TurboTax vs H&R Block: 5 key differences

Which tier takes 1099 income

The tier that takes 1099 income is Premium at TurboTax, whether or not you have expenses. H&R Block splits the same return in two: Deluxe at $65 if you only report the income, and Self-Employed at $130 once you deduct expenses. So a filer with a 1099 and no expenses pays $74 less federal at H&R Block.

Live help from a tax pro

Live help from a tax pro comes with every paid H&R Block tier. H&R Block says you can ask unlimited questions of its AI Tax Assist and of live tax pros from Deluxe up. TurboTax sells the same kind of help as a separate tier, Expert Assist Premium, at $209 federal.⁴

A review before you file

A review before you file is part of TurboTax Expert Assist Premium at $209. H&R Block sells it as Tax Pro Review at $225 plus $49 per state, in which a tax pro checks the return you prepared. If a second set of eyes is the reason you'd pay for help, TurboTax costs less for it.

In-person filing

In-person filing is where H&R Block has the wider reach, because it runs its own tax offices, where a preparer files the return with you. TurboTax offers Expert Full Service, in person where available or online, starting at $129 for a return with one W-2. Intuit lists no starting price for a return with a Schedule C, so ask for a quote first.

1099 and expense import

1099 and expense import is TurboTax's strongest advantage. TurboTax Premium reads 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms from a photo and pulls business expenses from a linked bank account, for one Schedule C. H&R Block's Self-Employed page doesn't describe a bank feed for expenses. If you already total your expenses in a spreadsheet or bookkeeping app, you'll type one number per Schedule C line in either product.

What they have in common

What TurboTax and H&R Block have in common is the return itself. H&R Block lists Schedule C, Schedule SE, Form 8829 for a home office, Form 4562 for depreciation, and Forms 8995 and 8995-A for the QBI deduction among its Self-Employed forms.⁵ TurboTax Premium files the same forms under the same law, so the same inputs give the same refund. What the higher TurboTax price buys is import, not accuracy.

Both sell an accuracy guarantee and a maximum refund guarantee, which refunds your fee if another method gets you a bigger refund. The return is still only as accurate as what you enter, so read the Schedule C instructions for any line you aren't sure about.

Federal and state filing fees

Federal and state filing fees run $9 lower at H&R Block on the federal return alone, for a Schedule C with expenses. TurboTax's total depends on a state price Intuit doesn't print on its Premium page, so the TurboTax column can't show a final number.

What tax pro help costs

What tax pro help costs depends on the kind of help you want. Questions as you file are free at H&R Block and $209 at TurboTax. A review before filing is $274 with one state at H&R Block and $209 plus a state fee at TurboTax.

If price is the main thing, a self-employed return can cost less than either. The FreeTaxUSA vs TurboTax comparison shows a federal Schedule C return filed for $0.

Choose TurboTax if

• You want 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms filled from a photo
• You want expenses for your one Schedule C pulled from a linked bank account
• You want a tax pro's review before filing and $209 fits your budget
• You also have stock or crypto trades you want Intuit to import instead of typing them in

Choose H&R Block if

• You have 1099 income and no business expenses, so Deluxe at $65 covers you
• You want to know the state price, $49 each, before you start
• You want to ask a tax pro questions without moving up a tier
• You want the option to finish your return in an office with a preparer