Avalara AvaTax vs Avalara Returns

Avalara AvaTax8.9Visit Avalara Returns7.8Visit

Higher score Avalara AvaTax #4 in Tax Compliance Software 8.9/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Avalara

vs

Avalara Returns #16 in Tax Compliance Software 7.8/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 4 features Try Avalara Returns

• Avalara AvaTax fits best

  High-volume transaction tax calculation

• Avalara Returns fits best

  Avalara customers focused on returns

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Side by side

Feature	Avalara AvaTax 8.9/10 Visit ↗	Avalara Returns 7.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	7.8
Ranking	#4 in Tax Compliance Software	#16 in Tax Compliance Software
Best for	High-volume transaction tax calculation	Avalara customers focused on returns
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$699/unit/yr	$699/unit/yr
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Live chat, Docs	Live chat, Community, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2	SOC 2
Integrations	1,400+ integrations	1,400+ integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Avalara AvaTax 3/4 · Avalara Returns 3/4
Return filing	✓	✓
Sales tax calculation	✓	✓
Tax registration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
API access	✓	✓
Specs
Jurisdictions covered	12000 jurisdictions (best)	25 jurisdictions
Supported tax types	sales tax, consumer use tax, VAT, communications tax, occupancy and lodging tax, excise tax	sales tax, use tax, sellers use tax, consumer use tax, excise tax, industry-specific taxes
Filing support level	Automated	Automated
Our review
Pros	Covers 12,000+ jurisdictions and multiple tax types REST API plus broad ERP, ecommerce, and accounting integrations Nexus, exemption, filing, reporting, and audit-readiness features	Automates preparation, filing, and remittance across state and local returns Monitors economic nexus and manages notices through the Avalara Portal Connects with major commerce, accounting, ERP, and CRM systems
Cons	No free plan is available Pricing varies by state, revenue tier, usage, and eligibility Advanced services and configurations may require a Custom plan	No free plan is available Pricing is charged per state, which can raise costs across many states Custom plan pricing requires a tailored arrangement
Our verdict	Avalara AvaTax is a cloud-based tax determination engine for businesses calculating taxes across sales and purchasing workflows. It supports sales and consumer use tax, VAT, communications tax, occupancy and lodging tax, and excise tax.… Read the review →	Avalara Returns is a cloud-based tax compliance service for businesses preparing, filing, and remitting sales and use tax returns across multiple jurisdictions. It suits small, midsize, and enterprise organizations, with support for… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Avalara AvaTax — where it wins

  • Covers 12,000+ jurisdictions and multiple tax types
  • REST API plus broad ERP, ecommerce, and accounting integrations
  • Nexus, exemption, filing, reporting, and audit-readiness features

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Pricing varies by state, revenue tier, usage, and eligibility
  • Advanced services and configurations may require a Custom plan

• Avalara Returns — where it wins

  • Automates preparation, filing, and remittance across state and local returns
  • Monitors economic nexus and manages notices through the Avalara Portal
  • Connects with major commerce, accounting, ERP, and CRM systems

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan is available
  • Pricing is charged per state, which can raise costs across many states
  • Custom plan pricing requires a tailored arrangement

• Avalara AvaTax8.9/10 · Paid

  A broad tax engine for businesses managing high-volume, multi-jurisdiction transactions.

  Visit AvalaraFull verdict →
• Avalara Returns7.8/10 · Paid

  A strong fit for Avalara customers that need automated multistate returns workflows.

  Try Avalara ReturnsFull verdict →