5.4/ 10 SCORE Cash App Taxes Pros
100% free federal and state tax submitting
Easy-to-use interface
Supports all main tax kinds
Easy to file for easy tax conditions, like W-2 job and customary deduction
Cons
Many kinds require in depth guide inputting
No entry to tax professionals
Limited options
Some complicated tax conditions aren’t supported
You most likely know Cash App as a fee platform that provides some banking companies, however it’s also possible to use Cash App to file your taxes without spending a dime. And by “file your taxes for free,” we really imply 100% free. There are not any paid variations, hidden prices or add-ons accessible to buy.That’s a far cry from the $290 that the typical 1040 taxpayer pays out of pocket annually simply to organize and file taxes, in response to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. But in relation to doing all of your taxes, the most cost effective choice might not all the time be the optimum selection. The greatest tax software program cuts down on the time and prices, permitting you to submit your return with confidence. After all, a tax mistake may result in the next tax invoice, IRS penalties or a smaller refund. Let’s dive proper into how Cash App Taxes works, who it’s greatest for, what we preferred in regards to the service and a few widespread ache factors.Tax season is a headache-inducing time for everybody — together with me, and I’m a licensed monetary planner and longtime monetary author and editor who’s been overlaying taxes for nearly a decade. To simplify tax season, we personally examined seven main tax submitting companies, together with TurboTax, H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt and some names chances are you’ll not have heard of. We assessed every service taking a look at worth, affordability, eligibility and use circumstances, on-line expertise, ease of use, options and accessibility to tax professionals.Cash App Taxes: Price and affordability (10/10)To assess worth and affordability, we thought-about whether or not a free model was accessible, in addition to the pricing for paid tiers. We additionally checked out transparency — as in, does “free” actually imply free? And how straightforward is it to determine while you’ll pay extra for a characteristic?Cash App Taxes will get an ideal 10 from us on affordability provided that it’s fully free with no hidden prices.Tier construction comparabilityTierWho can use itWhat’s includedCash App Taxes: $0Most particular person filersFree federal tax submitting and one free state returnUnlike nearly each competitor, Cash App Taxes doesn’t have totally different worth tiers. It’s 100% free to file your federal and state returns. You can file without spending a dime even in the event you’re claiming tax deductions or credit, you’ve got self-employment revenue otherwise you offered inventory or cryptocurrency.However, Cash App Taxes doesn’t assist each tax scenario. Here are some cases the place you’ll want to make use of a unique service:You must file a number of state returns, a part-year state return or a non-resident state return.You’re married submitting individually and submitting a state return in a neighborhood property state.You’re submitting a return for a minor below age 18.You reside outdoors the US.You obtained a Schedule Okay-1 for revenue from an property or belief.You’re submitting Form 1040-NR, which is for nonresident aliens who work or have enterprise revenue within the U.S.You’re claiming a international tax credit score or reporting international earned revenue.You’re calculating an underpayment tax penalty.You’re submitting a enterprise tax return.State submitting feesServiceState submitting chargeCash App Taxes$0 (restricted to 1 return)FreeTaxUSA$15.99H&R Block$37 for paid plans, $0 in the event you qualify without spending a dime tax submittingJackson Hewitt$0TaxAct$39.99TaxSlayer1 free state return in the event you qualify for the merely free plan; $39.99 for all different plansTurboTax$0-$69 ($0 in the event you qualify for a free federal return)Cash App Taxes doesn’t cost you to file state tax returns, however you may’t file in multiple state. For instance, in the event you dwell in a unique state from the one you’re employed in otherwise you reside in multiple state, chances are you’ll not be capable to use the service. You’ll additionally must file your federal taxes first utilizing Cash App Taxes earlier than you may submit your state return. Hidden prices and upgradesThere actually are not any hidden prices or upgrades with this service. Cash App Taxes says it’s filed over 12 million returns “without charging anyone a penny to file their federal and state taxes.” That mentioned, you’ll want to decide on one other tax service for complicated conditions or in the event you want human help. Cash App Taxes: Use circumstances and eligibility (6/10)Given that Cash App Taxes is a totally free service, it’s no shock that there are some limitations. But for a lot of customers who perceive the fundamentals of tax submitting, the tradeoff could also be value it.Cash App Taxes does a high-quality job of letting customers with easy tax returns file without spending a dime, however due to its restricted assist for extra complicated tax returns, it will get a 6/10.Simple filers (Standard Deductions)Though Cash App permits you to itemize, its tax service is designed primarily for easy filers who take the usual deduction. In truth, it defaults to the usual deduction while you calculate your tax invoice or refund. It asks you primary questions, like “Do you have any dependents to claim?” and “Did you pay student loan interest in 2025?”, which was high-quality for me since I’ve all the time taken the usual deduction and infrequently qualify for tax credit or deductions. But don’t count on it to dig deep for any uncommon tax credit or deductions you would be lacking. Cash App is free for easy DIY filers who take the usual deduction. Cash AppInvestment revenue (Schedule D)Cash App Taxes permits you to file Schedule D for funding revenue, however its capabilities are extraordinarily restricted. If you used Cash App to commerce inventory or crypto, it can generate a 1099-B for you and may routinely pull the info. But if in case you have 1099-Bs from different brokerages or platforms, you’re caught manually inputting all that information.If you’re a boring buy-and-hold investor like me who hardly ever locations trades, that is probably not a dealbreaker. But in the event you’re a high-frequency inventory or crypto dealer or you’ve got difficult transactions, like in the event you offered shares in an worker inventory buy plan (ESPP), the method is extremely tedious and leaves big room for errors.Self-employment/small enterprise revenue (Schedule C)You can file Schedule C to report self-employment and small enterprise revenue on Cash App, however it’s a must to manually enter nearly every thing. Since I’m self-employed and obtain a couple of dozen 1099-NECs in a given yr, that’s very a lot a dealbreaker for me. Importing all that info is extremely time-consuming and places me liable to making an error.You additionally must manually add up all your online business bills and deduct them to calculate your web revenue or loss. There’s some common steering about issues like the house workplace deduction, however nothing tailor-made to your scenario. If you’ve got a capital-heavy enterprise (for instance, you personal a landscaping firm or a images studio) and must calculate depreciation, I’d strongly counsel selecting a tax submitting service with instruments designed for small companies and self-employment, like TurboTax or H&R Block.Rental revenue (Schedule E)If you’ve got rental revenue and file with Cash App Taxes, count on to do a lot of guide information entry and calculations. As with self-employment revenue, there’s no method to import the related tax paperwork and have it routinely pull the info. There’s minimal steering about issues like deducting primary bills, like mortgage curiosity and property insurance coverage. But you’ll must do all of the heavy lifting for issues like calculating depreciation and bills. You’ll additionally must have a great understanding of any tax credit and deductions you’re eligible for. Because proudly owning rental property can include some profitable tax breaks, landlords and actual property traders would possibly wish to work with a CPA or select a software program with extra superior Schedule E choices.Cash App Taxes: Experience and ease of use (6/10)Design and person interface additionally matter while you’re selecting tax submitting software program. Preparing your taxes is already a headache, so that you desire a program that’s straightforward to arrange and navigate. Cash App Taxes is simple to make use of for primary submitting, however there are just a few factors of frustration with less-straightforward returns, so it will get a 6/10.Onboarding and information inputSetting up Cash App Taxes is simple in the event you already use Cash App, however in the event you’ve by no means used the app, you’ll must obtain it and enter your primary info earlier than you can begin making ready your return. (You’ll nonetheless must obtain the app even in the event you’re utilizing the desktop model to file.)To get began, you may add a PDF of final yr’s tax returns and let the app pull your primary info. If you’ve got a W-2, it’s also possible to snap a photograph and the app will routinely populate the related fields. As we talked about earlier, although, it received’t pull information from most different tax kinds, like 1099-NECs or 1099-Bs from outdoors brokerages.Interface and navigationCash App Taxes has a reasonably simple interface that’s straightforward to navigate. It makes use of a Q&A move to information you thru the fundamentals of submitting, like selecting the proper submitting standing and determining whether or not you qualify for widespread tax credit. However, navigating between sections generally is a bit clunky; typically, you’ll must restart a bit if you wish to return or make a correction.Mobile and desktop submitting expertiseCash App is a mobile-first platform. So it’s not shocking that Cash App Taxes makes it straightforward to file your return from begin to end utilizing your cell machine — although the desktop model features very equally to the cell model. However, in the event you’re utilizing the platform to file something apart from a easy tax return, chances are you’ll wish to use the desktop platform given the quantity of guide work required for a lot of kinds. Cash App Taxes: Features (4/10)Cash App Taxes is considerably gentle on options, however that’s anticipated for a platform that’s 100% free. Because it’s a no-frills, free service that solely gives primary steering, Cash App Taxes will get 4/10 for its options.Final evaluation/accuracy examineCash App checks for lacking fields and primary errors, but it surely doesn’t present a full evaluation (or have the choice to improve to have a tax professional evaluation your return) earlier than you submit it. That makes it particularly necessary to double-check your return, particularly in the event you’re submitting kinds that require you to manually enter information.Error checkingCash App Taxes highlights potential errors, like lacking fields or calculation errors. But it’s far much less sturdy than what you get with the larger names in tax prep. The service has an correct calculation assure that guarantees to reimburse you as much as $1,000 in IRS or state penalties and curiosity on account of a calculation error by Cash App Taxes. But in the event you made the error, the assure doesn’t apply — which is the norm for tax prep companies.Audit danger evaluationCash App Taxes received’t assess your danger of an audit. It does, nevertheless, accomplice with a third-party firm known as Tax Protection Plus, LLC to supply free audit protection to clients.Tax steering and trainingThere’s little or no in the way in which of tax steering on Cash App. You can hover over little query marks in sure fields for contextual steering to study issues like deductions or whether or not you’re choosing the proper submitting standing. There’s additionally a assist middle with primary FAQs, however don’t count on customized steering.Maximum refund assureCash App Taxes presents a reasonably weak most refund assure: If you obtain a bigger refund (or smaller tax invoice) while you file an amended return with a unique submitting service utilizing the identical tax information as you used to file with Cash App, you’ll be refunded the distinction within the refund or tax quantity owed, as much as $100, in reward playing cards. Additional optionsCash App Taxes is fairly bare-bones, so that you received’t discover extra options like AI-assisted tax assist or refund advances.Cash App Taxes: Expert assist or entry to tax professionals (1/10)Cash App Taxes doesn’t present entry to CPAs, enrolled brokers (EAs) and different tax professionals. There’s no choice to improve to a paid tier for extra assist. Cash App Taxes will get a 1/10 right here as a result of it doesn’t provide entry to tax specialists or skilled steering.Review of dwell assist choicesCash App Taxes isn’t designed for individuals with difficult tax conditions or those that require assist from a tax professional. You can entry in-app buyer assist by way of chat 24/7 and by e-mail. However, you’re solely having access to assist with the app itself. If you’ve got tax questions that may’t be answered by the overall FAQ, you’re by yourself.Though entry to professionals is just about remarkable with free tax submitting, it may be useful to have the choice to improve if essential. Several rivals like FreeTaxUSA have clear free submitting, however allow you to swap to a paid tier in the event you want further steering.Final verdictCash App Taxes is greatest without spending a dime submitting and for these with easy tax conditions. Though submitting something apart from probably the most primary tax kinds is cumbersome and there’s no skilled assist, we respect the truth that you’re by no means nagged about paying for add-ons or upgrading to a paid tier.Cash App Taxes Score BreakdownCriteriaCNET rating out of 10Price and affordability10Eligibility and use cases6Experience and ease of use6Features4Expert assist/Tax skilled access1Overall rating 5.4Methodology: How we take a look at and consider tax software programWe examined every platform on cell and desktop utilizing the identical primary tax eventualities. Here’s what we thought-about for every of the 5 classes.Price and affordabilityWe checked out every worth tier and the way it stacked up towards rivals’ related choices. Availability of a free choice was necessary, however we additionally thought-about the chance {that a} person may really file without spending a dime with out being compelled to improve. We additionally checked out how clear every service was with their pricing. Services misplaced factors in the event that they didn’t clearly disclose prices of add-ons upfront. Eligibility and use circumstancesWe examined every software program utilizing the identical primary submitting eventualities, together with easy submitting with a W-2 and the usual deduction, itemized returns, funding revenue, rental revenue and small-business/self-employment filings. We gave most factors when a service may deal with a broad vary of submitting conditions with out requiring in depth guide enter or calculations. Experience and ease of useThe greatest tax submitting companies make making ready your return so simple as doable. To consider expertise and ease of use, we regarded on the setup course of (together with whether or not you would simplify the setup course of by importing final yr’s tax return or importing your W-2). We additionally thought-about whether or not the service makes submitting simpler with an easy-to-understand interview course of. Each software program misplaced factors for issues that make for a poor person expertise, like a complicated navigation or requiring customers to begin over in the event that they downgraded to a less-expensive tier.FeaturesMany tax software program packages have an array of instruments to make sure your return is correct and maximize your refund. We have high rankings on this class for companies with sturdy error-checking instruments, audit protection companies, a most refund assure and an choice to obtain an advance in your refund.Expert assist and tax skilled accessPretty a lot each submitting service permits you to DIY your return, however typically you want skilled steering. We gave high factors to companies that provide entry to a CPA, EA or different tax professionals, in addition to people who present easy accessibility to customer support and technical assist.Scoring strategyEach class obtained a rating on a scale of 1 to 10. The general rating was an evenly weighted common of every class, primarily based on efficiency relative to rivals and the wants of typical DIY filers, in addition to these with widespread submitting conditions that require further steering or entry to a tax skilled.