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
- FreeTaxUSA and Cash App Taxes file rental property returns for $0 federal, which makes them the obvious first look for landlords with straightforward rentals.
- TurboTax Premium is the most polished guided experience for landlords at $139 federal, with the best depreciation and import workflows, but it costs several times the budget options.
- H&R Block Premium ($70 federal) and TaxSlayer Premium ($64.99 federal) sit in the middle: real Schedule E support with expert help included, at roughly half of TurboTax.
- 1040.com charges one flat $34.99 for federal and state no matter how complex the return, which is the simplest pricing in the industry.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 TurboTax | landlords wanting the best guidance | $139 federal plus $64 state (Premium DIY) | Free edition (excludes rental) |
 H&R Block | DIY plus in-person backup | $70 federal plus $37 state (Premium Online, starting at) | Free edition (excludes rental) |
 TaxSlayer | value with expert support | $64.99 federal plus $47.99 state (Premium) | Free edition (excludes rental) |
 FreeTaxUSA | free federal rental filing | $0 federal plus $15.99 state | Yes |
 TaxAct | budget Schedule E filing | $49.99 federal plus $39.99 state (Premier) | Free edition (excludes rental) |
 1040.com | flat-rate simplicity | $34.99 flat (federal and state) | No |
 Cash App Taxes | totally free filing | $0 federal plus $0 state | Yes |
 Jackson Hewitt | in-person pro preparation | See website (varies by location) | See website |
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The best tax preparation software for rental property
Starting price$139 federal plus $64 state (Premium DIY)
Free planFree edition (excludes rental)
TurboTax merged its old Premier and Self-Employed tiers into a single Premium product, which removed the guessing game landlords used to face. Premium covers Schedule E rental income and expenses, investment sales and self-employment income in one tier, with guided depreciation setup that asks about each property, its purchase price, land value and placed-in-service date instead of making you hunt down the right worksheet.
It is the smoothest experience here and the most expensive: $139 federal plus $64 per state at list price. Whether that premium is worth it depends on your tolerance for forms. If you own several properties with depreciation carryforwards and passive loss limits, the guidance earns its fee. If you own one condo with simple rent and expenses, the free options below do the same math.
What we like- Step-by-step rental setup including depreciation schedules
- Imports brokerage and mortgage data automatically
- Huge help library and expert upgrades on demand
Watch out for- The priciest DIY option by a wide margin
- State filing adds $64 per state
- Free edition is narrow and upsells aggressively
Starting price$70 federal plus $37 state (Premium Online, starting at)
Free planFree edition (excludes rental)
H&R Block Premium is the pragmatic middle choice: full rental property support on Schedule E for a federal list price starting around $70, roughly half of TurboTax Premium. You get investment and rental coverage plus K-1 support, and every paid tier includes unlimited chat and screen sharing with a tax professional at no extra charge, something TurboTax reserves for its higher Live tiers.
The other advantage is the escape hatch. If your rental situation turns complicated mid-return, say a 1031 exchange or a property converted from personal use, you can book time at one of H&R Block's thousands of offices and have a pro take over. Early filers get the best prices since H&R Block raises them through the season, so buy the package before you need it.
What we like- Premium covers Schedule E, D and K-1s at half of TurboTax
- Unlimited chat and screen-share with a tax pro included
- 9,000-plus offices if you want a human to finish it
Watch out for- Interface is less polished than TurboTax
- Prices rise as tax season progresses
- State returns add $37 each
Starting price$64.99 federal plus $47.99 state (Premium)
Free planFree edition (excludes rental)
TaxSlayer Premium lists rental property owners as a supported situation at $64.99 federal, undercutting both TurboTax and H&R Block while including priority support and access to a tax professional. The interview walks through each property's income and expenses methodically, and the price includes the same depreciation handling the big names offer.
The catch is the state return: $47.99 per state, which is proportionally the most expensive state add-on on this list. For landlords filing in one state, the total still beats the big two comfortably. TaxSlayer is also the rare budget tool with genuinely good support, so it suits landlords who want a human safety net without paying TurboTax prices.
What we like- Rental property support at one of the lowest paid prices
- Priority phone and email support plus Ask a Tax Pro
- Clean interview flow that rivals pricier tools
Watch out for- State filing at $47.99 is steep relative to the federal price
- Fewer import integrations than TurboTax
- Interface feels dated in spots
Starting price$0 federal plus $15.99 state
Free planYes
FreeTaxUSA is the open secret of tax season: the federal return is genuinely free for all situations, and its own site lists rental income under the features covered at $0. There are no locked schedules and no premium tier gating Schedule E. You pay $15.99 only if you need a state return, plus optional add-ons like audit defense.
The math is the same math TurboTax does; what you give up is hand-holding. The interface is functional rather than delightful, and there is no office to walk into. But for a landlord with one or two properties who knows roughly what goes where, filing federal free and paying sixteen bucks for the state is very hard to argue with.
What we like- Federal return is free for every tax situation including rental income
- No upsell tiers or locked forms
- State filing is only $15.99
Watch out for- The interface is spartan compared with TurboTax
- No in-person help option
- Audit defense and pro support cost extra
Starting price$49.99 federal plus $39.99 state (Premier)
Free planFree edition (excludes rental)
TaxAct Premier handles investment sales, home sales and rental property income for $49.99 federal, making it the cheapest paid Schedule E option in this roundup. The flow is a simple interview that gets the job done without much flair, and the company backs it with a maximum refund and accuracy guarantee.
Note the fine print from TaxAct's own site: the free edition does not cover rental property income, so budget for Premier from the start. Expert assistance is a paid add-on rather than included, and customer reviews skew lower than TurboTax or H&R Block. For a cost-conscious landlord comfortable filing solo, though, the price is right.
What we like- Premier covers rental property income at $49.99 federal, the cheapest paid tier here
- Straightforward question-and-answer flow
- $100,000 accuracy guarantee
Watch out for- Free edition explicitly excludes rental property
- Expert help costs extra
- Third-party review scores trail the leaders
Starting price$34.99 flat (federal and state)
Free planNo
1040.com takes the opposite approach from everyone else: one flat $34.99 covers your federal and state returns regardless of situation, and its homepage explicitly lists owning rental properties among the covered scenarios. There are no tiers to choose, no upsell screens and no state add-on math.
It is refreshingly simple, and the price lands between the free options and the mid-tier paid tools. The tradeoff is support depth: the guidance and help resources are thinner than TurboTax or H&R Block, and there is no expert review service if you want a second pair of eyes. Landlords who know their way around Schedule E will appreciate paying one price and being done.
What we like- One flat price covers federal and state no matter the complexity
- Rental properties explicitly listed as covered
- No tier confusion or upsells
Watch out for- No free tier at all
- Smaller help library than the big brands
- No expert review or in-person options
Starting price$0 federal plus $0 state
Free planYes
Cash App Taxes is the only product here that is free all the way down: $0 for federal and $0 for state, with no premium tiers, no locked forms and no refund-transfer fees. Rental property income is supported, and over 12 million returns have been filed through the service. For a landlord whose main goal is paying nothing to file, this is the end of the search.
There are two practical notes. You must have a Cash App account, which is free but is a step the other tools do not require. And the experience is deliberately lean: accurate and complete, but without TurboTax's extensive guidance or H&R Block's offices. Pair it with the IRS's own Schedule E instructions and most landlords will be fine.
What we like- Completely free federal and state filing with no paid tiers
- Covers rental property income
- Backed by Block with bank-level security
Watch out for- You need a Cash App account to use it
- Support is chat and phone only
- Fewer guided extras than TurboTax
Starting priceSee website (varies by location)
Free planSee website
Jackson Hewitt is the done-for-you option: instead of software guiding you, a tax professional prepares the return in person. For landlords with messy situations, multiple properties across states, cost segregation studies, or a first year of landlording, handing the shoebox to a pro can be worth every penny.
Pricing is the big unknown because it varies by location and is not published online, so call your local office for a quote before committing. Expect to pay more than any DIY option here. But if the choice is between a pro and guessing at depreciation recapture rules yourself, the pro usually wins.
What we like- A tax pro prepares the return for you, ideal for complex rental situations
- Thousands of locations including Walmart stores
- Maximum refund guarantee
Watch out for- Pricing varies by office and is not published online
- Typically costs more than DIY software
- Appointments needed in peak season
Frequently asked questions
Which tax software is best for a first-time landlord?
Start free. FreeTaxUSA and Cash App Taxes both handle Schedule E at $0 federal, which is plenty for a first rental with simple income and expenses. Move up to TaxSlayer Premium or H&R Block Premium when you add properties or need expert help, and consider TurboTax Premium when depreciation gets complicated.
Do I really need the premium tier for rental income?
Yes, with every vendor except the free ones. Rental income is reported on Schedule E, which the free editions of TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxSlayer and TaxAct all exclude. Budget for at least the mid tier: TurboTax Premium, H&R Block Premium, TaxSlayer Premium or TaxAct Premier.
How does rental property depreciation work in these tools?
You enter each property's purchase price, land value and the date it was placed in service, and the software computes depreciation over 27.5 years for residential property. All eight tools handle this, but TurboTax and H&R Block give the most guidance on tricky cases like improvements versus repairs and converting a personal residence to a rental.
Can I deduct property management fees and repairs?
Yes. Management fees, repairs, insurance, property taxes, mortgage interest, utilities you pay and mileage to the property are all deductible rental expenses on Schedule E. Every tool on this list walks through these categories; the difference is how much explanation each one gives you along the way.
When should a landlord hire a pro instead of using software?
Consider a pro for your first year with rental income, a 1031 exchange, cost segregation, properties in multiple states, or converting a personal home to a rental. Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block offices both offer in-person preparation, and the fee is deductible as a rental expense on next year's return.
The form that matters most is Schedule E, where you report each property's rents received and expenses paid. If the property lost money after depreciation, that loss may offset other income, subject to passive activity rules the software applies automatically. Depreciation itself is calculated on Form 4562, but you will rarely look at it directly; the interview handles it. Keep three numbers per property and the software does the rest: what you paid, what the land alone was worth, and when tenants moved in. If you sold a property during the year, that is Schedule D territory, and every tool here except the most basic free editions covers it.
How we chose
We started with tax preparation products that explicitly support Schedule E rental income, verified on each vendor's own site. Pricing comes from vendor pages where published, including TaxSlayer, FreeTaxUSA, 1040.com and Cash App Taxes, and from recent published reviews citing list prices for TurboTax, H&R Block and TaxAct, whose online prices change through the season. We read documentation on the rental interview flow, checked third-party ratings on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau, and weighted Schedule E guidance quality, depreciation handling, state filing costs and the availability of human help. We excluded eFile.com, which closed its doors, and general accounting tools that do not file returns.
Why tax software prices move around (and when to buy)
Tax software is priced like airline tickets. Vendors raise prices as the April deadline approaches and cut them for early filers, which is why H&R Block openly rewards buying early. The numbers in this guide are current list prices checked in October 2026, during extension season; by January they will likely be higher, with promotions appearing around the holidays. Two more pricing traps to know: state returns are almost never included in the advertised federal price, and can add $16 to $64 per state. And the free editions that advertise $0 so loudly universally exclude Schedule E, so a landlord clicking "free" will be asked to upgrade two screens in. Decide your tier before you start, and buy early.
Sources we checked (15)
- https://turbotax.intuit.com/
- https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/
- https://savingtoinvest.com/turbotax-review-great-tax-filing-software-with-live-support-for-a-premium-price/
- https://financer.com/review/turbotax/
- https://www.hrblock.com/
- https://www.financebuzz.com/taxact-vs-turbotax-vs-hr-block
- https://www.albianews.com
- https://www.taxslayer.com/
- https://www.freetaxusa.com/
- https://www.taxact.com/
- https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/best-tax-software/reviews/tax-act.php
- https://www.1040.com/
- https://cash.app/taxes
- https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/cash-app-tax-software
- https://www.jacksonhewitt.com/
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.