# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for tax preparation software (freelancers) on 2026-10-18

## In short

On 2026-10-18, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best tax preparation software for freelancers". It named 11 brands; the first six, in order, were FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, Cash App Taxes, TurboTax Premium, H&R Block and H&R Block Self-Employed.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best tax preparation software for freelancers |
| Asked on | 2026-10-18 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 11 |
| Sources cited | 4 |
| Audience | freelancers |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-18 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-freelancers-2026-10-18
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-10-18 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> **FreeTaxUSA** - my default recommendation for most freelancers. Schedule C, 1099-NEC income, home office, and SE tax are all included in the $0 federal tier; you only pay ~$16 per state return. The interview is less hand-holdy than TurboTax, but it does everything a single-person freelance business needs, and it won't try to upsell you mid-return. ([FreeTaxUSA review](https://fitsmallbusiness.com/freetaxusa-review), [pricing comparison](https://www.primewayfcu.com/blog/turbotax-vs-hr-block-vs-taxact-vs-taxslayer-vs-freetaxusa-vs-cash-app-taxes))
> 
> **Cash App Taxes** - the other genuinely free option, including Schedule C, with free state filing too. Worth trying first if your return is simple. Caveats: no multi-state filing, no part-year/nonresident state returns, and you must file on their app/web flow with no expert help available. If you hit one of those limits, fall back to FreeTaxUSA.
> 
> **TurboTax Premium** - worth the money only in specific cases: your first year self-employed and you want the deduction-by-deduction interview, you have messy multiple income streams plus investments or rentals, or you want Live Assisted/Full Service to have a CPA review or file it. Expect rough

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FreeTaxUSA | recommended |
| 2 | TurboTax | mentioned |
| 3 | Cash App Taxes | mentioned |
| 4 | TurboTax Premium | mentioned |
| 5 | H&R Block | mentioned |
| 6 | H&R Block Self-Employed | mentioned |
| 7 | TaxSlayer Self-Employed | mentioned |
| 8 | TaxAct | mentioned |
| 9 | Wave | mentioned |
| 10 | QuickBooks | mentioned |
| 11 | QuickBooks Solopreneur | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://fitsmallbusiness.com/freetaxusa-review (other)
- https://www.primewayfcu.com/blog/turbotax-vs-hr-block-vs-taxact-vs-taxslayer-vs-freetaxusa-vs-cash-app-taxes (other)
- https://investormint.com/small-business/best-tax-software-self-employed-2026 (other)
- https://www.supermoney.com/turbotax-vs-freetaxusa (other)

The question page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/tax-preparation-software/freelancers

Alerts and membership: Answer Watch Pro, 79 USD per month: https://bikoosh.com/answers. Bikoosh is monitoring assistance, not complete protection.

Answer Watch records what one AI answer engine said on one date, nothing more. Each page names the engine and the model, carries the date the question was asked, and lists the brands that appeared in the answer in the order the engine gave them, with the sources it cited. It is a measurement, not a ranking, not a recommendation and not a claim about the world. Brands that did not appear in an answer are not named on any public page. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.