federal and one state return for simple tax situations
• Classic tier with all forms, credits and deductions
• Premium tier with live chat, skip-the-line support and Ask a Tax Pro
• Prior year return upload and W-2 and 1099 import
• Maximum refund and accuracy guarantees

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: All forms at $19.99 federal
• Strength: US-based support team
• Strength: Simple returns include one state free
• Weakness: State costs extra on Classic and Premium
• Weakness: Tax pro access needs the $39.99 Premium tier
• Weakness: Free tier is limited to simple tax situations

Key facts

• Federal price: $0 Simply Free, $19.99 Classic, $39.99 Premium
• State price: Included on Simply Free, additional on paid tiers
• In business: Over 60 years, per the vendor

Where it ranks

TaxSlayer is No. 3 in our Best Tax Software verdict.