Doing your taxes is already complex and annoying — don’t let it be expensive, too. There are many ways you can submit your income tax return for 2024 for free, including through TurboTax.
More than 10 million people file their taxes for free each year through TurboTax, which is owned by Intuit. Right now, there are two main ways folks can use TurboTax to do their taxes at no cost. (More on that below.)
If you’re looking for other options, you might want to start with the IRS itself. It offers free guided tax prep through its Free File and Direct File programs.
Is TurboTax free?
Filing with TurboTax can be free if you have a simple 1040 tax return with no special situations and do not opt for any add-ons, or if you take advantage of its limited-time app offer. We’ll cover these later in this article.
Historically, though, there has been some controversy about whether or not TurboTax’s “free” offerings were really free.
Intuit announced in 2021 that it was choosing not to renew its participation in IRS Free File. Though TurboTax had been part of IRS Free File since its 2003 launch, the company pulled out, blaming “limitations within the program and conflicting demands from those outside the program.”
It wasn’t a smooth exit. The decision came a few years after ProPublica published a story alleging that TurboTax was using code to purposefully hide its IRS Free File product from Google and other search engines. (After the article went live, Intuit changed the code.)
In March 2022, the Federal Trade Commission filed a legal complaint accusing Intuit of running deceptive ads that tricked folks into thinking doing their taxes through TurboTax was free, only to learn at the end of the process — “after they have invested time and effort gathering and inputting into TurboTax their sensitive personal and financial information” — that they’d have to upgrade to a paid service.
Then, in January 2024, the FTC formally prohibited Intuit from advertising anything as free unless “unless it is free for all consumers or it discloses clearly and conspicuously and in close proximity to the ‘free’ claim the percentage of taxpayers or consumers that qualify.” Intuit appealed, saying in a statement to Money that “over the last 11 years, we’ve helped more than 130 million Americans file their taxes free of charge — more than all other tax prep software companies combined.” It added it “has always been clear, fair and transparent with its customers and is committed to free tax preparation.”
Can I file my 2024 taxes for free through TurboTax?
Yes, depending on how you do it.
First there’s TurboTax Free Edition, for which Intuit says about 37% of taxpayers qualify. This DIY free edition can be used to file simple Form 1040 returns only, meaning it’s not for any schedules except for those associated with the earned income tax credit, child tax credit and student loan interest. TurboTax Free Edition is available year-round; you can also file state taxes this way.
There’s also a limited-time-only mobile app offer that lets you file your taxes for free. This has a handful of restrictions. You qualify only if you did not use TurboTax to file your 2023 tax return, and you must start and finish your own individual taxes in the TurboTax mobile app by 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 18. This TurboTax app deal applies regardless of how complex your taxes are, and you can file state taxes for free this way. (However, note that TurboTax Live products aren’t eligible.)
When is TurboTax not free?
Although you can start a return for free and pay only when you file, TurboTax is ultimately not free when you choose certain advanced services or add-ons. And prices tend to change throughout the tax season, so the longer you wait, the more expensive it tends to get. (This is not solely a TurboTax phenomenon — other tax prep companies hike their prices closer to the April 15 deadline, too.)
According to Karen Nolan, an Intuit TurboTax spokesperson, the cost for DIY Deluxe service is currently $39 for federal taxes and $39 for state. The DIY Premium option — tailored for investors and self-employed taxpayers — is $89 for federal and $39 for state.
If you choose TurboTax Live Assisted, which lets you access unlimited expert help and have an expert look over your federal return before you file, costs will range from $39 to $169 for federal and $39 to $49 for state, depending on what service level you select. On March 1, the base price for the basic level of TurboTax Live Assisted will increase by $30, and the deluxe and premium levels will increase by $40.
And if you opt for TurboTax Live Full Service, in which an expert does your taxes for you, pricing currently starts at $89 for federal and $49 for state. On March 1, that base price will rise to $119.
On its website, TurboTax says prices are “based on your actual tax situation and forms used,” given that “more complicated tax situations and higher levels of tax expert services may cost more, depending on the product you select.”
If you add a feature like Audit Defense, which is part of the PLUS and MAX bundles, you’ll incur extra charges. You’ll also have to pay for the 5 Days Early Refund perk, which is a $25 flat fee, per a news release.
Why is TurboTax not free?
Not all TurboTax products are free because it’s a business.
TurboTax is owned by Intuit, which is a public company. In the first fiscal quarter of 2025, which at Intuit ended Oct. 31, Intuit says it brought in $3.3 billion in revenue.
On its website, TurboTax has a frequently asked questions section that tackles the issue of “how does TurboTax make money?” The answer: “We want our customers to love our products and services. Because we have customers who pay for our premium products and services, we can offer free tax filing to many customers.”
Who gets TurboTax free?
Intuit says 37% of taxpayers qualify to use TurboTax’s DIY Free Edition, which is meant for filing simple Form 1040 returns only. If you didn’t use TurboTax last year and you file through its mobile app this year, it’s free through Feb. 18.
Online TurboTax products are also free if you’re an active-duty or reserve member of the U.S. military. If you get a W-2 from the Defense Finance Accounting Service (DFAS), you qualify for free federal and state tax prep through TurboTax, no matter what level of service you choose, Nolan says.
Other ways to file your taxes for free in 2025
Taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $84,000 or less are eligible for IRS Free File, a public-private partnership that unlocks free guided tax prep from one of eight name-brand companies. Above that income threshold, you can access Free File Fillable Forms, which is not guided and requires more tax knowledge.
Another route is IRS Direct File, a relatively new initiative that enables taxpayers who lived and worked in 25 states in 2024 to file federal taxes online directly with the IRS. Those states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
You may also be able to find a free e-filing product through another third party, like H&R Block, or access free tax prep through the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) initiatives.
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