Reddit · r/tax · Oct 13, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
Using an AI to verify a FreeTaxUSA return found an NIIT calculation oddity, an AI error and their own entry mistake.
FreeTaxUSA Reviews
Tax software
Cheap and accurate for many leaving TurboTax, with free federal filing; a few missed direct imports.
How the signal works ↗Updated 12 NovCompare with Cash App Taxes
What people mention
Common concerns
Topics grouped from customer reviews, with how many mention each; read the originals below.
Real customer experiences (554)
Add your reviewShowing 26 reviews mentioning buggy app Show all
Reddit · r/tax · Apr 23, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA cannot handle wash sales exceeding the total loss, which TurboTax handles by marking the excess as gain.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 16, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
The Fidelity consolidated 1099 import produced weird entries that had to be manually corrected; everything else was fine.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 28, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA suggests a net investment income tax figure but does not recalculate it if earlier inputs change, which led to a small error.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 27, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA's stock/1099 upload only picked up interest from a consolidated 1099, though results otherwise nearly matched TurboTax.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 24, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
First-year FreeTaxUSA user who says the program works well but that its state refund estimate was far higher than what the state actually paid, so the summary numbers were unreliable for them.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Feb 13, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA could not handle multiple state returns with a convenience-of-employer state and made backdoor Roth entry bizarrely difficult, so they hired an accountant.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 2, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA showed a wrong Form 8615 result that fixed itself after clicking in and out of the section.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 1, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
Found FreeTaxUSA's 1099 import split a sale into two boxes with blanks, and fixed it by combining the entries manually.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Apr 4, 2025
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
Wants FreeTaxUSA to import more forms; it kept saying a form was needed but they could not generate it.
Reddit · r/tax · Apr 2, 2025
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA hides Form 2210 for uneven income when no penalty is expected, requiring manual mailing and leaving them unable to get support for amendments.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 25, 2025
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Former long-term user says a programming change this year kept their state Schedule E from filling out correctly, and customer service was dismissive of how to fix it.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 6, 2025
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Long-time user who saw FreeTaxUSA import bad data from the prior year for the first time, with figures not matching last year's return.
Reddit · r/tax · Apr 23, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Used FreeTaxUSA to fill out all their forms this year but never uses it for state returns because it does not calculate their HSA contributions correctly for the state.
Reddit · r/tax · Apr 11, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
Found FreeTaxUSA rough edges, such as obscure K-1 boxes and awkward in-state exempt income handling, and moved to OLT.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Apr 6, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA does more complicated forms for free but its document upload is glitchy with a combined INT, so each box must be reviewed.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 16, 2026
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA handled Fidelity 1099s but struggled with Schwab ones, so they use summaries for manual entry.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 1, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA does not recognize Oregon transit and family leave taxes in W-2 Box 14, with no way to input them, while TurboTax did, probably costing them over the years.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 15, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Uploaded a consolidated 1099 to FreeTaxUSA and found rows imported out of order, some missing, and a refund that looked wrong, costing hours of manual fixes and their confidence in the software.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Apr 4, 2025
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Could not get FreeTaxUSA to accept their K-1 forms and went to a local preparer.
Reddit · r/tax · Feb 21, 2025
MixedSummary of a Reddit post
The W-2 PDF import missed a few fields that had to be fixed manually.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Feb 19, 2025
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Used FreeTaxUSA's W-2 photo scanning and says it put figures in the wrong places, duplicated the state entry and invented numbers, so the results need checking.
Reddit · r/tax · Apr 9, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
The downloaded broker form did not pick up their stock sales at all.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 19, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
Found FreeTaxUSA's uploaded-file import always wrong in its beta and says to double-check it.
Reddit · r/tax · Mar 7, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
The beta Schwab consolidated 1099 PDF upload made a big mess with double, missed and incomplete entries.
Reddit · r/personalfinance · Feb 12, 2026
NegativeSummary of a Reddit post
FreeTaxUSA filled out their Form 8606 incorrectly on a backdoor Roth, so they filed with TurboTax instead.
Common questions about FreeTaxUSA
What do customers say about FreeTaxUSA?
Users, most of them switching from TurboTax, describe FreeTaxUSA as easy, cheap and accurate, with federal filing free and only a small state fee. It handles self-employment, rentals and investments well for many, without the constant upsells. A few missed direct imports, struggled with large stock-trade lists, or had a special situation handled wrongly.
Is FreeTaxUSA worth it?
Of the 554 reviews with a clear verdict, 82% are positive, 14% mixed and 5% negative. The praise mentioned most is easy to use. The most common complaint is buggy app.
What do people like about FreeTaxUSA?
The praise reviewers mention most: easy to use (160 reviews), low fees (146 reviews) and reliable (94 reviews). For example: First time on FreeTaxUSA with an earned income credit return was smooth and easy, with only a small state fee.
What are the most common complaints about FreeTaxUSA?
The complaints reviewers mention most: buggy app (26 reviews), poor support (6 reviews) and hidden fees (2 reviews). For example: FreeTaxUSA filled out their Form 8606 incorrectly on a backdoor Roth, so they filed with TurboTax instead.
What does the signal score of 94 mean?
It's how well reviewed FreeTaxUSA is, out of 100. Negative and mixed reviews take points off, and so does having only a few reviews: a product needs plenty of them, compared with the most-reviewed products here, to reach the high 80s and 90s. It's worked out from reviews only, needs at least 5 of them, and updates as new ones come in.
What are the specs of FreeTaxUSA?
Category: Tax software. Type: Online tax software. Fees: Federal $0; state $15.99.
Where do these FreeTaxUSA reviews come from?
554 are quotes from Reddit, each linked to the original. Customer reviews are checked for spam before they appear. Every review, written here or quoted, is read as positive, mixed or negative.