# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for tax preparation software (freelancers) on 2026-10-21

## In short

On 2026-10-21, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best tax preparation software for freelancers". It named 10 brands; the first six, in order, were FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, TurboTax Premium, Square, QuickBooks and H&R Block.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best tax preparation software for freelancers |
| Asked on | 2026-10-21 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 10 |
| Sources cited | 9 |
| Audience | freelancers |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-21 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-freelancers-2026-10-21
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-10-21 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> ## Short answer: FreeTaxUSA for most freelancers, TurboTax Premium if you want hand-holding
> 
> **1. [FreeTaxUSA](https://www.business.org/finance/taxes/freetaxusa-review/) - what I'd use.** Federal is $0 *including* Schedule C, Schedule SE, home office, depreciation, and 1099-NEC/K income - the stuff every other company treats as premium. State is ~$15.99. The interface is plainer than TurboTax's, but the forms coverage is essentially complete. For a freelancer with a few 1099s and a pile of expenses, you're filing for under $20 instead of $200.
> 
> **2. [TurboTax Premium](https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/hr-block-vs-turbotax) (the old "Self-Employed" tier) - if you'd rather pay to be walked through it.** Best deduction interview in the business, imports from Uber/Lyft/Square/QuickBooks, and it calculates next year's quarterly estimates for you. Downside is price: roughly $129-$159 federal plus ~$59-$64 per state, and it climbs as April approaches. Worth it mainly for your first self-employed year or if your return is genuinely messy.
> 
> **3. [H&R Block Self-Employed](https://www.tomsguide.com/face-off/turbotax-vs-hrblock) - the middle option, and the one with a storefront.** About 

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

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

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.business.org/finance/taxes/freetaxusa-review/ (other)
- https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/hr-block-vs-turbotax (review)
- https://www.tomsguide.com/face-off/turbotax-vs-hrblock (review)
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2026/01/06/direct-file-is-gone-heres-how-you-can-still-file-your-taxes-for-free/ (other)
- https://thecollegeinvestor.com/23970/hr-block-alternatives/ (other)
- https://www.keepertax.com/switch-from/turbotax (other)
- https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/a-free-tax-filing-option-just-disappeared (other)
- https://www.taxnotes.com/featured-news/irs-shutters-direct-file-citing-cost-and-low-uptake/2025/11/05/7t7q0 (other)
- https://www.finder.com/best-tax-software/keeper-tax (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.