TaxAct Review (2026): Online Business Tax Filing For Common US Business Returns

Online business tax filing software for sole proprietors, partnerships, corporations, estates, trusts, and nonprofits.

Updated June 19, 2026

By James Han · How we review

4.0 MAQTOOB rating

Our Verdict

TaxAct is useful for business filers who know their entity type and want a lower-cost filing service than many full-service options. The business workflow supports sole proprietor, tax-exempt, partnership, corporation, S-corp, estate, and trust return types, and lets online business users start before paying to file.

Before buying, confirm the exact form, state return needs, Xpert Assist cost, and whether the business records are organized enough for self-guided filing. TaxAct is not ideal when ownership, basis, multi-state activity, payroll, depreciation, or prior-year cleanup needs judgment. In those cases, compare a professional preparer.

A good fit if you

  • Sole proprietors filing Schedule C.
  • Small partnerships or corporations with organized records.
  • Nonprofits preparing Form 990.
  • Users who want to start online Before you pay to file.

Look elsewhere if you

  • Businesses needing year-round tax strategy.
  • Companies with messy books or complex ownership.
  • Users who need in-person tax help.
  • Professional preparers filing returns for clients.
Next step: write down the problem you need solved, check the pricing details, test one real workflow, then compare alternatives before you pay.

What Is TaxAct?

TaxAct is online and downloadable tax preparation software for individuals, sole proprietors, partnerships, S-corps, C-corps, estates, trusts, and tax-exempt organizations.

For business users, it is most useful when the return type is clear and the user wants a lower-cost online filing services with start-free terms instead of paying for full-service tax preparation.

TaxAct Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Sole proprietor return — Helps teams manage sole proprietor return inside the main workflow, instead of leaving that job in disconnected tools.
  • Entity returns — Helps teams manage entity returns inside the main workflow, instead of leaving that job in disconnected tools.
  • Xpert Assist — Helps teams manage xpert assist inside the main workflow, instead of leaving that job in disconnected tools.
  • Small entities preparing annual returns — Works well when partnership, S-corp, C-corp, estate, trust, or nonprofit forms are clear and records are ready.
  • Practical handoff support — Helps teams move work from one step to the next without relying only on memory or informal updates.

Cons

  • Year-round tax strategy — Poor fit for businesses needing year-round tax strategy; those teams should choose a workflow built around that need.
  • Messy books or complex ownership — Poor fit for companies with messy books or complex ownership; those teams should choose a workflow built around that need.
  • Need in-person tax help — Poor fit for users who need in-person tax help; those teams should choose a workflow built around that need.

Key Features

Feature What to test Plan note
Sole proprietor return Check Schedule C/F income, expenses, and state needs. Online Business.
Entity returns Confirm 1065, 1120, 1120-S, 1041, or 990 support. Separate return types.
Start free, pay when filing Begin data entry before committing payment. Online business products.
Xpert Assist Confirm tax-pro help availability and cost for your return. Additional-cost support.
Guarantees and support Read accuracy, money-back, support, and audit-assistance terms. Terms apply.

Who Uses TaxAct — and For What

Sole proprietors filing business income

Use TaxAct when Schedule C/F details are organized and the user wants a lower-cost self-guided path.

Start online before buying.

Small entities preparing annual returns

Use it when partnership, S-corp, C-corp, estate, trust, or nonprofit forms are clear and records are ready.

Select the right form path.

Users wanting optional expert help

Use Xpert Assist when a few filing questions need review but full-service preparation is not required.

Confirm added cost.

Pricing

Plan or option Official pricing details Trial / free-plan detail
Sole Proprietor $109.99 shown on the official business page. Start free, pay when filing.
Tax-Exempt Orgs. $139.99 plus state additional shown on the official page. Free plan: no public free business filing plan found.
Other business returns Partnership, corporation, S-corp, estate, and trust paths are available through TaxAct business products. Confirm current price at checkout.

Source: Official business tax filing page.

Free plan: no public free business filing plan was found. Free trial: TaxAct says online business products can be started free and paid only when printing or e-filing. The official page lists visible business-return prices and notes that actual prices are determined at payment, print, or e-file and may change.

Prices checked 2026-06-18 against official product sources.

Integrations

TaxAct checks should cover the exact tax form, prior-year data, W-2 and 1099 information, Schedule C/F, 1065, 1120, 1120-S, 1041, 990, state return needs, Xpert Assist, security, audit support, data import limits, and whether bookkeeping data must be cleaned before the return can be prepared accurately.

Getting Started: What Implementation Actually Takes

Start by choosing the exact return type: Schedule C, 1065, 1120, 1120-S, 1041, or 990. Gather bookkeeping records, prior-year return, payroll forms, owner information, assets, depreciation records, and state details. Enter enough data to test the workflow before buying, then decide whether Xpert Assist or a professional preparer is needed.

What Users Say

G2 3.7/5 · 11 reviews Capterra 4.6/5 · 42 reviews GetApp 4.6/5 · 42 reviews Software Advice 4.3/5 · 6 reviews

What works well

  • Users praise TaxAct for Of course, its ease of use, Free tax filing and user-friendly also meets all tax needs.
  • The useful positive pattern is whether the product makes the day-to-day workflow easier for the team that will use it.

What gets frustrating

  • Users complain about Year-round tax strategy, Messy books or complex ownership, Need in-person tax help.
  • The main buying risk is choosing the product before testing the exact workflow, support path, and reporting needs.
MAQTOOB take: Use the review scores as a starting point for TaxAct, then run a real trial or demo. Confirm the daily workflow, setup effort, support access, integrations, reporting, and export path before rollout.

Top TaxAct Alternatives

  • Choose TurboTax Business Online if TurboTax Business Online is simpler when expert-assisted or full-service online business filing matters more.
  • Choose TaxSlayer Pro if TaxSlayer Pro is for professional preparers filing client returns, not a single business return.
  • Choose FreeTaxUSA if FreeTaxUSA is worth comparing for simpler individual returns where business-form depth is not the main issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you start TaxAct Business for free?

Yes. The official business page says online business products can be started free and paid when filing.

Does TaxAct Business have a free filing plan?

No public free business filing plan was found on the official business page.

Who should avoid TaxAct?

Users with complex ownership, multi-state issues, messy books, or planning needs should consider a professional preparer.

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