H&R Block Online vs TaxSlayer

H&R Block Online9.0Visit TTaxSlayer8.3Visit

Higher score H&R Block Online #2 in Personal Tax Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit H&R Block

vs

T TaxSlayer #8 in Personal Tax Software 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit TaxSlayer

• H&R Block Online fits best

  US filers wanting guided expert support

• TaxSlayer fits best

  US filers needing mobile and live help

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	H&R Block Online 9.0/10 Visit ↗	TTaxSlayer 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.3
Ranking	#2 in Personal Tax Software	#8 in Personal Tax Software
Best for	US filers wanting guided expert support	US filers needing mobile and live help
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android
Support	Live chat, Docs	Email, Phone, Live chat, Docs
Built for	Solo	Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features H&R Block Online 4/4 · TaxSlayer 4/4
Self-employment support	✓	✓
Investment income	✓	✓
Rental income	✓	✓
Audit support	✓	✓
Specs
State filing	Paid_add_on	Paid_add_on
Mobile access	Web_and_mobile	Web_and_mobile
Our review
Pros	Free tier covers simple returns, W-2 income, and key tax credits Supports investment, rental, and self-employment reporting Combines AI assistance with live tax-professional help	Federal and state filing supports major IRS forms and income types Mobile access across web, iOS, and Android Higher tiers add live chat, tax-pro assistance, and priority support
Cons	State filing is a paid add-on The free plan is limited to simple returns Advanced filing requires moving to a paid plan	Simply Free is limited to qualifying simple tax situations State returns cost extra on paid tiers Premium support and tax-professional help require higher tiers
Our verdict	H&R Block Online is a web-based tax preparation and filing service for U.S. individual taxpayers. Its Free Online plan is designed for simple returns, including W-2 and unemployment income, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Child Tax… Read the review →	TaxSlayer is online tax preparation software for U.S. taxpayers who want to prepare and electronically file federal and state returns. Its plans cover simple returns as well as filing situations involving major IRS forms, self-employment,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• H&R Block Online — where it wins

  • Free tier covers simple returns, W-2 income, and key tax credits
  • Supports investment, rental, and self-employment reporting
  • Combines AI assistance with live tax-professional help

  Where it doesn't

  • State filing is a paid add-on
  • The free plan is limited to simple returns
  • Advanced filing requires moving to a paid plan

• TaxSlayer — where it wins

  • Federal and state filing supports major IRS forms and income types
  • Mobile access across web, iOS, and Android
  • Higher tiers add live chat, tax-pro assistance, and priority support

  Where it doesn't

  • Simply Free is limited to qualifying simple tax situations
  • State returns cost extra on paid tiers
  • Premium support and tax-professional help require higher tiers

• H&R Block Online9.0/10 · Free plan

  A flexible tax-filing service with free simple returns and guided expert help.

  Visit H&R BlockFull verdict →
• TTaxSlayer8.3/10 · Free plan

  A broad tax-filing option with mobile access and live help on higher tiers.

  Visit TaxSlayerFull verdict →