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TurboTax Premium review: Is it worth it in 2026?

Nicolas StrautBy Nicolas StrautPublished 9 min read

Key takeaways

  • Do It Yourself Premium, the TurboTax tier that any 1099-NEC or business income puts you on, costs $139 federal. Intuit does not display a state fee anywhere in page text.1 CNET puts that fee at $64, a figure Intuit hasn't confirmed.
  • TurboTax Premium's brokerage and crypto import is the strongest in the category, and DIY Premium is the only product here that also prepares next year's Form 1040-ES vouchers automatically.
  • TurboTax Premium is best for filers who need brokerage or crypto import and want a guided interview, while FreeTaxUSA is the better choice for a straightforward Schedule C at a fraction of the price.2
In this article

Intuit has renamed the tier that handles a Schedule C from TurboTax Self-Employed to TurboTax Premium. This review examines TurboTax Premium at $139 federal plus an undisclosed state fee: what it does well, where it falls short, and where the FTC case against Intuit stands today. If you already know TurboTax isn't for you, see our roundup of TurboTax Premium alternatives instead.

Who is TurboTax Premium for?

Three groups get value out of TurboTax Premium. Investors and crypto traders need the import pipeline. First-year freelancers are mostly paying for the guided interview. Some filers want a person to check the return before it goes out.

Investors and crypto traders

The strongest reason to pay Intuit's price is import. If your return involves brokerage statements or hundreds of crypto transactions, TurboTax's import pipeline saves you entering them by hand, which can justify the price.

First-year freelancers

If you don't yet know the vocabulary, the interview format makes the return easier to complete, and $139 is a small price for that. You'll be paying for guidance, not a different return: FreeTaxUSA calculates the identical tax for a fraction of the cost.

Filers who want an expert review attached

Expert Assist Premium adds a tax expert who reviews your return before you file. Intuit's own product page lists this tier at $209, and Google's AI Overview on the cost query now cites the same top-end figure, ranging $89 to $209 federal depending on when you buy.

What happened to TurboTax Self-Employed?

TurboTax Self-Employed no longer exists under that name. Intuit's own comparison page now reads "TurboTax Do It Yourself Premium (formerly Self-Employed)," and the assisted products were renamed along with it.

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What it used to be calledWhat Intuit calls it now
TurboTax Self-EmployedDo It Yourself Premium
TurboTax Live Assisted Self-EmployedExpert Assist Premium
TurboTax Live Full Service Self-EmployedExpert Full Service
TurboTax Self-Employed (desktop)Home & Business

The old Full Service Self-Employed URL now returns a 404, a sign the rename is more than cosmetic. Search results and review articles across the web, including CNET's own, still use the retired names. A product name you read elsewhere may not match what you buy.

TurboTax Premium pros and cons

Pros

  • Brokerage and crypto import is the strongest in the category, and the main reason to pay Intuit's price.
  • DIY Premium prepares Form 1040-ES vouchers for next year when it detects underpayment risk. See how to pay quarterly taxes for what those vouchers ask of you.
  • The interview interface is the easiest of the major products without already knowing tax vocabulary.
  • Expert Assist attaches a human review before you file, priced from $89 to $209 federal depending on when you buy.

Cons

  • FreeTaxUSA produces the same Schedule C for $15.99. At TurboTax, the $139 pays for the interface, not more accuracy.
  • The free tier excludes 1099-NEC and business income, so a single 1099 forces a paid tier immediately.
  • Intuit leaves out key prices: no state price, no published Audit Defense or MAX price, and two Intuit pages disagree on the Expert Assist floor.
  • Intuit advertises Snap and Autofill for the two 1099 forms, but CNET's testing says both require manual entry.
  • Add-on prompts appear at checkout, and a downgrade from Premium to Deluxe has to route through Free Edition first.

TurboTax Premium detailed review

What Snap and Autofill does and does not fill in

Intuit's product page advertises Snap and Autofill for 1099-NEC and 1099-K. CNET's testing contradicts that directly: "1099-K and 1099-NEC will require side hustlers and freelancers to input data manually, according to my tests," and the same review says the same of Schedule E.7 We haven't tested Snap and Autofill ourselves. The forms that reportedly fail to autofill are the two forms a self-employed filer has.

Import, the interview, and next year's 1040-ES vouchers

Brokerage and crypto import is where the $139 price is justified. No cheaper product here matches TurboTax's import. DIY Premium also prepares Form 1040-ES vouchers for next year when it detects underpayment risk. The interview interface itself is the easiest of the major products to complete without already knowing the vocabulary.

Where the upsell triggers and what the free tier excludes

The free tier excludes 1099-NEC and business income outright, so one freelance 1099 moves you to a paid tier before you've entered anything else. CNET documents Max Benefits, IDNotify and Live prompts appearing partway through the flow, each priced individually at checkout rather than upfront.

How much does TurboTax cost?

Intuit doesn't publish TurboTax's total cost: $139 federal plus a state return. If the third-party $64 state fee is accurate, you'll pay $203 before any add-on. Prices below were read from Intuit's own pages, for tax year 2025.

TurboTax pricing at a glance

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Tier (current Intuit naming)Federal, per IntuitFederal, per CNETStateWhat it adds
Free Edition$0$0$0Simple Form 1040 only. Excludes 1099-NEC and business income
Do It Yourself Deluxe$79$74Not displayed by Intuit. CNET: $64Itemizing. No Schedule C
Do It Yourself Premium$139, rising to $149 late season$139Not displayed by Intuit. CNET: $64Schedule C, Form 1040-ES vouchers
Expert Assist Premium$209, Google's AI Overview: $89–$209$209, top of a $79/$129/$209 ladderNot displayedA tax expert reviews the return before you file
Expert Full Service"Starting at $100" (from $200), W-2 and 1040 onlyFrom $129/$189/$269; self-employed from $349Not displayedSomeone else prepares the return

Intuit doesn't render a state dollar amount anywhere in page text on the pricing, Premium or compare pages. The state price sits behind a JavaScript modal. So the advertised federal price isn't a total, and you can't calculate a total from Intuit's own published information. CNET and Forbes Advisor both independently land on $64 per state. Two sources agreeing on $64 adds some confidence, but Intuit hasn't confirmed the fee.

Why the price goes up after March 31

Intuit's own compare page states the late-season increase plainly: "strikethrough prices reflect anticipated late-season pricing (4/1–10/31; for S-corps & partnerships, 5/1–10/31)." Premium runs $139 early and $149 in that window. Intuit's own pages currently disagree with each other on the Expert Assist floor, $79 vs $89. A "File by 3/31 to save" badge was still displaying in August.

The add-on fees that are not in the headline price

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FeeAmountNotes
Refund processing fee$40Deducted from your refund if you pay this way. Not removable once the return is pending, limited to 10 states
Online Audit DefenseNot publishedFree audit guidance is included; paid representation is a separate add-on
MAX bundleNot publishedBundles audit representation, identity protection, and priority care
Refund advanceUp to $4,000Through First Century Bank or WebBank, third-party reported only.
Desktop state e-file$25 per stateNew York and Washington exempt
Desktop audit defense$40 to $60By tier

How to downgrade after an upsell

If TurboTax has moved you onto Premium and you don't need it, CNET documents the fix: downgrading to Deluxe requires routing through Free Edition first, not a direct one-tier step down. We found no Intuit page that documents this downgrade path.

The verdict: Is TurboTax Premium worth it?

TurboTax Premium is worth its price for import-heavy returns. It's not worth it for a simple Schedule C. The ratings show the same split. TurboTax's own reviews page appears high in the review-query results at 4.7 stars from 193,710 ratings, and its Do It Yourself Premium product page shows 4.1 out of 5 from 6,897 reviews. Both figures were observed in Google's search results, not read directly from Intuit or Trustpilot. Trustpilot shows 1.2 stars from 1,310 reviews on the same results page.

The two numbers measure different populations: solicited post-purchase ratings come from people who completed a return and got a refund, while self-selected complaint channels come from people who wanted to stop paying and couldn't. Both are real, and neither is the whole picture. TurboTax Premium is worth its price for the three groups above, particularly a return where import saves hours. It's not worth the price for the return most people searching this term have. A return with a single 1099, a home office, and a mileage log costs $15.99 at FreeTaxUSA, and TurboTax's $139 pays for the interface, not accuracy.

How TurboTax Premium compares

For the full breakdown of every alternative, priced and matched to the filer it fits, see our TurboTax Premium alternatives roundup. The three matchups below cover most readers' choices. Comparing the whole category instead of just TurboTax? Our best tax software for the self-employed roundup covers the same five products.

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ProductFederalStateFree Schedule C?Standout
TurboTax Premium$139 to $149Not publishedNoStrongest brokerage/crypto import, guided interview
FreeTaxUSA$0$15.99YesSame Schedule C for a fraction of the price
Cash App Taxes$0$0YesFully free, best for single-state returns
H&R Block Self-Employed$130$49NoClosest interface match, plus in-person offices
TaxSlayer Self-Employed$74.99$47.99NoMid-priced, no import
TaxAct Self-Employed$109.99$64.99NoOnly alternative with pass-through entity support
Keeper$199/yearIncludedN/ABookkeeping subscription with filing attached, not a per-return product

TurboTax Premium vs. FreeTaxUSA

FreeTaxUSA is the direct substitute for most 1099 filers. FreeTaxUSA files the same schedules for a fraction of the cost, with weaker import. You'll pay $15.99, vs $139 to $149 plus an undisclosed state fee at TurboTax. You give up import and guided help, not accuracy. See the full FreeTaxUSA vs TurboTax comparison for the breakdown.

TurboTax Premium vs. Cash App Taxes and H&R Block

Cash App Taxes is free federal and state, best suited to a single-state return without unusual forms. H&R Block is the closest match to TurboTax on interface, and it adds the option of walking into a physical office, at $179 for one state. Read our TurboTax vs. H&R Block comparison for the full head-to-head.

TurboTax Premium vs. TaxSlayer, TaxAct, and Keeper

TaxSlayer sits in the middle at $122.98. TaxAct, at $174.98, is the only product here with pass-through entity support. Keeper is a different category: a bookkeeping subscription with filing attached at $199 a year. Our Keeper review covers what the subscription buys.

How to get started with TurboTax in 5 steps

  1. 1. Confirm which tier you need. Any 1099-NEC income puts you on Premium.
  2. 2. Check the state fee before you commit, since Intuit doesn't display the state fee on the page.
  3. 3. Gather your 1099s, your Schedule C expense totals, and your mileage or home office figures. Expect to enter the 1099-NEC and 1099-K by hand.
  4. 4. Pay by card at filing, not out of your refund, unless delaying payment is worth the $40 processing fee to you.
  5. 5. Save the Form 1040-ES vouchers TurboTax generates for next year, or cross-check the payment amounts with the Solvent quarterly tax estimator.

Frequently asked questions about TurboTax Premium

Can I file an S corp return with TurboTax Premium?

No, you can't file an S corp return with TurboTax Premium: it's a personal return product and doesn't prepare Form 1120-S or Form 1065. Intuit sells business returns separately, and its late-season pricing window for S corps and partnerships starts May 1 rather than April 1. TaxAct is the only consumer alternative here with pass-through support.

Are TurboTax fees deductible on Schedule C?

Yes, fees for preparing your business return are generally deductible on Schedule C. The part that covers your personal return isn't, so you have to split the fee rather than deduct all of it. Confirm the split for your own situation.

Does TurboTax handle multiple state returns for a freelancer?

TurboTax handles multiple states, but each additional state carries its own fee that Intuit doesn't display in page text. Third-party sources put each state fee at $64. For a freelancer working across state lines, that per-state charge is usually the return's largest cost variable.

What does the TurboTax accuracy guarantee cover?

Intuit's accuracy guarantee covers calculation errors made by the software, not errors in what you entered. If the software miscalculates, Intuit pays the resulting penalty and interest. Audit guidance is included at no charge. Audit representation requires a paid add-on that Intuit doesn't publicly price.

Can I get an advance on my refund through TurboTax?

A refund advance is offered through First Century Bank or WebBank, and CNET reported amounts up to $4,000. Intuit's own pages didn't state the terms where we could read them, so treat this as third-party reporting rather than a confirmed offer.

Is TurboTax's desktop version cheaper for a self-employed filer?

Not necessarily. Home & Business, the desktop equivalent of the old Self-Employed product, charges differently: $25 per state e-file (New York and Washington are exempt) and $40 to $60 for audit defense by tier. Add up those fees before you assume the desktop version costs less.

Does TurboTax autofill rental income on Schedule E?

No, Schedule E does not autofill. Schedule E is one of the forms CNET named in its testing, alongside the 1099-NEC and 1099-K, as needing manual entry. Intuit advertises Snap and Autofill for the two 1099 forms only, so expect to enter rental figures yourself.

Is TurboTax still under an FTC order over "free" advertising?

No, TurboTax is not currently under an FTC order over its "free" advertising: the Fifth Circuit vacated the FTC's 2024 order on procedural grounds in March 2026, without ruling on whether the advertising itself was deceptive.8 A separate case stands: Intuit settled with 51 attorneys general for $141 million in 2022 over the same underlying practice.9

What are TurboTax's biggest complaints?

TurboTax's biggest complaints are about three things: price vs expectation, upgrade prompts mid-return, and how few filers qualify for the advertised free tier. All three come back to the pricing structure covered throughout this review.

About the author

Nicolas Straut

Nicolas Straut

Personal and business finance writer, former Forbes contributor

Nicolas Straut writes about self-employment and quarterly tax, LLC formation and costs, and tax software for Solvent. He has written about money for about ten years, including for the fintech companies NorthOne and Fundera. He files his own taxes as a freelancer. He isn't a CPA or an enrolled agent (EA).

More articles by Nicolas Straut →
Solvent provides educational estimates, not tax advice. Confirm your specific situation with a qualified tax professional.

Sources

  1. https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/premium/
  2. https://www.freetaxusa.com/pricing/
  3. https://www.hrblock.com/online-tax-filing/self-employed-online-tax-filing/
  4. https://www.taxslayer.com/products/taxslayer-self-employment-taxes/
  5. https://www.taxact.com/individual-taxes/online/self-employed-federal
  6. https://cash.app/taxes
  7. https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/taxes/turbotax-review/
  8. https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/intuit-inc-matter
  9. https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases
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