# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for tax preparation software (freelancers) on 2026-10-19

## In short

On 2026-10-19, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best tax preparation software for freelancers". It named 12 brands; the first six, in order, were FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, Cash App Taxes, TaxSlayer Self-Employed, H&R Block and H&R Block Self-Employed.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best tax preparation software for freelancers |
| Asked on | 2026-10-19 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 12 |
| Sources cited | 3 |
| Audience | freelancers |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-19 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-freelancers-2026-10-19
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-10-19 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> ## My picks, in the order I'd actually give them
> 
> **1. FreeTaxUSA** - This is what I'd recommend to most freelancers. Schedule C, 1099-NEC/K, home office, mileage, depreciation, and quarterly estimates are all included in the **$0 federal** tier; state is ~$16. The interview is plainer than TurboTax's, but it asks the same questions and files the same forms. For a one-state Schedule C return you're paying ~$25 instead of ~$190. ([FreeTaxUSA comparison](https://www.primewayfcu.com/blog/turbotax-vs-hr-block-vs-taxact-vs-taxslayer-vs-freetaxusa-vs-cash-app-taxes))
> 
> **2. Cash App Taxes** - Genuinely free, federal *and* state, and it does handle Schedule C. Worth trying first if your situation is simple. The catches: one state only, no multi-state or part-year returns, no foreign income, and no ability to file as a nonresident - so a lot of freelancers hit a wall and have to start over elsewhere. That's why it's #2 and not #1.
> 
> **3. TaxSlayer Self-Employed (~$67 federal)** - The sweet spot if FreeTaxUSA's bare-bones UX bothers you. You get a more guided walkthrough plus access to a tax pro, at roughly a third of TurboTax's price. ([financer.com](https://financer.com/personal-finance/bes

## 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 | TaxSlayer Self-Employed | mentioned |
| 5 | H&R Block | mentioned |
| 6 | H&R Block Self-Employed | mentioned |
| 7 | TurboTax Premium | mentioned |
| 8 | Keeper | mentioned |
| 9 | QuickBooks | mentioned |
| 10 | QuickBooks Solopreneur | mentioned |
| 11 | Skip TaxAct | mentioned |
| 12 | TaxAct | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

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