{"question": "best tax preparation software for small businesses", "category": "tax-preparation-software", "category_name": "tax preparation software", "audience": "small-businesses", "audience_name": "small businesses", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-10-14T01:23:42Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/tax-preparation-software-small-businesses-2026-10-14", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/tax-preparation-software/small-businesses", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "FreeTaxUSA", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "TurboTax", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "TaxSlayer", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "TaxSlayer Self-Employed", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "TurboTax Premium", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "QuickBooks Self-Employed", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "TaxAct", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "TaxAct Business", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "TurboTax Business", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "H&R Block", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "H&R Block Premium & Business", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 13, "brand": "Lacerte", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 14, "brand": "per-seat", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 15, "brand": "1-800Accountant", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 16, "brand": "Xendoo", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://www.taxact.com/business-returns", "domain": "taxact.com", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://beancount.io/blog/2026/10/07/business-tax-software-compared-turbotax-hr-block-taxact-1065-1120-guide", "domain": "beancount.io", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.nerdwallet.com/taxes/learn/taxact-vs-turbotax", "domain": "nerdwallet.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://www.business.org/finance/taxes/best-tax-filing-software-programs-small-businesses", "domain": "business.org", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://aspireapp.com/en-us/blog/best-tax-software-for-small-businesses-llcs", "domain": "aspireapp.com", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "## If you file Schedule C (sole prop or single-member LLC)\n\n**1. FreeTaxUSA** - My default recommendation. Federal is free including Schedule C, depreciation, and home-office; state is ~$15. It handles self-employment income as well as anything costing 10x more. The interview is plainer than TurboTax's but perfectly competent.\n\n**2. TaxSlayer Self-Employed** - ~$70ish all-in for federal + state. A step up in hand-holding from FreeTaxUSA, still well under TurboTax. Good middle ground.\n\n**3. TurboTax Premium** - ~$130 federal plus ~$65/state. Worth the premium only for two things: the best deduction-finding interview in the business, and direct QuickBooks/Mint import. If you already run QuickBooks Self-Employed, the data pull saves real hours.\n\n## If you file 1120-S or 1065 (S-corp, multi-member LLC, partnership)\n\n**4. TaxAct Business** - Best value here by a wide margin: about **$155 for a 1065** and **$170 for an 1120-S**, with expert help as a ~$89 add-on. It generates the K-1s properly and carries them to the personal return. This is what I'd actually buy.\n\n**5. TurboTax Business** - More expensive, Windows-desktop only (no Mac, no browser), but the step-by-step entity interview ", "answer_truncated": true, "measurement": "One answer from one engine on one date. Not a ranking and not a claim about the world; brands the engine did not name are not recorded.", "limitation": "Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.", "alerts": {"name": "Answer Watch Pro", "price_usd": 79, "period": "month", "gets": "daily change alerts for up to 5 brands in what one AI answer engine says, history, CSV export. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included", "url": "https://bikoosh.com/answers"}}