- Online plus desktop: Current Online packages include TaxWise Desktop, but a return in one product cannot be opened in the other.
- Interview and forms entry: Preparers can use guided questions or work directly in familiar tax forms.
- Individual and business returns: Package-specific allowances cover 1040, business and specialty forms.
- Diagnostics and bilingual workflow: Includes refund monitoring, color coding, linked diagnostics, line help and Spanish forms and support.
- Client and research tools: Supports e-signatures, taxpayer document workflows, TheTaxBook research and partner integrations.
TaxWise tax preparation software
Wolters Kluwer professional tax software for cloud and desktop preparation
Updated August 12, 2026
TaxWise tax preparation software Overview
TaxWise is Wolters Kluwer tax-preparation software for paid preparers and electronic return originators. It supports individual and business returns through interview or forms-based entry, with diagnostics, e-filing, bilingual resources, signatures and client document workflows.
Current online packages also include the desktop application, but the two environments do not share the same return database. That makes the bundle flexible without making it a seamless hybrid system. Practices should decide where each return will live before assigning work across offices or preparers.
Key Features
Pricing
| Package | Price | Return allowance and notes |
|---|---|---|
| TaxWise Online Limited | $429/year | $39 per individual return and $61 per business return, plus a one-time $83 processing fee. |
| TaxWise Online 100 | $1,849/year | Unlimited users, 100 individual returns and TaxWise Desktop. |
| TaxWise Online 400 | $3,899/year | Unlimited users, 400 combined individual or business returns and TaxWise Desktop. |
| TaxWise Online UltraPro | $4,249/year | Unlimited users and 2,500 combined returns. Additional returns are $2 each. |
| Electronic signature | $5 per envelope | Optional charge each time an envelope is sent to a taxpayer. |
Free trial: Wolters Kluwer offers a TaxWise trial through a sales consultant but does not publish the duration. The $429 Limited license is not all inclusive because processing and per-return charges still apply.
Pricing source: Wolters Kluwer TaxWise
Pros
| Compared with | Why this product may fit better |
|---|---|
| Drake Tax | TaxWise Limited has a $429 annual license, which gives a very small practice a low fixed entry before per-return charges. A new preparer can postpone a larger Drake Tax package while building real volume, but should include TaxWise’s processing and filing fees in the budget. |
| TaxSlayer Pro | TaxWise Online includes the desktop application and supports both interview and forms entry. TaxSlayer Pro separates its desktop and browser choices more clearly, while TaxWise gives a firm two working styles if it can manage the separate return databases. |
| ProConnect | TaxWise’s 100- and 400-return packages include unlimited users within the stated return allowance. A ProConnect firm pays for return inventory and annual User Access, so it should compare the complete staff and return cost. |
| CrossLink | TaxWise publishes several return-volume bands and a pay-per-return starting choice. A practice can match expected volume to those prices before calling sales, while CrossLink starts with a broader annual license discussion. |
Cons
| Compared with | Where this product may fall short |
|---|---|
| Drake Tax | TaxWise’s $429 license still adds an $83 processing fee, $39 for each individual return, and $61 for each business return. The right Drake Tax comparison uses the practice’s complete return mix, not the TaxWise headline by itself. |
| TaxSlayer Pro | TaxWise Online and Desktop do not share access to the same returns even when both products are included. TaxSlayer Pro also separates its environments, but having both TaxWise products does not create one combined process. Firms still need to decide where each return lives and how staff will avoid duplicate or outdated copies. |
| ProConnect | TaxWise reviews repeatedly mention support, price increases, reports, glitches, and an older working style. A firm considering ProConnect should pilot TaxWise diagnostics, state modules, printing, e-file, and peak-season support before moving its clients. |
| CrossLink | TaxWise can charge separately for signatures, research, mobile tools, expert services, and integrations. A buyer comparing CrossLink should request a TaxWise quote that includes every planned tool, each optional service, and the expected filing volume, not only the preparation license. |
Reviews
- TaxWise reviews on SourceForge (2.2/5 from 4 reviews): The four-review pool praises the familiar forms-based interface and wide form coverage. Complaints describe poor support, price increases, weak reporting and software glitches.
Only four SourceForge reviews support this score, so it is a small warning signal rather than a dependable measure of the whole customer base.
