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
- Per-return pricing (ProConnect, TaxAct, OLT Pro) fits practices under 100 returns; unlimited plans (Drake, TaxSlayer) win above that volume.
- Drake Tax publishes every price online and includes all 50 states, which is why small firms stay loyal to it.
- Intuit sells three different pro products (Lacerte, ProSeries, ProConnect Tax): pick by firm size, not by brand.
- UltraTax CS and CCH Axcess Tax publish no prices: expect a sales process and higher five-figure budgets at volume.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Drake Tax | Small and mid-size firms that want full features without surprises | $379.99/year (Pay-Per-Return, 10 returns); 1040 Unlimited single-user $2,075/year | No |
 TaxSlayer Pro | Firms that file mostly individual returns and want one predictable bill | $1,395/year (Classic); Premium $1,695/year | No |
 Intuit Lacerte | Established firms with complex returns and high volume | See website (Remote Entry Processing from $105 per 1040; Unlimited modules by custom quote) | No |
 Intuit ProSeries | Small practices that prefer forms-based desktop tax work | $539/year license (Pay-Per-Return) + $69 per federal 1040; Basic 20 returns $729/year | No |
 Intuit ProConnect Tax | Cloud-first firms and practices tied to QuickBooks Online | $82.46 per individual return (pay-as-you-go) + $210 per User Access license | Free trial |
 UltraTax CS | Large firms with complex, multistate and multi-entity work | See website (quote-based; no published price list) | No |
 TaxAct Professional | Budget practices that want to start per-return | $159.99/year (1040 Pay-Per-Return) + $22.50 per return; 1040 Bundle $1,045/year | Free trial |
 OLT Pro | Small firms and seasonal preparers wanting unlimited returns cheaply | $349 (25 returns); OLTPRO Web unlimited $549/year; Desktop unlimited $799/year | No |
 CCH Axcess Tax | Firms committed to Wolters Kluwer's cloud ecosystem | See website (quote-based; Tax Essentials packages priced by authorization count) | No |
Is your product missing or out of date?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.
The best tax software for professional preparers
Ask ten tax professionals what the best tax preparation software is and you will hear ten answers, each delivered with the certainty of someone defending their favorite sports team. The right question is not which program is best in the abstract. It is which pricing model matches your return volume, how complex your clients get, and whether your staff wants cloud or desktop. This list covers the professional market end to end, from $349 entry points to quote-only enterprise suites.
Starting price$379.99/year (Pay-Per-Return, 10 returns); 1040 Unlimited single-user $2,075/year
Free planNo
Drake publishes its pricing like a menu, which is rare in this industry. Pay-Per-Return starts at $379.99 for 10 individual returns. Drake Tax 1040 150 costs $1,895 for 150 individual returns, the single-user unlimited individual plan costs $2,075, and Pro unlimited multi-user tops the range at $3,145. All 50 states and e-filing are included on every plan, and extra returns cost $49.99 individual or $74.99 business. Prices rise on December 1 each year, so buying early matters.
The product itself is built for speed in high-volume season work: keyboard-driven entry, strong diagnostics and integrated bank products. Portals, workflow and e-sign bundle at $849 for unlimited plans, discounted from $1,425 at checkout. The honest catch is the feel of the software. Reviewers call the interface dated, and it is Windows desktop at its core, with Drake Tax Online ($299.99 and up) covering the cloud need. Firms that file over 250 mixed returns a year should price the Pro tiers, not the 1040 line.
What we like- Every price published online with all 50 states included
- Full suite (portals, workflow, e-sign) bundled at checkout prices
- Free data conversion from competing software
Watch out for- Desktop-centric with a dated interface
- Add-on modules raise the bill at volume
#2
TaxSlayer Pro
Best for: Firms that file mostly individual returns and want one predictable bill
Visit taxslayerpro.com
Starting price$1,395/year (Classic); Premium $1,695/year
Free planNo
TaxSlayer Pro keeps three plans, all billed annually. Classic at $1,395 covers unlimited individual returns with state e-filing. Web at $1,595 adds browser access with no local install. Premium at $1,695 adds the business suite (1065, 1120, 1120-S, 990), document management and client texting. For practices with any business clients, Premium is the real starting price.
The distinguishing feature is the continuous validation: the platform checks against IRS e-file rules as you build the return, surfacing errors while you are still in the data rather than at transmission. Data imports come through Yodlee and Plaid for W-2, 1099 and brokerage statements, which helps with clients holding dozens of 1099-B transactions. The tradeoff is depth: firms with complex consolidated or multi-entity work will find the diagnostics thinner than Lacerte or UltraTax.
What we like- Simple three-tier pricing with unlimited returns on every tier
- Continuous IRS validation while you prepare, not after
- Real-time data imports from W-2, 1099 and brokerages
Watch out for- Premium is needed for business returns, so the $1,395 entry is 1040-only
- Fewer third-party integrations than the big suites
Starting priceSee website (Remote Entry Processing from $105 per 1040; Unlimited modules by custom quote)
Free planNo
Lacerte is the program senior preparers name when you ask what serious firms run. Intuit positions it above ProSeries and ProConnect Tax: the compliance depth, tax planning tools and diagnostics are a step up. Pricing comes in two flavors. Remote Entry Processing charges per return, currently $105 for a federal 1040 with one state and $148 for business returns like 1120, 1120-S and 1065, effective September 2026. The traditional module pricing is unlimited-based and quote-only.
REP suits firms with lumpy volume: you pay for what you transmit, with e-file fees included. The math turns against REP around 100-plus returns, where unlimited modules usually win. The honest complaint, visible across preparer forums, is price opacity and annual increases. If you want to know what Lacerte costs your firm, talk to a rep and get the quote in writing before tax season, not during it.
What we like- The compliance depth professionals cite most: planning, diagnostics and form coverage
- Per-return REP option for firms that hate big licenses
- Deep Intuit ecosystem integrations
Watch out for- No published package prices, so every number requires a sales call
- REP per-return fees add up fast past 100 returns
Starting price$539/year license (Pay-Per-Return) + $69 per federal 1040; Basic 20 returns $729/year
Free planNo
ProSeries is Intuit's desktop professional product, the preparer-grade sibling of TurboTax. The pricing ladder starts with Pay-Per-Return: a $539 annual license plus per-return fees of $69 per federal 1040, $61 per state individual return and $99 per federal business module. Volume plans beat that fast: Basic 20 returns costs $729, Basic 50 costs $1,099 and Basic Unlimited runs $2,049 per year.
The product suits preparers who think in forms. Everything is navigated through the forms themselves, K-1 import handles QBI data, and digital signatures with knowledge-based authentication are included rather than sold as an add-on. The honest catch is the renewal ladder: preparers report year-over-year invoice increases of 40 percent or more, so price year two, not year one. Optional Rightworks cloud hosting adds $80 per user per month for remote access.
What we like- True forms-based navigation that veteran preparers prefer
- Pay-per-return entry keeps first-year cost low
- Intuit Sign digital signatures included
Watch out for- Renewal increases are the most complained-about in the category
- Cloud access requires an $80/month hosting add-on
Starting price$82.46 per individual return (pay-as-you-go) + $210 per User Access license
Free planFree trial
ProConnect Tax is the answer for the firm that wants nothing installed. It runs in the browser, pulls data from QuickBooks Online Accountant, and includes a client portal and unlimited digital signatures with authentication. Pay-as-you-go pricing lists individual returns at $82.46 each and business returns at $97.46 each, with every account requiring a $210 User Access license.
Volume discounts exist and are meaningful: buying returns upfront drops individual returns to $48.71 at 50-plus and $32.21 at 200-plus. A firm filing 200 individual returns pays roughly $6,600 plus licenses, which is where unlimited plans from Drake or TaxSlayer start to look cheaper. The honest tradeoff is the per-return meter running all season. If your volume varies wildly year to year, the meter protects you. If it does not, an unlimited plan is cheaper.
What we like- Fully cloud-based with a free client portal and e-signature built in
- Pay-as-you-go means no wasted license on slow years
- Deep QuickBooks Online Accountant integration
Watch out for- Per-return costs climb quickly at volume
- Volume bundles are sold through sales, not self-serve
Starting priceSee website (quote-based; no published price list)
Free planNo
UltraTax CS is the compliance engine of Thomson Reuters' CS Professional Suite, and it is built for firms where tax work is complex by default. Single-screen multistate apportionment, advanced depreciation, and enter-once data that propagates across a client's related returns are the features high-complexity practices lean on. A 2025 survey of AICPA members put UltraTax at 22.9 percent usage, the highest of any professional tax product in the survey.
Pricing is assembled per firm from users, volume and states, and Thomson Reuters publishes no price list. Third-party hosting guides estimate entry around the low four figures per user per year, but treat those as unverified. Hosting is a separate decision: Thomson Reuters' own Virtual Office runs $147 per user per month, while third-party hosts start near $50. This is the right pick when returns are complex enough to justify the cost. For a 60-return solo practice, it is not.
What we like- The deepest form coverage in the industry: 1040, 1120, 1065, 1041, 990 across 200-plus jurisdictions
- Enter-once data sharing across related client returns
- Integrates with the whole CS Professional Suite
Watch out for- No published pricing and a sales-only process
- Third-party hosting and modules push total cost well past the headline estimate
#7
TaxAct Professional
Best for: Budget practices that want to start per-return
Visit taxact.com
Starting price$159.99/year (1040 Pay-Per-Return) + $22.50 per return; 1040 Bundle $1,045/year
Free planFree trial
TaxAct Professional is the price leader. The 1040 Pay-Per-Return edition costs $159.99 per year plus $22.50 per filed return, with states at $35 each. The 1040 Bundle at $1,045 per year brings unlimited 1040 e-filing and all states on a single-user license, and the Enterprise Bundle at $1,245 upgrades to multi-user. The Complete Bundle at $1,875 covers 1040, 1041, business and 990 work with all states.
It is a genuine professional product: client management, status tracking, document storage and data import are all present, and a free trial is offered. The honest limits are at the edges: per-return fees and per-state fees add up on small plans, and firms with real business-return volume will find the bundle ladder steeper than Drake's flat unlimited. As an entry point for a new practice, though, nothing from the major brands starts cheaper.
What we like- Lowest entry price of any name-brand pro product
- Bundles with unlimited 1040 e-filing and all states under $1,050
- Multi-user license on the pay-per-return edition
Watch out for- States cost $35 each on pay-per-return
- Business forms require the Complete Bundle at $1,875
#8
OLT Pro
Best for: Small firms and seasonal preparers wanting unlimited returns cheaply
Visit oltpro.com
Starting price$349 (25 returns); OLTPRO Web unlimited $549/year; Desktop unlimited $799/year
Free planNo
OLT Pro is the quiet value pick. Three packages cover every office size: the 25-return package at $349, the unlimited web package at $549, and the unlimited desktop package at $799. Every package includes all individual and business forms (1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065, 1041, 990 and more), all 50 states, free e-filing, multi-user setup, e-signature, a taxpayer portal and free support. No networking setup is needed for multi-user.
At $549 for unlimited web returns, it undercuts every name brand by hundreds of dollars. The tradeoff is ecosystem: fewer third-party integrations, no heavy practice-management suite around it, and a smaller review footprint on G2 and Capterra. For a solo preparer or small office doing a few hundred returns who does not need the CS Suite or Intuit ecosystem, the price difference is hard to argue with.
What we like- Unlimited web returns for $549 with all 50 states and free e-filing
- Every package includes all individual and business forms
- Multi-user setup with no networking required
Watch out for- Smaller brand with a thinner integration ecosystem
- Fewer advanced workflow tools than the suites
Starting priceSee website (quote-based; Tax Essentials packages priced by authorization count)
Free planNo
CCH Axcess Tax is Wolters Kluwer's cloud-native answer to UltraTax: no server, no install, access from anywhere. Tax Essentials packages sell by authorization count (pay-per-return, 100, 200 or 400 authorizations) with up to 9 full-time users included, and additional states beyond the included five cost extra per state. Free data conversion is offered from Drake, UltraTax CS, GoSystem, Lacerte, ProSeries and even Wolters Kluwer's own ATX and TaxWise.
The suite approach is the selling point and the catch. If the firm already uses CCH Axcess for workflow, documents or practice management, the tax module slots in naturally. As a standalone purchase for a small practice, the sales process and the suite-first packaging make it harder to evaluate than a vendor with published prices. Get the authorization math in writing: an authorization is consumed when a return is first calculated, not when it is filed.
What we like- Fully cloud-native with no server to maintain
- Modular suite covers tax, workflow and document management
- Free data conversion from Drake, UltraTax, Lacerte and ProSeries
Watch out for- No published prices and a sales-led buying process
- The suite pricing rewards larger firms more than solos
Reading the pricing models before you compare
Professional tax software sells through three pricing models, and the model decides the winner before any feature comparison. Per-return pricing (ProConnect, TaxAct, OLT Pro's 25-return plan, Lacerte REP) charges per filed return: fair for low or variable volume, punishing at scale. Unlimited plans (Drake, TaxSlayer Pro, OLT Pro Web) charge a flat annual fee: the right choice past roughly 150 returns a year. Quote-based suites (UltraTax, CCH Axcess) bundle users, volume and states into a custom number.
Work out your cost per return at your actual volume. A firm filing 80 returns pays about $6,800 on ProConnect pay-as-you-go, about $2,075 on Drake 1040 Unlimited, and $549 on OLT Pro Web. The same 80 returns on Lacerte REP run about $8,400. The product differences matter, but they rarely matter more than that spread. Then check what the headline price excludes: states, additional users, e-signatures, hosting and data conversion are the usual extras.
How we chose
We started with the search categories buyers use: tax software for professionals, professional tax preparation software, tax preparer software and CPA tax software. For each candidate we opened the vendor's own pricing page where one existed, checked plan details against public reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner discussion on Reddit, and compared return volume fit, form coverage and deployment model. Where a price could not be verified on the vendor's page we wrote "See website" rather than guessing, and where vendors publish no prices at all we said so plainly.
Three mistakes firms make buying tax software
The first is pricing year one instead of year three. Renewal increases are the single most complained-about feature across professional tax software, with preparers reporting 40 percent-plus jumps on some Intuit products. Ask for the renewal schedule in writing before you commit.
The second is skipping the hosting math. Desktop products like Drake and ProSeries run on your hardware or on a host that costs $50 to $147 per user per month. A $2,000 license with three hosted users can cost $5,000 all-in. Cloud products build hosting into the price.
The third is buying by brand instead of by volume. A solo preparer does not need UltraTax, and a 2,000-return firm should not run pay-per-return. Match the pricing model to your return count first, then compare features among the products in that model.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tax software for tax professionals doing mostly individual returns?
Drake Tax 1040 Unlimited ($2,075/year) and TaxSlayer Pro Classic ($1,395/year) are the value picks for 1040-heavy practices. Drake includes business forms only on its Pro tiers, while TaxSlayer Pro needs Premium ($1,695) for business returns. ProSeries Basic is the forms-based alternative for preparers who grew up on desktop software.
How much does professional tax software cost per return?
Per-return pricing runs about $22.50 per return on TaxAct Professional (plus a $159.99 license), $82.46 on ProConnect pay-as-you-go, and $105 per 1040 on Lacerte REP. Flat unlimited plans work out cheapest at volume: OLT Pro Web at $549/year costs under $4 per return for a 150-return practice.
Is cloud or desktop better for professional tax software?
Cloud products (ProConnect Tax, CCH Axcess, OLT Pro Web) remove servers and allow work from anywhere, but you pay for that convenience and rely on the vendor's uptime during tax season. Desktop products (Drake, ProSeries) cost less for the license but need either office hardware or third-party hosting at $50 to $147 per user per month.
Which professional tax software includes all states?
Drake Tax includes all 50 states on every plan at no extra charge. TaxSlayer Pro includes states on all plans. TaxAct Professional includes states only on its bundle plans ($1,045 and up); per-return plans charge $35 per state. ProConnect Tax includes all states in its bundles. UltraTax and CCH Axcess price states into their quotes.
Can I switch tax software without losing prior-year data?
All nine products offer some form of data conversion, and most are free: Drake, CCH Axcess and ProConnect all advertise free conversion from competitors. Conversion quality varies, so run a test batch of your most complex returns before committing, and keep the old software accessible through the first extension season.
Do professional tax programs handle e-signatures and client portals?
Most do now. Intuit Sign is included with ProSeries and ProConnect Tax. Drake sells portals, workflow and e-sign as a checkout bundle ($849 for unlimited plans). OLT Pro includes e-signature and a taxpayer portal in all packages. TaxSlayer Pro Premium includes client texting. Verify whether e-signature is per-return or unlimited before you sign.
Sources we checked (12)
- https://www.drakesoftware.com/pricing/
- https://www.taxslayerpro.com
- https://accountants.intuit.com/support/en-us/help-article/intuit-pricing/lacerte-rep-remote-entry-processing-pricing/L0PVsRt5s_US_en_US
- https://accountants.intuit.com/tax-software/proseries/basic-20/
- https://accountants.intuit.com/tax-online/pricing
- https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/us/en/cs-professional-suite/ultratax-cs
- https://www.taxact.com/professional
- https://www.capterra.com/p/230242/TaxAct-Professional/pricing/
- https://www.oltpro.com/main/pro/irstaxforums.php
- https://taxna.wolterskluwer.com/professional-tax-software/axcess/tax
- https://www.g2.com/categories/tax-practice-management
- https://www.capterra.com/tax-preparation-software/
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.