Drake Tax review
Broad return coverage and diagnostics for professional preparers, with annual paid licensing.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Drake Tax is professional tax preparation software for tax preparers and accounting firms handling individual and business returns. It supports federal and state preparation, multi-state filing, electronic filing, diagnostics, tax planning, prior-year references, document management, and customizable print sets. Supported return types include 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120-S, 1041, 990, 706, and 709, making it suited to practices that need coverage beyond individual filings.
The published annual tax-year plans span several preparation models. Pay-Per-Return costs $379.99 and includes 10 individual returns, with additional individual and business returns available for purchase. Drake Tax 1040 150 costs $1,895 for up to 150 individual returns, while Drake Tax 1040 Unlimited costs $2,325 for unlimited individual returns; business returns are paid add-ons on both plans. Drake Tax Pro 250 costs $2,375 for up to 250 total individual and business returns. Drake Tax Pro Unlimited costs $3,145 and includes unlimited individual and business returns, federal and state packages, and multi-user or single-user licensing options.
Drake Tax also connects with Drake Accounting and Payroll, Drake Workflow, Drake Portals, Drake E-Sign, Bank Products, Drake Audit Defense, GruntWorx Tax Automation, and Drake Pay. Its feature set covers imported W-2, 4562, 8949, and Schedule K-1 data, amended federal and selected state returns, and compliance checks. The primary application is Windows-based, and state amended-return e-filing availability varies by state. Preparers needing broad federal, state, individual, and business coverage should consider Drake Tax; 1040-focused practices can match a dedicated plan, while firms requiring another operating system or a free plan should choose an alternative.
Drake Tax pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Supports individual, business, multi-state, and amended returns
- Includes diagnostics, compliance checks, imports, and tax planning tools
- Offers federal and state e-filing with professional integrations
- Where it doesn't
- Windows desktop software limits platform flexibility
- No free plan; annual pricing starts at $379.99
- Business returns cost extra on the 1040-focused plans
Drake Tax fact sheet, pricing and score →
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