How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- UltraTax CS leads AICPA survey share at 22.3 percent, but it is quote-only and suits firms already on the Thomson Reuters suite.
- Drake Tax is the value pick, with Drake Tax Online from $299.99 and top user ratings for support.
- Lacerte suits complex returns and multi-preparer firms, with a $599 yearly pay-per-return license plus per-return fees.
- ProConnect Tax suits cloud-first small firms with pay-per-return pricing at $109.95 per 1040 plus user access.
- Match pricing structure to actual return count: pay-per-return, bundle and unlimited plans each fit a different volume profile.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 UltraTax CS | Firms on the Thomson Reuters suite | See website (quote-only) | No |
 Lacerte | Complex returns, multi-preparer firms | $599 per year (pay-per-return license) | No |
 Drake Tax | Cost-conscious small and mid-size firms | $299.99 per year (Drake Tax Online, first user) | Free trial |
 CCH Axcess Tax | Growing firms wanting cloud plus AI | $2,814 per year (Essentials Basic) | No |
 ProSeries | Small, 1040-focused firms | $539 per year (pay-per-return license) | No |
 ProConnect Tax | Cloud-first small firms, pay-per-return | $109.95 per 1040 | No |
 TaxSlayer Pro | Seasonal and high-volume 1040 offices | $1,395 per year (Classic) | Free trial |
 ATX | Sole practitioners and small firms | $939 per year (pay-per-return, 6 returns included) | No |
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The best professional tax preparation software
Starting priceSee website (quote-only)
Free planNo
UltraTax CS from Thomson Reuters leads professional tax software in AICPA survey share at 22.3 percent of respondents, and it suits small to mid-size firms already using other CS Professional Suite tools. Its forms depth and multi-state coverage are the deepest here, which matters for firms filing complex multi-entity and multi-state returns.
Pricing is quote-only, based on user count, return volume and states, so small firms cannot easily compare it without a sales conversation. Desktop-first deployment means remote access needs Virtual Office CS hosting at a custom quote. Firms already committed to the Thomson Reuters ecosystem get the most from UltraTax CS; others should weigh the learning curve against Drake or Lacerte.
What we like- Deepest multi-state coverage
- Strongest AICPA survey share
- Integrates with CS suite
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing
- Learning curve
- Desktop-first with hosted add-on cost
Starting price$599 per year (pay-per-return license)
Free planNo
Lacerte is Intuit deepest professional tax engine, built for complex returns and multi-preparer firms, with 16.7 percent AICPA survey share. Diagnostics, forms coverage and review workflows handle high-value returns that simpler tools struggle with. Optional hosting through Rightworks adds remote access at $131 to $156 per user per month on top of the license.
The $599 yearly pay-per-return license is only the start, since per-return fees accumulate with volume, and unlimited plans are quote-only. For a three-person firm, hosted access alone can add $4,716 per year before the license itself. Firms with complex, high-fee returns justify that cost; small 1040 shops should compare ProSeries or Drake first.
What we like- Deepest Intuit professional engine
- Strong diagnostics
- Multi-preparer workflow
Watch out for- Per-return fees add up
- Hosted access costs extra
- Learning curve
#3Drake Tax
Best for: Cost-conscious small and mid-size firms4.6/5 on
G2 (27 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit drakesoftware.com
Starting price$299.99 per year (Drake Tax Online, first user)
Free planFree trial
Drake Tax is the standout value pick, with Drake Tax Online from $299.99 for the first user and a 4.6 out of 5 G2 rating in published guides. Pay-per-return plans run near $379.99 per year for 10 returns, while unlimited 1040 multi-user plans run near $2,445 per year. The cloud version needs no installs or servers and runs in a browser on Mac or Chromebook.
The interface feels dated beside newer cloud tools, and enterprise depth trails UltraTax CS for the most complex multi-entity work. For new practices and cost-conscious firms, Drake combination of price, support ratings and unlimited options is hard to beat, and 93 percent of users would recommend it for a new practice in published survey summaries.
What we like- Lowest entry price
- Top user ratings
- Desktop and cloud options
Watch out for- Interface feels dated to some
- Enterprise depth less than UltraTax
Starting price$2,814 per year (Essentials Basic)
Free planNo
CCH Axcess Tax from Wolters Kluwer is a true cloud platform for growing firms, with built-in AI features and multi-office scale, holding 13.8 percent AICPA survey share. It suits firms already running other CCH Axcess cloud products, since shared data and workflows compound across the suite.
Entry pricing at $2,814 per year for Essentials Basic is higher than Drake or ProSeries, and fuller packages are sold after consultation rather than at list price. Small firms may find the cost hard to justify until volume grows. Growing multi-office firms that want cloud-native work without a second hosting bill should shortlist Axcess beside ProConnect.
What we like- True cloud platform
- Built-in AI features
- Multi-office scale
Watch out for- Higher entry price
- Quote-driven packages beyond Essentials
- Learning curve
Starting price$539 per year (pay-per-return license)
Free planNo
ProSeries is Intuit desktop tax software for small, 1040-focused firms, with 11.0 percent AICPA survey share. Pay-per-return starts at $539 per year plus $72 per federal 1040, while 1040 Essentials runs near $2,605 per year on promotion and Basic 1040 near $729 per year. The workflow is proven over decades, and firms that know Intuit products settle in fast.
Desktop-first deployment means remote access needs hosted add-ons, and per-return fees grow with volume. Firms wanting Intuit software without Lacerte price or learning curve find ProSeries the middle path. Cloud-first firms should compare ProConnect Tax instead.
What we like- Proven Intuit desktop workflow
- Unlimited or pay-per-return
- 1040 depth
Watch out for- Per-return fees on top of license
- Desktop-first
- Optional hosting costs extra
Starting price$109.95 per 1040
Free planNo
ProConnect Tax Online is Intuit cloud-native professional tax platform, running entirely in the browser with no installs or servers. Pricing is pay-per-return at $109.95 per 1040 plus $210 user access, which suits small firms and seasonal preparers who do not want a large annual bundle. Intuit Tax Advisor and Intuit Sign add planning and e-signature without separate tools.
Per-return costs add up fast at high volume, where an unlimited bundle from Drake or TaxSlayer Pro costs less per return. Depth also trails Lacerte for the most complex returns. For year one, prioritize pay-per-return pricing over unlimited bundles you will not fill, and ProConnect is the cleanest cloud version of that strategy.
What we like- True cloud access
- Pay-per-return
- Intuit Tax Advisor and Intuit Sign included
Watch out for- Per-return costs grow with volume
- $210 user access fee
- Less depth than Lacerte
Starting price$1,395 per year (Classic)
Free planFree trial
TaxSlayer Pro suits seasonal and high-volume 1040 offices, with Classic at $1,395 per year, Pro Web cloud at $1,595 per year and Premium at $1,695 per year, all including unlimited 1040 filing. That flat price makes budgeting simple for offices that file hundreds of individual returns each season.
Depth for complex business and multi-entity returns trails UltraTax CS and Lacerte, so firms with heavy corporate work should look elsewhere. For 1040-heavy practices that want a predictable annual price and a free demo before tax season, TaxSlayer Pro is a strong pick.
What we like- Unlimited 1040 filing at flat price
- Desktop and web options
- Free demo
Watch out for- Less depth for complex business returns
- Premium tiers cost more
Starting price$939 per year (pay-per-return, 6 returns included)
Free planNo
ATX from Wolters Kluwer suits sole practitioners and small firms filing simple to complex returns, with 4.6 percent AICPA survey share. Pay-per-return starts at $939 with 6 returns included, while ATX 1040 runs near $1,249 per year, ATX MAX near $2,829 and Total Tax Office near $4,189 per year. The forms library is deep for a product at a published price.
Higher tiers climb fast, and the interface is traditional rather than modern. Firms that want Wolters Kluwer depth without Axcess cloud pricing find ATX the practical middle ground. Cloud-first firms should compare Axcess or ProConnect instead.
What we like- Deepest forms library on a Wolters Kluwer product at a published price
- Simple to complex returns
Watch out for- Higher tiers climb fast
- Interface is traditional
- Cloud version is separate
How we chose
We compared vendor pricing pages, AICPA survey shares and published 2026 guides, favoring tools with published entry prices over quote-only claims. Where vendors publish no list price, we wrote See website rather than inventing a figure. We weighed forms depth, deployment model, pricing structure, e-filing support and firm-size fit, and we left out consumer tax tools, since professional preparers need multi-client, multi-state and review workflows that consumer products lack.
Cloud-native or hosted desktop: the real cost question
Cloud-native products like ProConnect Tax, TaxSlayer Pro Web and Drake Tax Online include hosting in the subscription, with no second monthly fee, and run natively in a browser on Mac or Chromebook. Hosted desktop products like Lacerte with Rightworks or UltraTax CS with Virtual Office CS add a per-user monthly hosting fee on top of the license, which can quietly cost more than a cloud-native product for the same period.
Do the math before assuming cloud is cheaper or dearer: multiply the hosting fee by the number of users and the months you will actually run it, then compare that total to a cloud-native product for the same period. If you already own a Lacerte or UltraTax license and only need seasonal remote access, hosting for a few months of tax season can make sense. If you are remote, multi-location or Mac-based all year, weigh cloud-native higher.
Security and e-filing checks
Every professional tool here supports IRS e-filing for federal and state returns, with unlimited e-filing typically included in the subscription or bundle price. Confirm multi-factor authentication, encryption in transit and at rest, and client portal and e-signature options before choosing, since client data protection is now a core part of the decision, not an add-on.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest professional tax software?
Drake Tax Online from $299.99 for the first user is the cheapest entry here, with TaxAct Professional pay-per-return from $169.99 per year as another low-cost path. For year one, pay-per-return usually beats an unlimited bundle you will not fill.
Is ProConnect Tax really cloud-based?
Yes. ProConnect Tax Online runs entirely in the browser on any device with no installs or servers. It is distinct from desktop Lacerte and ProSeries, which need hosting add-ons for remote access.
Can I prepare taxes from home with these tools?
Yes, that is the main advantage of cloud products. Cloud-based tools let preparers work from home, client sites or satellite offices with the same data and security, protected by multi-factor authentication and encryption.
What is the difference between Drake Tax and Drake Tax Online?
Drake Tax is the traditional desktop software, while Drake Tax Online is the newer browser-based version from $299 for the first user. Both come from Drake Software, but the Online version needs no installs or servers.
Do these tools support e-filing?
Yes. All professional cloud and desktop tax platforms here support IRS e-filing for federal and state returns, with unlimited e-filing typically included in the subscription or bundle price rather than charged per return.
Which tool suits a new practice best?
Drake Tax is the usual recommendation for new preparers, thanks to low entry price, top support ratings and a free trial. ProConnect Tax suits cloud-first new firms that prefer pay-per-return, while TaxSlayer Pro suits 1040-heavy seasonal offices.
Sources we checked (7)
- https://invedus.com/blog/best-tax-preparation-software-for-cpas-and-accounting-firms-in-the-usa/
- https://finpresso.com/reviews/best-tax-software-for-accountants
- https://curatesuite.com/accounting/articles/cloud-based-tax-preparation-software
- https://www.drakesoftware.com
- https://proconnect.intuit.com/tax-online
- https://www.taxslayerpro.com
- https://taxna.wolterskluwer.com/professional-tax-software/axcess/tax
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 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.