TurboTax vs H&R Block (2026): Price per Tier for Self-Employed Filers

For a freelancer who deducts business expenses, H&R Block is the cheaper do-it-yourself pick: Self-Employed Online is $130 federal plus $49 per state, against $139 federal for TurboTax Premium, whose state fee is not printed. Once you add a tax pro's help, the order flips, because TurboTax Expert Assist Premium lists $209 federal. Prices read on both vendors' pages on October 18, 2026, for tax year 2025.

The tier you land on matters more than the brand. Both companies let a Schedule C with income and no expenses through their cheaper Deluxe tier, and both push you up a tier the moment you claim a home office, mileage or supplies.

Toolradar data: Toolradar tracks 42 tax software tools as of October 17, 2026, and 36% of them (15) offer a free tier. Neither brand's free tier takes self-employment income, so a freelancer comparing these two is choosing between paid products from the start.

The tiers side by side

Prices come from TurboTax Premium, TurboTax Deluxe, TurboTax Expert Assist Premium, the TurboTax filing options page, H&R Block online filing and H&R Block Self-Employed Online, all read on October 18, 2026. H&R Block charges $49 for each state return on every paid online tier; TurboTax prints "State additional" without a figure. Intuit says its prices depend on the date you print or e-file, so a January price can differ from the October one.

What a self-employed return costs on each

The scenario is one federal return and one state return, so each line adds the state fee only where the vendor prints it. Intuit prints "State additional" on every paid TurboTax tier without a dollar figure, so the TurboTax rows cannot be totaled honestly.

On the federal line alone, H&R Block is $14 cheaper at Deluxe and $9 cheaper at the expenses tier, while TurboTax is $16 cheaper once a pro gets involved. The state fee can erase or widen those gaps, so check TurboTax's state price at checkout before you treat H&R Block's lead as settled.

Which tier a freelancer actually needs

The deciding question is whether you deduct business expenses. Both vendors answer it the same way, which makes this an unusually clean comparison.

• Income only. TurboTax's Deluxe forms list includes Schedule C for "income only" and Schedule SE, so a 1099-NEC with nothing to deduct fits there. H&R Block's own FAQ says Deluxe is the most cost-effective way to file Schedule C self-employment income when there are no business expenses.
• Income and expenses. TurboTax lists the entire Schedule C only on Premium. H&R Block says business expenses such as home office, vehicle and supplies need Self-Employed Online.
• Rentals and investments too. TurboTax Premium covers rental property and stock and crypto sales in the same tier. H&R Block splits these: its Premium tier at $105 is for crypto, rentals and the stock market, and its Self-Employed tier adds Schedule C expenses on top.

Most freelancers have at least one deductible expense, even if it is only software or a phone bill. In practice that puts the typical self-employed filer on TurboTax Premium or H&R Block Self-Employed, and the $9 federal gap between them is the comparison that matters.

Track those expenses during the year, not in April. A receipt scanner app or the free accounting software many freelancers already use produces the totals either product will ask for.

Expert help is where the two differ most

H&R Block includes unlimited expert help in its paid DIY tiers. Its online filing page says unlimited help from live tax pros and AI Tax Assist is included with Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed, so the Self-Employed price already covers questions about your Schedule C, with no upgrade needed mid-return.

TurboTax separates the two. Its DIY Premium page offers quick answers from live specialists, FAQs and forums, while unlimited advice from tax experts and a final expert review are the job of Expert Assist. That makes the honest comparison two pairs, not one:

• Questions as you go: H&R Block Self-Employed includes them at its standard price; on TurboTax, unlimited expert advice means stepping up from DIY Premium to Expert Assist Premium, a sizable jump on the federal price.
• A pro reviews the finished return: H&R Block's Tax Pro Review adds that for $225 federal; TurboTax's Expert Assist bundles a final expert review into its price, which is why it ends up the cheaper of the two for this need.

Read that way, the choice depends on how much hand-holding you want. A freelancer who wants answers but not a formal review gets more for less at H&R Block. A freelancer who wants a pro to sign off on the return pays less at TurboTax, before state fees.

Free tiers, and why they do not apply here

H&R Block says roughly 52% of filers qualify for its Free Online edition. Intuit says roughly 37% qualify for TurboTax Free Edition. H&R Block also states that its free product accepts more forms than TurboTax Free Edition, a vendor claim worth reading next to its published forms list.

Neither free tier covers a freelancer. TurboTax lists business and 1099-NEC income as not included in Free Edition, and H&R Block lists self-employment income as outside Free Online. Our guide to whether TurboTax is free covers who does qualify, and how to file taxes for free covers the IRS options outside both brands.

Gotchas that move the final price

• TurboTax's state fee is unprinted. Every paid tier says "State additional", so the TurboTax total is unknown until checkout.
• Prices move with the calendar. Intuit says paid prices depend on the date you print or e-file and that strikethrough prices reflect anticipated late-season pricing from April 1 to October 31.
• Paying from your refund costs extra. TurboTax says a $40 service fee may apply if you pay for the product out of your federal or state refund.
• H&R Block's Refund Transfer has a fee. Its footnotes list a $42 fee for the optional Refund Transfer account; you can file and get your refund without it.
• Each extra state adds to H&R Block's bill. Its state fee is charged per state filed, so a freelancer who worked in two states pays it twice, which can wipe out the federal saving over TurboTax.
• Done-for-you is a different purchase. TurboTax's Full Service starts where its DIY tiers end, and its "typically pay" figures are estimates for common situations, with the final price set by your actual forms.

Who should pick which

Pick H&R Block Self-Employed if you deduct business expenses, file one state, and want to ask a tax pro questions without paying for a formal review. At $179 with one state, it is the only fully priced self-employed option on either site.

Pick TurboTax Premium if you also have rental income or crypto sales and want them in the same tier as your Schedule C, and you are comfortable confirming the state fee at checkout. Pick TurboTax Expert Assist Premium if a pro's final review matters more to you than the lowest price.

Pick either brand's Deluxe only if your 1099 income has no expenses against it. That is rarer than it sounds, and both products will ask you to upgrade once you add a deduction.

If you have outgrown a personal return, our list of tax software for accountants covers professional tools, and how to pay yourself from an LLC covers the step before the return. Keeping business money apart is easier with one of the best business bank accounts, and invoicing tools are compared in invoicing software for freelancers. Crypto-heavy returns are covered in crypto tax software.

Frequently asked questions

Is TurboTax or H&R Block cheaper for self-employed filers in 2026?

H&R Block is cheaper for do-it-yourself filers who deduct expenses: Self-Employed Online comes to $179 with one state, against $139 federal for TurboTax Premium plus an unprinted state fee. With a tax pro reviewing the return, TurboTax Expert Assist Premium at $209 federal undercuts H&R Block's $225 Tax Pro Review option.

Can I file a Schedule C on TurboTax Deluxe or H&R Block Deluxe?

Yes, if it reports income only. TurboTax Deluxe includes Schedule C for income only, and H&R Block says Deluxe is its most cost-effective option for Schedule C income with no business expenses. Deducting expenses moves you to TurboTax Premium or H&R Block Self-Employed.

Does H&R Block include expert help in the price?

Yes, on its paid online tiers. H&R Block says unlimited help from live tax pros and AI Tax Assist is included with Deluxe, Premium and Self-Employed. A formal review of the finished return is the separate Tax Pro Review option.

How much is the state return?

H&R Block prints a $49 fee per state filed on each paid online tier, and state filing is free on Free Online. TurboTax prints "State additional" on every paid tier without a price, and its Free Edition files the state return free on qualifying simple returns.

Can a freelancer use either free edition?

No. TurboTax Free Edition excludes business and 1099-NEC income, and H&R Block's Free Online excludes self-employment income. A freelancer needs a paid tier on either site, or an IRS Free File option if the income rules fit.

Are these prices final for the 2026 filing season?

Not necessarily. Intuit says its prices depend on when you print or e-file and can change without notice, and both vendors' pages carry tax year 2025 terms. Check the price at checkout before you file.

Sources and method

Prices and tier coverage come from the TurboTax and H&R Block pages linked under the first table, read on October 18, 2026, for tax year 2025 returns. The state fee is added only where the vendor prints it; no TurboTax total is estimated. Free-tier qualification shares are each vendor's own figure. The category count comes from Toolradar's tax software statistics, and both products have Toolradar profiles: TurboTax and H&R Block.

This page is general information, not personalized financial advice. Confirm the terms and the final price with the provider before you file, since both vendors change prices during the season.

Cite this: Finpresso, "TurboTax vs H&R Block (2026): Price per Tier for Self-Employed Filers", October 2026.

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