Is TurboTax Free in 2026? Free Edition Limits and Costs

Yes, for a simple return. TurboTax Free Edition is $0 federal and $0 state, with nothing to pay to file, for a simple Form 1040, and Intuit says roughly 37% of filers qualify. Self-employment income, stock sales, rental income and itemized deductions move you off Free Edition, onto a paid product or an IRS Free File partner. State filing costs extra on every paid product.

Intuit's figures are for the 2025 tax year, the returns filed in 2026. We read them on October 10, 2026.

Toolradar data: we track 40 tax software tools as of October 10, 2026, and 35% are free, freemium or open source. That count includes business and compliance software, so it overstates what a consumer can file for free.

What Free Edition covers

Free Edition takes a simple Form 1040 return: no schedules, except the ones needed to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the student loan interest deduction or Schedule 1-A. Intuit's examples, assuming no added tax complexity, sort like this:

Read the table as a test. If every line on your return sits in the left column, the return is free. One 1099-NEC from a side project moves it to the right, even when the freelance profit is small. Crypto sales are on the right too, and our crypto tax software ranking covers that case.

Check your forms before you start

Your folder answers the question faster than any price card. A W-2 and a bank's 1099-INT are the usual free pair. Three things point to a paid return: freelance income on a 1099-NEC, a brokerage 1099-B from stock or crypto sales, and a Schedule A you plan to file for charity, medical costs, mortgage interest or state taxes. Each one maps to the right-hand column, so each one is a reason to read the price card before you begin.

Receipts for business expenses or charitable gifts are the other thing that changes the return. Keep them in one place from January, because you will need them if the return itemizes.

TurboTax does not always catch a mismatch at the start. Intuit's own example is a customer who starts on Free Edition and later turns out to have investment sales. The software then asks for an upgrade, so run down the right column before you enter your first brokerage form.

Intuit's roughly 37% figure matters more than the free headline. Most filers have at least one line on the right-hand side. A free headline does not settle your cost, because the first form you add decides whether the total stays at zero or moves into a paid band.

What costs more, and how much

Intuit's filing page prints three price cards for paid products. Each shows a federal price, and each says state is extra.

The page does not place each product at a fixed price within those bands, so the total at checkout is the number to trust.

State is the line to check. Intuit prints "State additional" on every paid card and does not give a per-state price on the page, so the state fee depends on where you file. Free Edition has no state charge for a qualifying return.

Live help is the other gap. Intuit says access to a TurboTax product specialist is included with its Do It Yourself Deluxe, Do It Yourself Premium, Expert Assist and Expert Full Service products, and not included with Free Edition, where it is a paid upgrade.

If you choose to pay for a paid product out of your federal or state refund, a $40 service fee may apply.

The free options when Free Edition does not fit

IRS Free File is the free route that Free Edition does not cover. The IRS lists two options, and the table sets them against Free Edition:

Guided Free File is the closest free substitute for a freelancer. Each partner sets its own rules for income, age and state residence, and the IRS does not endorse any partner. A partner can also charge for state filing, for a filer who does not meet its federal criteria, or for income above the guided limit. Read the partner's fee terms before you enter any income, and check its forms list too, because the IRS page does not list forms by partner.

Above the guided limit, guided free filing is out. Fillable Forms stay free at any income level, but they include no state filing and only limited calculations. For a larger return, a paid card is the realistic comparison.

Three returns and what they cost

The W-2 filer is the clear case. Nothing on that return sits in the right-hand column, so the federal and state charges are both zero and the filer never reaches a card.

For the freelancer, guided Free File offers the most help of any free option, if the partner's rules fit. Fillable Forms are also free federally, but with limited calculations. If neither fits, the top of the self-file band is $139 federal before any state fee. The homeowner pays for a paid card, and the expert-assisted band runs from $59 to $209 federally.

Gotchas that add cost

• State is extra on every paid card. Price the state return before you commit.
• The refund fee. Paying for a paid product out of a refund may add $40.
• Upgrades can come mid-return. Investment sales found after you start on Free Edition trigger an upgrade request.
• Prices move. Intuit prices by product and by the time you print or e-file, and says prices can change without notice.
• The offer is for tax year 2025. Next season's terms can differ, so check them again before a new return.

Extension deadline: October 15

If you asked the IRS for an extension by the April due date, you have until October 15, 2026 to file without penalty. The extension covers the filing only. Pay any tax you owe by the April date, because the extension does not move the payment deadline.

Where to go next

Freelancers who need bookkeeping rather than a tax return often compare free accounting software, online bookkeeping services and QuickBooks Online pricing. Anyone who invoices clients can start with our FreshBooks review or Wave review. Keeping business income apart from wages is easier with a separate account, and our best business bank accounts list covers the options. If you file returns for clients, see tax software for accountants. For the wider personal finance picture, see AI tools for personal finance.

Frequently asked questions

Is TurboTax Free Edition really free?

For a simple Form 1040 return, yes. Intuit lists it as free federal, free state and free to file for the 2025 tax year. The free price ends at the first form outside the included list, such as a 1099-NEC or a stock sale.

Who qualifies for TurboTax Free Edition?

Roughly 37% of filers, according to Intuit. The return must be a simple Form 1040 with W-2 wages, bank interest, the standard deduction and the credits and adjustments on the included list. Itemizers, freelancers, crypto sellers and landlords fall outside it.

Does Free Edition cover freelance or 1099-NEC income?

No. Business and 1099-NEC income sit on Intuit's not-included list. A freelancer needs a paid product, or an IRS Free File guided partner whose software covers self-employment and whose income rules fit.

Is there a free alternative above the guided income limit?

Not with guided software. IRS Free File guided software stops at $89,000 of adjusted gross income. Fillable Forms stay free at any income, with no state filing and limited calculations.

Is state filing free too?

On TurboTax Free Edition, yes, for qualifying returns. On paid products, state is extra, and Intuit gives no per-state price on its page. Some IRS Free File partners offer a free state return, but the IRS page does not list which ones.

What does TurboTax cost for self-employed filers?

Self-file products top out at $139 federal, expert-assisted filing runs from $59 to $209, and a dedicated expert starts at $129, with state extra on each. Intuit does not place each product at a fixed price in those bands, so the checkout total is the figure to trust.

Sources and method

Scope and prices come from Intuit's Free Edition page and its tax filing options, both read on October 10, 2026, for the 2025 tax year. IRS Free File limits come from IRS Free File, last reviewed June 12, 2026. The extension date comes from IRS extension rules. The tool count comes from Toolradar's tax software ranking, read the same day. TurboTax's own profile is on Toolradar.

This page is general information, not personalized financial advice. Confirm the terms with the provider before you file, since offers and prices change without notice.

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Cite this: Finpresso, "Is TurboTax Free in 2026? Free Edition Limits and Costs", October 2026.

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