How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- ExpressTaxExempt and Tax990 (same parent company) dominate nonprofit 990 e-filing, with per-return pricing starting near $9.90 for the 990-N.
- If your gross receipts are $50,000 or less, you can file the 990-N e-Postcard free directly with the IRS and skip paid software entirely.
- Small nonprofits filing 990-EZ should compare per-return prices carefully; they range from under $60 to nearly $90 depending on the provider.
- Private foundations filing 990-PF face the highest fees, so confirm the price before starting the return.
- Every provider here is an IRS-authorized e-file provider; never file a 990 through a service that is not.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 ExpressTaxExempt | All-in-one 990 e-filing | $9.90 per return (Form 990-N) | No |
 Tax990 | Guided filing for all 990 forms | See website | No |
 TaxZerone | Budget 990 e-filing | $9.90 per return | No |
 File990 | Simple 990-N and 990-EZ filing | See website | No |
 TaxBandits | Bundling 990 with payroll forms | See website | No |
 Tax1099 | Orgs already filing 1099s there | See website | No |
 Form990.org | Long-established 990 specialist | See website | No |
 IRS e-Postcard | Free 990-N filing direct with IRS | Free | Yes |
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Form 990 comes in flavors, and the flavor decides the price. Organizations with gross receipts of $50,000 or less file the 990-N e-Postcard, which is free through the IRS and costs about $10 through paid providers. Under $200,000 in receipts and $500,000 in assets means the 990-EZ short form. Everyone else files the full Form 990, and private foundations file the 990-PF. Figure out your form first; then the software comparison gets simple.
Getting the form wrong costs more than time: file a 990-EZ when the full 990 was required and the IRS rejects the return while the penalty clock keeps ticking. Gross receipts are the trigger number, and chapters under a group exemption follow their own rules. When your receipts sit near a threshold, run your numbers through the provider's interview once before paying, since every tool here determines the right form before charging you.
Starting price$9.90 per return (Form 990-N)
Free planNo
ExpressTaxExempt is the best-known name in nonprofit e-filing, supporting the 990-N, 990-EZ, full 990, 990-PF, 990-T and the 8868 extension through an interview-style workflow. Setup is fast: create the account, enter the organization's EIN, and prior-year filings carry over so returning filers skip re-entry. Pricing starts at $9.90 for the 990-N e-Postcard and steps up from there, with the 990-EZ and full 990 priced per return. Built-in error checks flag missing schedules before transmission, and multi-user access lets the treasurer and bookkeeper share the workload. US-based phone, chat and email support is included, and there are bundle discounts for filing the extension alongside the return.
The honest catch is the price ladder: the advertised $9.90 covers only the simplest form, and the 990-EZ, full 990 and 990-PF step up from there, with larger returns costing several times more. Support quality is a genuine bright spot; reviewers mention fast, knowledgeable answers from US-based staff during filing season. Tax professionals filing for many clients should look at the prepaid credit and bundle options, which bring the per-return cost down meaningfully. For a single nonprofit filing once a year, the guided process is worth the fee.
What we like- Covers the full 990 series plus extensions
- Interview-style filing
- US-based support
Watch out for- Per-return pricing adds up for preparers filing many clients
- 990-EZ and full 990 cost much more than the 990-N
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Tax990, from the same company behind ExpressTaxExempt, positions itself as the guided filing experience: step-by-step questions, built-in error checks before transmission, and support for the full 990 series including the 990-T for unrelated business income and California Form 199. Team features let board members and preparers collaborate on the return, with permission controls so the board can review figures without editing them. Prior-year data imports speed up repeat filings, and a shared dashboard tracks filing status across multiple organizations, which preparers handling several clients appreciate.
Pricing is per return and varies by form, so confirm your form's price before investing time in data entry; the 990-PF in particular prices higher than first-time filers expect. The overlap with ExpressTaxExempt is real; pick whichever interface you prefer, since the underlying e-filing engine is the same family. One practical difference worth knowing: Tax990's question flow suits first-time filers, while ExpressTaxExempt's dashboard suits repeat filers juggling several returns.
What we like- Step-by-step guidance with built-in error checks
- Supports 990-T and state forms like CA 199
- Team collaboration
Watch out for- Pricing varies by form and is not obvious until you start
- Same corporate family as ExpressTaxExempt
Starting price$9.90 per return
Free planNo
TaxZerone competes on price, with filing starting at $9.90 and a reputation for transparent, no-hidden-fee pricing; what the pricing page shows is what you pay at checkout. It supports the 990 series plus California-specific forms like the FTB 199, and organizations that prepay their 990 filing get the 8868 extension free. Onboarding is simple, with guided questions and prior-year carryover for returning filers. Support covers phone, chat and email, and response times during filing season are reasonable for a smaller shop.
The trade-off is maturity: fewer third-party reviews and a thinner feature set for high-volume preparers than the market leaders, with no multi-client dashboard comparable to the big two. Integrations are minimal, since this is a filing tool rather than an accounting platform, so expect manual data entry. For a small nonprofit watching every dollar and filing a single return, it is a credible budget alternative worth pricing against ExpressTaxExempt.
What we like- Transparent low pricing
- Supports state forms including CA FTB 199
- Free 8868 with prepaid 990
Watch out for- Smaller brand with less review history
- Fewer advanced preparer tools
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
File990 keeps things narrow: it handles the 990-N e-Postcard and the 990-EZ short form with a fast, simple flow aimed at small nonprofits. Setup asks for the basics, walks you through a short question set, and transmits; most filers finish in one sitting. If your organization is under the 990-EZ thresholds, you do not need the complexity of a full-suite provider, and File990's stripped-down process reflects that. Support is lean but responsive, mostly by email and chat.
The limitation is scope: no full 990, no 990-PF and no 990-T, so growing organizations eventually outgrow it. Larger nonprofits and private foundations need to look elsewhere. Confirm the per-return price on the site before filing, since it is not published as prominently as competitors'; for the 990-EZ it typically lands below the full-suite providers. Start early too, since there is no extension form here to fall back on if you run late.
What we like- Focused on the two simplest forms
- Quick filing flow
- Nonprofit-specific messaging
Watch out for- Does not cover the full 990 or 990-PF
- Pricing requires starting the filing process
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
TaxBandits started with employment tax forms and added 990 support, which makes it the natural pick for nonprofits that already file 1099s, W-2s or 941s there. One account, one billing relationship, and the 990 return sits alongside everything else in a shared dashboard. Bulk upload via CSV or API helps organizations with many employees or contractors, and the platform keeps a filing history with delivery receipts for every form. There is also an API for developers building filing into their own products. Support includes live chat and phone with US-based agents.
If you only need a 990, the dedicated providers offer a more focused experience, with interview flows built around nonprofit specifics. But for a nonprofit with staff, consolidating all IRS e-filing in one place has real administrative value: one renewal, one support contact, one audit trail. Multi-user access with permission levels lets the bookkeeper enter data while the treasurer reviews and authorizes, which is a small governance win on its own.
What we like- One account for 990, 1099, W-2 and 941 filings
- Good for organizations with employees
- API available
Watch out for- 990 feels like an add-on to a payroll-first platform
- Pricing varies by form
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Tax1099 expanded into the 990 series in December 2025, adding the 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-N and 990-T to its established 1099, W-2 and ACA filing platform. Organizations already e-filing information returns there can now handle nonprofit returns without a second vendor. The interface mirrors the rest of the platform, so existing users face no learning curve. CSV imports and an API support bulk workflows, and the dashboard shows the status of every return in one place.
Being the newest 990 product here, it has the shortest track record for edge cases like amended returns and complex schedules, and third-party reviews of its 990 experience are still thin. Support quality matches the rest of the platform, which long-time users rate well. It is a sensible choice for simple returns from existing Tax1099 customers; everyone else should weigh the established specialists first, especially for 990-PF and full 990 filings with tricky schedules.
What we like- IRS-authorized platform
- 990 series added in late 2025
- Familiar if you already use it for information returns
Watch out for- Newest 990 offering on this list
- The least proven for complex 990 scenarios
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Form990.org has been e-filing 990s since 2004, longer than anyone else on this list. It supports the full range of schedules A through R, embeds IRS instructions and tips in the forms, and carries your data forward year to year, which saves real time on annual filings. Verification routines check the return for accuracy before transmission. The workflow is form-based rather than interview-based, which experienced filers prefer: you see the actual return as you work, and corrections happen in place instead of by re-running questions.
The website feels its age, with a dated interface and pages that are awkward on mobile, and you will need to start the process to see pricing. Support is available but the help documentation reads older than competitors'. But two decades of continuous operation is a meaningful trust signal for a once-a-year compliance filing; this vendor has transmitted through every IRS system change since the e-file mandate began.
What we like- IRS-authorized e-file provider since 2004
- Supports schedules A through R
- Carries data year to year
Watch out for- Dated web experience
- Pricing not published upfront
#8
IRS e-Postcard
Best for: Free 990-N filing direct with IRS
Visit irs.gov
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
If your organization normally has gross receipts of $50,000 or less, the IRS lets you file the 990-N e-Postcard directly and free through its own system. The form asks for eight items: EIN, tax year, legal name and address, a website if you have one, principal officer details, gross receipts, and whether the organization is terminating. No software purchase, no per-return fee, no third-party account. For tiny nonprofits, clubs and associations, this is all you need.
The catch is that it only handles the 990-N, and the IRS interface offers minimal hand-holding compared with paid providers; error messages are terse and there is no live support. Miss the filing for three consecutive years and you lose exempt status automatically, so calendar the deadline. Filing opens after the tax year ends, and you cannot submit the 990-N before then. Anything above the 990-N thresholds needs one of the paid tools above.
What we like- Completely free
- Filed directly with the IRS
- No account with a third party needed
Watch out for- Only for the 990-N
- Minimal guidance
- No support beyond IRS resources
Do not forget the state filing
The IRS return is only half the job in many states. California requires Form 199, New York has the CHAR500, and solicitation registrations vary widely. Several providers above support select state forms; confirm yours is covered before you buy, or budget for a separate state filing.
State deadlines rarely match the IRS date, and some states want the 990 filed with the charity registration before the federal return is even due. If your provider does not cover your state form, the state attorney general's website usually hosts free forms, but they are manual. One more trap: fundraising in multiple states can trigger registration requirements in each one, which is a separate compliance thread from the tax return itself.
How we chose
We listed the IRS-authorized e-file providers most cited for 990 filing, verified starting prices against vendor pricing pages and official announcements, and included the IRS's own free 990-N option. We weighted form coverage, pricing transparency, support availability and track record. We did not file test returns.
Frequently asked questions
Which 990 form does my nonprofit file?
It depends on size: $50,000 or less in gross receipts means the 990-N e-Postcard; under $200,000 in receipts and $500,000 in assets means the 990-EZ; above that, the full Form 990. Private foundations file the 990-PF regardless of size. Group returns filed by a parent organization follow separate rules, and fiscal-year filers count from their own year-end rather than December 31. If your receipts hover near a threshold, check the IRS instructions for the exact counting method before picking a form.
When is Form 990 due?
The 990 is due on the 15th day of the fifth month after your tax year ends; for calendar-year organizations that is May 15. You can request an automatic six-month extension with Form 8868.
Can I file Form 990 for free?
The 990-N e-Postcard is free through the IRS directly. The 990-EZ, full 990 and 990-PF require paid software or a preparer, with per-return prices ranging from under $60 to several hundred dollars depending on the form and provider.
What happens if we file late?
Penalties accrue per day up to a cap that depends on organization size, and three consecutive missed filings cause automatic revocation of exempt status. File the 8868 extension if you need more time; it is cheap insurance. Revocation after three missed years means reapplying for exemption, a process that takes months and costs real money. The daily penalty cap also rises with organization size, so larger nonprofits have more at stake.
Do churches have to file Form 990?
Churches and certain church-affiliated organizations are generally exempt from filing Form 990, though they may still need to file the 990-T if they have unrelated business income. Confirm your specific situation with a tax professional.
Sources we checked (8)
- https://www.expresstaxexempt.com/
- https://www.tax990.com/
- https://www.taxzerone.com/
- https://www.file990.org/
- https://www.taxbandits.com/
- https://www.tax1099.com/
- https://www.form990.org/
- https://www.irs.gov/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.