# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for tax preparation software (freelancers) on 2026-10-26

## In short

On 2026-10-26, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best tax preparation software for freelancers". It named 13 brands; the first six, in order, were FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, H&R Block, H&R Block Self-Employed, TurboTax Premium and DoorDash.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best tax preparation software for freelancers |
| Asked on | 2026-10-26 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 13 |
| Sources cited | 5 |
| Audience | freelancers |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-26 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-freelancers-2026-10-26
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-10-26 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> Here's what I'd actually recommend, in order:
> 
> **1. FreeTaxUSA** - My default pick for most freelancers. Federal filing is $0 *including* Schedule C, 1099-NEC income, home office, and depreciation - the stuff other vendors paywall. State is ~$16. The interface is plain and dated, but it handles self-employment correctly and you'll save $100+ versus TurboTax for the same return. If your freelance taxes are "a few 1099s and some deductions," start here.
> 
> **2. H&R Block Self-Employed** - The one I'd name if you want hand-holding without TurboTax prices. Roughly $85-125 federal plus ~$37/state, comparable Schedule C coverage and deduction guidance, better import support than the budget tools. The real differentiator: ~9,000 physical offices, so you can hand off or get a human review mid-return. Good if this is your first year self-employed and you're nervous.
> 
> **3. TurboTax Premium** - Expensive (~$119-159 federal + state) and aggressive about upsells, but genuinely the best at two things: finding deductions you didn't know to claim, and importing data directly from Uber/Lyft/DoorDash/Square/brokerages. Worth it if you have multiple income streams, vehicle *and* home office deductions,

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FreeTaxUSA | recommended |
| 2 | TurboTax | compared |
| 3 | H&R Block | recommended |
| 4 | H&R Block Self-Employed | recommended |
| 5 | TurboTax Premium | recommended |
| 6 | DoorDash | recommended |
| 7 | Square | recommended |
| 8 | TaxSlayer Self-Employed | recommended |
| 9 | TaxAct Self-Employed | recommended |
| 10 | QuickBooks | mentioned |
| 11 | QuickBooks Self-Employed | mentioned |
| 12 | Wave | mentioned |
| 13 | Cash App Taxes | compared |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.supermoney.com/turbotax-vs-freetaxusa (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.techrepublic.com/article/turbotax-vs-hr-block/ (other)
- https://www.techradar.com/best/best-tax-software (review)

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.