# What Claude (Anthropic) with web search answered for tax preparation software (small businesses) on 2026-09-25

## In short

On 2026-09-25, Claude (Anthropic) with web search was asked "best tax preparation software for small businesses". It named 14 brands; the first six, in order, were S-corp, FreeTaxUSA, TurboTax, TurboTax Premium, H&R Block and TaxSlayer.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Question | best tax preparation software for small businesses |
| Asked on | 2026-09-25 |
| Engine | Claude (Anthropic) with web search |
| Model | claude-opus-5 |
| Brands named | 14 |
| Sources cited | 7 |
| Audience | small businesses |
| Coverage | Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-25 |

Page: https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-small-businesses-2026-09-25
Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.

## The answer, as recorded

Asked on 2026-09-25 through Claude (Anthropic) with web search (model claude-opus-5).

> Short version: the right answer depends mostly on your entity type (sole prop/single-member LLC vs. S-corp/partnership), so here's how I'd rank them with that in mind.
> 
> ## If you file Schedule C (sole prop, single-member LLC, freelancer)
> 
> **1. FreeTaxUSA** - My default recommendation. Schedule C, home office, mileage, depreciation, and SE health insurance are all included on the free federal tier; state is ~$16. Against TurboTax Premium at ~$139-159 federal + ~$64/state, you're saving roughly $180 for the same forms. The tradeoff is real though: no brokerage or gig-platform imports, so you type numbers off the PDFs yourself, and the interface is plainer.
> 
> **2. H&R Block** - Best middle ground. Online tiers run roughly $35-85, the desktop version is a genuinely good value for Schedule C, and it's the only one where you can walk into a physical office if something goes sideways mid-return.
> 
> **3. TurboTax Premium** - Worth the premium only if you value the guided interview and automatic imports (it'll pull a 1099-K straight from Uber, brokerages, etc.) or want a CPA to review before you file. You are paying a comfort premium - know that going in.
> 
> **4. TaxSlayer** - The cheapest paid 

## Brands named, in the order the engine gave

| Position | Brand | How it was named |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | S-corp | mentioned |
| 2 | FreeTaxUSA | recommended |
| 3 | TurboTax | mentioned |
| 4 | TurboTax Premium | mentioned |
| 5 | H&R Block | mentioned |
| 6 | TaxSlayer | mentioned |
| 7 | TaxAct | mentioned |
| 8 | TaxAct Business | mentioned |
| 9 | DIY | mentioned |
| 10 | TurboTax Live Business | mentioned |
| 11 | QuickBooks | mentioned |
| 12 | Xero | mentioned |
| 13 | Wave | mentioned |
| 14 | Timing | mentioned |

## Sources the engine cited

- https://www.cnbc.com/select/best-tax-software-for-small-businesses/ (other)
- https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-business-tax-software/ (other)
- https://fitsmallbusiness.com/best-tax-software-for-form-1065/ (other)
- https://www.moneycrashers.com/taxact-vs-turbotax-vs-hr-block-best-tax-prep-software/ (other)
- https://www.supermoney.com/turbotax-vs-freetaxusa (other)
- https://ifeeltech.com/blog/tax-software-small-business-turbotax-hrblock-freetaxusa (other)
- https://www.taxact.com/business-returns (vendor)

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

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.