FreeTaxUSA is online tax-filing software for US federal and state income tax returns, started in 2001 by a CPA and a software developer.
Federal filing is free for every tax situation. The bill you actually control is the $15.99 state return plus any support upgrades you choose.
FreeTaxUSA is based in Provo, Utah, and states that it never sells tax return information. Its software handles more than 350 credits and deductions, covering situations such as self-employment, rental property, crypto sales, farm income and education credits. It can also prepare returns for the 2018-2024 tax years and files federal extensions at no charge.
Paid add-ons include Deluxe, Audit Defense and Pro Support, which brings a Tax Pro by call or chat plus a ProCheck final review. Military members and veterans get support for breaks like the combat pay exclusion. The company also offers a maximum refund guarantee and an accuracy guarantee, under which it covers IRS or state penalties and interest caused by its own calculation errors.
When shoppers look for FreeTaxUSA coupons
FreeTaxUSA coupon searches peak in February, about 3.6× a typical month, and dip lowest in November.
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US Google searches, Sep 2025 to Aug 2026. Search interest, not sales.
What payment methods does FreeTaxUSA accept?
Credit card, debit card, Google Pay and Apple Pay are accepted, alongside the paid pay-with-refund option.
More about shopping at FreeTaxUSA
Federal and state
Federal returns cost nothing in any tax situation; a state return is $15.99, or $17.99 for a prior year.
Pro Support
$64.99 adds a Tax Pro by call or chat, a ProCheck review, live screen share, unlimited amended returns and 7-year file storage.
Audit Defense
An optional $19.99 add-on that sits alongside the support upgrades.
Amended returns
A current-year amendment costs $16.98 and comes included with Deluxe and Pro Support.
Paying fees
Taking FreeTaxUSA fees out of your refund costs $24.99, while paying them by card costs $0.
Maximum Refund Guarantee
If another online tax software gets a bigger refund or smaller bill, FreeTaxUSA refunds your purchases and covers an amended return.
Prior years
Returns for 2018-2024 can still be prepared, federal free and state $17.99; 2024 and 2023 can be e-filed with an IRS Identity Protection PIN.
Extensions
Federal tax extensions are filed free, with nothing extra to buy.
FreeTaxUSA's biggest saving needs no code at all, because the federal return is free for everyone.
The cost decisions come near the end, when you add a state return and pick any upgrades.
Choose the payment method carefully there.
Paying by card costs $0, while deducting fees from your refund adds $24.99, more than the state return itself.
Audit Defense at $19.99 and Pro Support at $64.99 are both optional, so the base cost stays at the state fee if you leave them off.
Military personnel and veterans file federal free like everyone else, with breaks such as the combat pay exclusion supported.
More ways to save at FreeTaxUSA
The Maximum Refund Guarantee protects you if a rival program would have found more.
FreeTaxUSA refunds your purchases and gives a service code for a free amended return, though the gap can't come from different data or user errors.
It also pays IRS penalties and interest caused by its own calculation errors.
If you owe the IRS, direct debit is free while a card payment carries a 2.5% fee.
Federal extensions cost nothing to file.
FreeTaxUSA questions, answered
Is FreeTaxUSA free for federal returns?
Federal returns are free for every tax situation. State returns cost $15.99, and add-ons such as Pro Support are optional.
Can a prior-year return be filed with FreeTaxUSA?
Returns for 2018-2024 can still be prepared, with free federal and $17.99 state. The 2024 and 2023 returns may be e-filed with an IRS Identity Protection PIN, while older years must be mailed.
What does FreeTaxUSA Pro Support include?
For $64.99, Pro Support adds calls or chat with a Tax Pro, a ProCheck final review, phone support and live screen share. It also covers unlimited amended returns and 7-year file storage.
Should FreeTaxUSA fees come out of your refund?
Paying fees from your refund costs $24.99, while paying by card costs $0.
What does the FreeTaxUSA Maximum Refund Guarantee cover?
If another online tax software gives a larger refund or smaller tax bill, FreeTaxUSA refunds your purchases and provides a service code for a free amended return.