Tax-Filing Software and AI: Five Options, Clearly Explained

Updated September 26, 2026.

If you need to file a tax return, choose a service that actually prepares or submits the return you need. IRS Free File, TurboTax, H&R Block, and FreeTaxUSA provide filing routes with different eligibility, support, and costs. Koinly helps organize crypto-tax information and reports; it is not a replacement for every part of an individual income-tax return.

AI assistance is secondary to that distinction. An investment assistant can explain a tax-sensitive decision without being filing software. Mezzi does not file returns, and this guide does not present it as a substitute for a tax preparer.

Method: Mezzi publishes this guide. We reviewed official provider and IRS information on September 26, 2026. We did not file sample returns or audit calculations across the services. Availability, supported forms, tax-year coverage, and prices must match the return you are preparing. We do not rank services by the refund they promise.

Five options and their actual roles

A stock screener, trading bot, or portfolio-advice app should not appear in this table merely because its marketing mentions taxes. The relevant evidence is what the product will prepare and who submits the return.

1. IRS Free File: start at the official entry point

IRS Free File provides two distinct routes. Guided software is offered through participating providers, with program and provider eligibility requirements. Free File Fillable Forms is a separate federal option for people willing to work more directly with tax forms.

The current IRS page lists an adjusted-gross-income threshold of $89,000 for guided software, with partner-specific criteria. It states that fillable forms are available at any income level but do not include state filing. Check the current tax year and eligibility rather than carrying a threshold forward indefinitely.

Why the entry route matters

The IRS instructs users to begin through its Free File page. Going straight to a provider's normal commercial website may lead to a different offer. That distinction can matter more than a promotional claim that a brand has a free edition.

Who should evaluate it

Consider this route before paying if your situation fits the requirements and supported forms. Determine whether the partner includes your state return and whether any restrictions apply. A free federal return does not automatically mean every related state or service is free.

Limitation

The program is not a guarantee that every tax situation is best handled without professional help. Establish whether the workflow covers the return and support you need. Keep acceptance confirmation and any required records after submitting.

2. TurboTax: select the assistance level before comparing price

TurboTax provides tax-preparation options with different levels of assistance. For a buyer, the important comparison is the exact service required by the return, not simply the brand name or a starting-price promotion.

A guided software workflow can be useful if you want the product to organize the interview and forms. Human-assisted or full-service options involve different responsibilities and pricing. Determine whether you will prepare the return, have someone review it, or have a professional prepare it for you.

What to inspect

List the income and tax documents you expect to include before selecting a tier. Investments, self-employment, rental activity, and state filing can affect which product fits. Check the stated form support and how imported information can be reviewed and corrected.

An import can reduce typing without proving that the document is complete or that every transaction is classified correctly. Compare important figures with the source documents, particularly where there are corrected forms or missing basis records.

Cost and limitation

The current online pricing page displays Do It Yourself at $0–$139, Expert Assist at $59–$209, and Expert Full Service starting at $129 for the stated W-2 and Form 1040 base situation. State filing is additional; the displayed state range is $0–$64, with $0 tied to qualifying for a free federal return. These are the reviewed 2025-return offers in September 2026, not a price promise for a future tax season. Confirm the final quote for your forms and support level before filing.

Choose the service for a preparation workflow and support arrangement you understand. An AI answer within a filing product should still be checked against the return and relevant documentation.

3. H&R Block: distinguish online filing from professional preparation

H&R Block's online filing offer is one part of a broader set of tax services. A person comparing online software should keep that offer distinct from an in-person or other assisted engagement.

The practical question is how much help you want and who will be responsible for preparing the return. A recognizable brand can offer several different workflows, and the scope of one should not be assumed to apply to all of them.

What to inspect

Identify the forms and states involved, then confirm the appropriate online product or professional service. Ask what happens if the return turns out to be more complex than expected. Establish which kind of assistance is included and which is an additional purchase.

Review how you will supply documents and approve the final return. A review step is valuable only if you understand the figures, filing status, account details, and other important information being submitted. Keep copies of the completed return and submission confirmation.

Cost and limitation

At review, the online page displays Free at $0 federal and $0 per state for eligible simple returns; Deluxe at $65, Premium at $105, and Self-Employed at $130, with $49 per state for the paid tiers. Tax Pro Review is an optional addition. The page places rental and investment income in Premium or Self-Employed, so an investor should not assume the free offer fits. For example, Premium plus one state is $154 before optional additions. These are the reviewed 2025-return offers; confirm the tax year and quote before filing.

H&R Block is worth evaluating if its chosen workflow and support match your needs. It should be assessed on those specifics rather than a blanket claim that every AI-enabled filing service is equivalent.

4. FreeTaxUSA: separate the base return from optional help

FreeTaxUSA lists free federal returns, with separate state and optional-service pricing. At review, the page lists a current-year state return at $15.99, Deluxe Support at $7.99, and Pro Support at $44.99. Prior-year state returns have a different listed price of $17.99, so the tax year matters.

This separation makes a useful comparison possible. A person who needs only the base workflow can evaluate that cost, while someone who wants professional support can price the added service explicitly.

What to inspect

Confirm that the product supports the forms and circumstances in your return. Review imported W-2 or 1099 information against the original documents. If you want help with a specific issue, check whether it is covered by basic support, the paid support tier, or another service.

The provider describes Pro Support and its final-review process separately from basic technical help. Those are different deliverables. Do not assume that free preparation includes the same personal assistance as the paid offer.

A simple cost example

One current-year state return at $15.99 plus the listed $44.99 Pro Support totals $60.98, before any other optional charges. That arithmetic is an illustration of the published items, not a quote for every return. Paying filing fees from a refund can have an additional charge, so compare the payment method as well.

Limitation

Low price alone does not establish fit for an unusual or complex situation. Evaluate supported forms, the quality of the records you have, and the assistance you need. The best value is the complete workflow that handles your actual return.

5. Koinly: solve the crypto-record problem before filing

Koinly organizes cryptocurrency transaction information and produces tax reports. Its relevance is clearest when activity is spread across wallets and exchanges and needs to be reconciled before it can be reported correctly.

That is a specialist recordkeeping job. It should not be described as preparing every part of a household income-tax return, including wages, other investments, deductions, and state matters.

What to inspect

Bring in the complete relevant history, including wallets and exchanges no longer actively used. Check that transfers between your own wallets are not mistaken for unrelated acquisitions or disposals. Investigate missing purchase history and other gaps before treating a gain calculation as settled.

Then determine how the report will be used: imported into filing software, reviewed by a preparer, or translated into the applicable forms. The report-to-return step needs a defined owner. Exporting a file is not the same thing as submitting and receiving acceptance of the full return.

Cost and limitation

Koinly pricing displays Newbie at $49 per tax year for up to 100 transactions, Hodler at $99 for up to 1,000, and Trader starting at $199 with the displayed 3,000-transaction level. Larger volumes change the price. The free tier allows tracking and a gains preview; downloading tax reports requires a paid plan. Confirm the tax year, transaction count, jurisdiction, and export before buying. A higher-priced plan will not by itself resolve missing records.

Choose it for a crypto-specific data problem. Continue to evaluate the filing service for the rest of the return separately.

Where Mezzi belongs in the process

Mezzi can support financial questions involving connected investments, banking, assets, and liabilities, with goals and preferences supplied through AI Personalization. That can be useful before a tax-sensitive financial decision or when preparing questions to discuss with a tax professional.

It does not file the return. Advice about a potential investment change, a report of past transactions, and return preparation are different tasks. Keeping them separate helps you avoid expecting one subscription to perform a service it does not offer.

For a comparison focused on investment decisions rather than filing, see tax-efficient investing tools. For record quality before a sale, see portfolio trackers for tax decisions.

A practical selection process

First, list the return's requirements: tax year, filing jurisdictions, types of income, relevant forms, and the support you want. Then narrow the options by those requirements before comparing prices.

Second, price the complete workflow. Include state returns, specialist reporting, and optional human help where needed. Compare free eligibility carefully rather than assuming every advertised free edition covers the same circumstances.

Third, confirm who reviews and submits the return. Keep the final copy and acceptance record. If a tool's AI explanation conflicts with a document or the return, resolve the difference before submitting. A confident explanation is not a substitute for an accurate filing.

Frequently asked questions

Does Mezzi file taxes?

No. Mezzi supports financial guidance and planning discussions. Tax-return preparation and filing are separate tasks.

Is a crypto tax report a complete income-tax return?

No. A crypto report can help organize part of the information, but the rest of the return and the submission process still need to be completed through the appropriate filing workflow.

Is IRS Free File the same as a provider's commercial free edition?

Not necessarily. The IRS instructs eligible users to begin through its Free File entry page. Provider eligibility, supported forms, and state treatment should be checked for the relevant route.

Should I choose filing software because it has AI?

Choose first for supported forms, tax-year coverage, complete cost, and the assistance you need. AI can help with parts of the workflow, but it does not remove the need to review the return and supporting records.